You’ve determined to go after freelance writing however you don’t have any concept land writing jobs that truly pay.
If you have already got your web site and writing portfolio arrange, you’re forward of most newcomers.
If not, contemplate testing my YouTube channel for that assist and extra.
After I first began, I believed shoppers would simply “discover” me as soon as my website was reside. They didn’t at first (later they really did!).
I needed to attain out. That’s the place pitching is available in.
You possibly can pitch via job boards or requires writers, and that may provide help to land a writing job rapidly.
However they usually aren’t very excessive paying so I counsel you foucs on touchdown 2-3 shoppers from job boards to get the expertise.
However to get regular, high-paying work, that’s the place chilly emailing is absolutely efficient.
It places you in entrance of actual decision-makers as an alternative of competing with tons of of candidates.
I’ll present you precisely chilly e mail for freelance writing gigs, plus use the identical method for listed jobs.
First, let’s get clear on what chilly emailing really is.
What’s Chilly Emailing?
Chilly emailing is once you attain out to somebody who doesn’t know you but.
There’s no referral, no introduction, and no prior relationship.
It’s simply you beginning the dialog.
You may also heard of heat pitching or heat emails.
A heat e mail is completely different.
That’s when there’s already a connection via an individual, occasion, or referral.
With chilly emailing, you’re creating the chance from scratch.
Once you chilly e mail for writing work, the individual on the opposite finish normally isn’t in search of a author.
Your job isn’t to “promote” your self within the first e mail however it’s to start out an actual dialog and put your self on their radar for future work.
Is Chilly Emailing an Efficient Technique to Discover Freelance Jobs?
Sure, it really works—however solely for those who deal with it like a course of.
Chilly emailing is a numbers sport.
You’ll ship a variety of emails to get just a few wins.
For some individuals, they find yourself sending tons of of chilly emails to listen to again from a possible lead.
Others, solely ship just a few.
Most received’t get replies.
Some can be well mannered no’s.
A small handful will flip into paying shoppers.
Early on, the rejection bothered me greater than I anticipated. It wasn’t simply rejection from pitches, but additionally from different writers.
It made me virtually fairly freelance writing altogether.
However as soon as I finished taking it personally and targeted on exhibiting up constantly, outcomes adopted.
Now, I’ll be the primary to let you know, I don’t use chilly pitching or emailing fairly often, however after I do, it really works.
In my Writeto1k program, I’ve a 30 day problem and in that problem, you might be anticipated to chilly pitch.
Many college students (and even I) have landed writing jobs that approach.
In the event you’re able to ship the emails and keep constant, this may be just right for you too.
Subsequent, I’ll present you precisely construction a chilly e mail that will get replies.
The way to Write Chilly Emails That Get Responses
A chilly e mail that lands shoppers is about greater than the pitch itself.
The work you do earlier than you ship it—and what you do after—performs an enormous position in whether or not you get a reply.
Most freelance writers solely concentrate on writing the e-mail and skip the prep and follow-up. That’s normally why their inbox stays quiet.
Stick with me right here.
This course of is easy when you see the complete image.
The steps under stroll you thru it from begin to end, so that you at all times know what to do subsequent.
The way to Put together to Ship a Chilly Electronic mail
When you’ve picked your writing area of interest and created stable samples, the next move is getting accustomed to the businesses in that house.
As you analysis, preserve a working checklist of manufacturers you’d really like to jot down for.
You should utilize LinkedIn to seek out these firms.
Spend a couple of minutes discovering these firm’s LinkedIn pages after which over to every website.
Have a look at their weblog, their product pages, and the way they market themselves.
You’re in search of gaps you may assist fill with content material.
This step issues greater than most freelance writers understand.
Once you perceive what an organization does and what they may want, your pitch turns into particular as an alternative of generic, and that’s what will get replies as an alternative of being ignored.
And you realize what?
You should utilize ChatGPT that can assist you determine the content material gaps an organization wants.
Simply ask it and provides the hyperlink to the corporate.
For this instance, I requested ChatGPT to have a look at the content material gaps for Teachable’s web site.
It’s also possible to do it the “previous” college approach too!
1. Go to Their Web site
For instance, go to their web site and take a fast go searching.
What do they really promote?
Do they run a weblog?
In that case, how typically do they publish?
Take note of their tone.
Is their copy informal and pleasant or polished and company?
Are they targeted on training, gross sales, or each?
These small particulars let you know precisely place your pitch.
Once you match their model and converse to what they already care about, your e mail sounds related as an alternative of random.
2. Discover Them on Social Media
Subsequent, take a couple of minutes to evaluate their social media. This provides you an actual have a look at how the enterprise exhibits up daily and never simply how they current themselves on their web site.
Have a look at what platforms they use most.
Are they lively on LinkedIn, Instagram, or X?
What sort of content material do they put up—instructional ideas, product promos, behind-the-scenes updates, or buyer tales?
Take note of how they impart.
Do they write in an off-the-cuff, pleasant tone or preserve issues extra company?
Do they use quick captions, emojis, and storytelling, or straight-to-business updates?
You should utilize this info immediately in your pitch.
For instance, in the event that they share weekly instructional posts however haven’t revealed a weblog in months, you may counsel repurposing that content material into articles.
If their tone is relaxed and conversational on social, mirror that in your e mail as an alternative of sounding stiff.
This small analysis step helps you personalize your message and present that you just didn’t ship a mass e mail—you selected them on goal.
3. Pitch a Particular Individual
Each time doable, handle the individual you’re pitching by title.
It immediately makes your e mail really feel private and never automated.
Begin on the corporate’s web site.
Examine the About, Staff, or Careers pages to seek out the individual in command of advertising and marketing, content material, or partnerships.
If there’s no e mail listed, head to LinkedIn, search the corporate, and click on the Individuals tab to seek out the best contact.
You normally received’t see e mail addresses on LinkedIn—and that’s regular.
That is the place an e mail lookup device helps.
Hunter.io continues to be dependable for locating verified enterprise emails immediately from an organization’s web site.
If Hunter doesn’t present the precise e mail you want, have a look at the format it pulls. For instance, for those who see:
You possibly can plug the proper title into that format after which run it via an e mail verifier inside Hunter to substantiate it’s legitimate earlier than sending.
In the event you really can’t discover a title or direct e mail, use the corporate’s basic handle (like [email protected] or [email protected]).
In your greeting, keep away from “To whom it could concern.” Use one thing like:
Good day [Company Name] Staff,
It nonetheless feels intentional and it retains your e mail from sounding chilly and generic.
For essentially the most half, although, if I don’t know the direct title I’ll simply use a generic, “Hey” or “Hiya.”
That is pleasant and works properly because it’s easy.
The way to Write a Chilly Electronic mail Pitch
Writing a chilly e mail that will get a reply comes right down to together with the best info in the best order.
A powerful chilly e mail has 5 core components. I’ll break every one down under.
1. Make a Private Connection
Utilizing the individual’s title helps, however actual personalization goes deeper than that.
I don’t bounce straight into the pitch. I take advantage of my first one or two traces to clarify why I’m reaching out and to point out that I picked them on goal.
Personalization doesn’t must be difficult.
Spend a couple of minutes on their web site and search for:
- A current product launch or announcement
- An award or press point out
- A weblog put up they revealed
- A case examine they featured
Then reference it immediately. For instance:
- “I noticed your current product launch for ___.”
- “I learn your article on ___ and observed ___.”
- “Your case examine with ___ caught my consideration.”
This tells them instantly that your e mail isn’t generic and that alone will increase your probabilities of getting a response.
2. Construct Credibility
After your opening, the subsequent step is to briefly set up why you’re price listening to.
That is the place you introduce your self and share your most related {qualifications}.
Preserve this half targeted on their enterprise.
The aim isn’t to checklist your full background, it’s to point out that you just’re a robust match for what they do.
In a robust credibility part, you would possibly embrace:
- Your position as a contract author
- How lengthy you’ve been writing (if relevant)
- Your specialization or area of interest
- Comparable shoppers or industries you’ve labored with
- One clear consequence you’ve helped a consumer obtain
- A recognizable publication or model you’ve been featured in
For instance, for those who’re pitching a SaaS firm, point out your SaaS work not unrelated writing expertise.
In the event you’re new, that’s wonderful too.
You possibly can lead together with your area of interest focus, related writing samples, or formal coaching as an alternative.
This part ought to be quick, particular, and immediately tied to the corporate you’re pitching.
It’s there to construct belief—to not impress with further particulars they don’t want.
3. State Your Pitch
Subsequent, inform them precisely why you’re emailing and the way your work can help their enterprise.
That is the place you join what you do to an actual want they’ve.
Companies don’t need to guess how one can assist.
It is advisable spell out the consequence you may ship and why it issues to them.
In my very own pitches, I typically level out one thing particular I observed like an outdated weblog, inconsistent publishing, or lacking search engine optimisation content material, then clarify how I can repair it.
For instance, if their weblog hasn’t been up to date in months, I’ll counsel a constant content material plan to herald regular site visitors.
At this stage, embrace hyperlinks to:
- Your portfolio
- 2–3 writing samples that match their trade
Relevance issues.
In the event you’re pitching a tech firm, don’t ship samples about pet meals or residence decor.
Present work that matches their house to allow them to instantly image you writing for them.
In the event you don’t have related samples but, create them. You possibly can publish pattern items on:
- Medium
- Your individual web site
One exception: in case your writing samples are in a unique area of interest however you’ve got direct work expertise within the trade you’re pitching, use that. For instance:
“Right now, I don’t have revealed samples within the tech house. Earlier than freelancing, I labored as a cell developer for 3 years at XYZ Firm.”
Then nonetheless hyperlink your strongest writing samples. Your trade background offers your pitch added weight.
This part is the place you present worth—clearly and rapidly—so that they perceive what working with you may appear to be in actual phrases.
4. Embrace a Name to Motion
All the time shut your pitch with a direct name to motion. Don’t depart the subsequent step obscure or put the choice solely on them.
Keep away from comfortable endings like:
- “Let me know for those who’re .”
- “Be happy to achieve out.”
These don’t information the prospect on what to do subsequent.
As an alternative, inform them precisely what motion you’d like them to take. For instance:
- “Would you be open to a fast 10–15 minute name this week to see if it is a match?”
- “If this sounds related, I’d like to schedule a brief name to speak via subsequent steps.”
Be clear, however preserve it low strain.
For full transparency, right here’s precisely how I ended my chilly e mail to this prospect:
5. Add a Skilled Electronic mail Signature
Once you shut your chilly e mail, embrace knowledgeable e mail signature. It reinforces your credibility and makes it straightforward for the prospect to take the subsequent step.
A stable freelance writing signature usually contains:
- Your full title
- Your title (Freelance Author, Content material Strategist, and so on.)
- A hyperlink to your web site or portfolio
- A hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile
- Optionally available hyperlinks to different related social platforms
Your signature ought to be clear, easy, and constructed to help the subsequent motion—not muddle the e-mail.
Don’t Neglect to Proofread Your Chilly Electronic mail Pitch!
As soon as your chilly e mail is drafted, proofread it—rigorously. This step issues much more once you’re pitching a number of firms without delay.
You’re promoting writing providers. Your e mail must be clear, clear, and error-free. Spelling and grammar errors instantly harm your credibility.
Run your pitch via Grammarly or an analogous enhancing device, then evaluate it manually. Examine for:
- Spelling of the corporate and phone’s title
- Lacking or repeated phrases
- Damaged or incorrect hyperlinks
- Formatting points that make the e-mail onerous to learn
Solely ship your pitch as soon as every part checks out. A cultured e mail indicators professionalism earlier than they learn a single phrase of your supply.
What To Do After Sending a Chilly Electronic mail
Not everybody tracks their chilly emails—however it is best to. Monitoring retains you organized and helps you see what’s really working so you may enhance your outcomes over time.
After I first began, I used a easy spreadsheet to trace:
- Firm title
- Contact title
- Electronic mail despatched date
- Comply with-up date
- Response standing
That alone saved me constant. Now, I handle my pitching workflow with Trello, which lets me transfer prospects via every stage of the method at a look.
You would possibly want to check just a few programs earlier than discovering what suits your workflow—and that’s wonderful. The bottom line is selecting one technique and utilizing it constantly.
It’s also possible to use an e mail monitoring device like Streak for Gmail to handle follow-ups and see when your e mail is opened. It exhibits you:
- When your pitch is learn
- The place every prospect is in your pipeline
- Who wants a follow-up
This info helps you keep organized, observe up on time, and spot patterns that result in extra replies and booked calls.
All the time Comply with Up
One of the vital essential abilities in chilly emailing is following up—and most freelancers skip it.
On common, it takes 5 emails to shut a sale, but 70% of freelance writers by no means observe up in any respect. That alone explains why so many pitches go unanswered.
If you wish to stand out and really land shoppers, follow-up isn’t non-compulsory.
How typically you observe up is private, however I usually ship three follow-up emails after my preliminary pitch:
Comply with-up #1: Fast Reminder
Ship this just a few days after your first e mail. Preserve it quick and restate your supply in a single or two traces.
Comply with-up #2: Attain the Determination-Maker
In the event you’re unsure you emailed the best individual, ask if they will ahead your message to the one who handles content material or advertising and marketing.
Comply with-up #3: Breakup Electronic mail
That is your closing check-in. Briefly restate why you reached out, remind them how one can assist, and invite them to reconnect later if now isn’t the best time.
Most replies come from follow-ups—not first emails. Consistency here’s what separates writers who get shoppers from those that don’t.
Preserve Pitching and Testing New Copy
Writing successful chilly e mail pitches might take some trial and error.
That’s why it’s so essential to ship common chilly pitches and take a look at out several types of emails.
That approach you may see what prospects reply to and replicate the chilly emails that win shoppers in your writing area of interest.
Now go on the market and begin chilly emailing!