With all this extra time on our hands after being stuck at home for what feels like eternity, a lot of our art squad are picking up odd jobs on the side as they finally have time to try something new, or maybe even have the opportunity to take their side hustle to the next level. Working as a freelancer often means sending out masses of emails, with the hopes of being read. Sometimes it can be hard to attract the attention of potential work colleagues, especially now more and more of us are entering the freelance market. So, how do we pitch to new clients as a freelancer? These tips may just help you!
Catch their attention
Most of us are going to look for work opportunities via email. I’m sure you can imagine that potential employers receive dozens, maybe even hundreds of messages, so you need to make sure you attract their attention. Be creative with your subject lines so that they don’t automatically press delete!
Make Sure You’re Pitching To Appropriate Clients
Do your research, you could be contacting people who will never hire you. Make sure you’re targeting the right leads so that you’re time is not wasted.
Show Examples Of Your Work
It’s a good idea to include references to your past work when pitching to new contacts. You may have written a killer email, but you’ve got to back that up. Include images and examples of your previous work. Wow them!
Believe In Yourself
Don’t be half hearted about your search for freelance opportunities. Sometimes you’ll send out fifty pitches and only get one yes, but that one yes is all you need. You are great, but you need to get your enthusiasm across in that pitch. Self-belief is super important to get ahead in this world!
Keep Your Website Up To Date
Having a strong online presence is super important. We’ve all got websites these days, but how often do we really update them? When you pitch to someone, they’re likely to look you up online before replying to you. Make sure your website is looking fresh, and that your social media platforms are up to date too.
Network
Just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic, doesn’t mean you can’t network! Speaking to others is a great way to get your name out there. Why not message the people you admire on LinkedIn, or sign up to The Art Gorgeous House? You never know, these connections could be mutually beneficial.
Follow up
You’ve sent that great pitch, your website is up to date, and you’ve been networking like crazy. It’s been a week, but you haven’t heard anything back. Instead of thinking they’re not interested, send an email to ask whether they received your email. While it could be a flat out “no”, this may prompt the reader to stop and look at what you sent them, leading to that all important job opportunity. As they say, if you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Text Lizzy Vartanian
