Freelancers: It’s Not About You

Photo by Proverbs 31:10.

It is no secret that human beings are pretty self-absorbed creatures, and while that sounds negative, a smart freelancer should actually think of it as a positive — because in the end people choose to hire you because of what you can do for them.

That’s right, “ask not what your clients can do for you, but what you can do for your clients”. Apologies to John F. Kennedy.

Despite the ubiquity of buzzwords like personal branding and other popular forms of self-promotion, in the end it stills comes to down to what a potential client gains from working with you or using your services: in other words, what is in it for them. You can use this natural self-interest to your advantage when crafting pitches and proposals by focusing on exactly that.

What’s In It For Me?

While it is certainly important to share your portfolio and point out past successes as a testament to your skills, when a prospective client is reading your proposal, they are most likely thinking “so what’s in it for me”?

As someone who has been on both the sending and receiving end of queries, I’ve come across a shocking number of pitches that don’t answer that simple question. Instead, they made me think “well yes, you are a talented writer with some great clips, but what are you going to do for my publication? Why would my readers be interested?”

That leads right to my next point: think about what your potential client is trying to accomplish when you are crafting your next proposal. Do they want some killer linkbait? Are they looking for an ecommerce site that is both efficient and elegant? Do they have products to promote? Who or what is their audience? Of course, you can and should ask them those questions during an initial interview if you’re able, but most freelancers must respond to ads and postings without that luxury. You can, however, research prospects online and learn more about their needs and goals that way.

It’s All About (the Word) “You”

When you are writing that first email to a would-be client, you should use the word “you” much more often than “I” or “me”. It is easy to get caught up in how much you want a particular gig, your stellar qualifications, and how you are an all-around rockstar freelancer, but guess what? The person reading your email almost certainly cares much more about their current needs than your past successes.

When I pitch new editors, I prefer to include just one or two lines about my work (and a link to my blog), and then use the rest of the (relatively short) email to share my ideas and describe how I can contribute to their publication.

That’s not to say that you should ignore previous triumphs entirely, but testimonials, references, and other proof of your positive impact on former clients’ businesses are best limited to your website (you do have a website, right?). Even those should be more specific than “X is a fantastic illustrator and a pleasure to work with!” An ounce of precise commendation is worth a pound of ambiguous praise when it comes to recommendations and testimonials.

This approach is also helpful when you don’t get the gig, because then you won’t take it personally – you know that rejection is not necessarily a reflection of your abilities. It’s not you, it’s them.

Put In the Effort, Reap the Rewards

Yes, it does take time and effort to thoroughly research your prospects and tailor your proposals accordingly, but those pitches are how you introduce yourself to new clients – and we all know how much first impressions matter. You want them to say “yes! This person totally comprehends my company/my audience/my needs – they get it!” when they are reading your initial emails. This works especially well when you go beyond their immediate requests and anticipate to their long-term goals.

So instead of saying “I’m an expert on this topic and I can write several posts a week for your blog”, you want to say “I am not only an expert on this topic, but I can write several detailed posts a week for your blog and develop a community by engaging commenters and linking/commenting on other blogs in the same niche”. The key here is to go above and beyond your competition and speak to your prospect’s ambitions and aspirations.

Make your proposals all about your client’s future success and you can’t lose, and remember that when it comes to getting freelance gigs, it’s not all about you.

Jacqueline is a freelance writer who covers everything from travel and fashion to professional blogging. She writes about her life and work on her personal blog (jacquelinezenn.wordpress.com) and muses in fashion, style, and design at her fashion blog (fashionablekiffen.blogspot.com).