We love freelance work. We love the freedoms it grants us. We love the flexibility.
But we hate pitching.
Cold pitches are basically cold calls. It’s reaching out to clients who were unaware of you. And offering them your services as a freelance writer. Some of these pitches convert to clients. But a lot of them do not.
The constant effort of pitching as a freelancer becomes exhausting. It strips away the humanity of client interactions. Putting a damper on your idea of being a freelance writer. Writing is the easy part. Around half of your time as a freelancer consists of finding pitches, writing pitches, and hoping those pitches work out.
I’m not advocating for a refusal of pitching as a freelance writer. It’s a skill we all need. Sometimes, initial pitches are the way we get our foot in the door. And then, we begin a long career of never pitching again. Other times, pitching fills in the slow times.
Unlike many freelancers who got into the career expecting that pitches were a part of their new life, I was the opposite. Chock this up to me being an idiot, at the time. Since I started my career on a freelance writing platform, all I did was submit applications for work.
Were these pitches? You betcha. But, I was too blind to make that connection.
So, when I began working outside of that platform, I expected that clients would come to me. That I would find work through referrals or existing content or something. Also, I mostly ghostwrote, so there wasn’t much existing content in my name. But, that’s another embarrassing misconception for another day.
Anyway, I spent a little while not having many clients. Because I wasn’t putting myself out there. Then, I realized the importance of pitching. Better late than never. So, while we all hate pitching, there is a time for it in a freelance writer’s career.
Is it possible for a freelance writer to have a career without pitching? It absolutely is. And building a pitch-less career after some initial pitches is possible, too.
So, how do you build a thriving freelance career without pitching?
Use Social Media Intentionally
The main social media platform used for professional activities is LinkedIn. But, you can apply this to other social media platforms that you use for exposure as a freelance writer.
For professional purposes, having a lot of followers is not necessary. What is necessary is being clear. Don’t market yourself with a broad title, such as “freelance writer.” It gets the general point across, but that’s not what potential clients are looking for. They want to quickly know that you can help them. That you have the skills and knowledge for solving their problem. This is what entices them toward reaching out. They are less inclined toward reaching out if they aren’t even sure you’re capable of handling their job.
So, make your use of social media intentional. Don’t make it broad so it appeals to everyone. Direct yourself and your descriptors toward the clientele you are seeking.
This also applies to the type of content you are posting. Instead of posting random content, make it targeted. Ensure it appeals to the people you want as clients. And that it demonstrates your skills and understanding in the areas you claim.
Make Your Blog Work for You
I cannot overstate the role of SEO when it comes to any online presence. And the same importance that SEO has for companies and clients, applies to freelance writers.
Too many freelance writers focus their early career solely on pitching. Meanwhile, they ignore online traffic and SEO. But these can bring in leads and new clients, without sending out a pitch.
Let’s say you specialize in B2B writing. Set up a blog and make regular posts that appear in online searches for “B2B freelance writer.” When someone searches for this, they are doing so with a purpose. It is not a random search. They are looking for a freelance writer skilled in B2B. And they find your blog. Complete with plenty of examples demonstrating your knowledge and skills in the area.
They have a problem, searched for a solution, and found you. Now, they reach out. And you have a new contract with no pitching, whatsoever.
That’s because your blog did the work for you. Since you implemented SEO practices, your website appeared on search rankings. The client found you with ease. And they reached out since they saw that you could solve their issue. This is the case for blog posts that are several years old, too. They still bring in prospects because they are targeted properly.
Don’t Over-Complicate Your Brand
Branding is important. I actually discussed branding and my own experience with it as one of my first blog posts way back when. But it is something that we often over-complicate. We worry too much about what our brand is or how it’s perceived. In reality, it’s not as complex as it may appear.
A personal brand is the association of your name with a specific subject or expertise.
It’s similar to what I mentioned earlier about not being too broad in your description of yourself. The same goes for a personal brand. Instead of building a brand as a freelance writer, build one as a freelance B2B writer. Or a freelance medical writer.
Your name becomes associated with those brands. When a person decides they need a B2B writer, your name is already tied to B2B. People will refer you based on that brand. Or perhaps the client saw your blog posts and formed that association themselves. Either way, you have tied yourself to that area of expertise. People will remember your name when they need work in that area.
Since your name is already associated with a particular area, you get referrals and prospects without pitching.
Actively Pursue Referrals
Referrals are one of the best ways of finding clients without pitching. And yet, we don’t think about building a strong referral system.
Establishing a referral system isn’t difficult. It starts with maintaining good on-going client relationships. Show clients that you are reliable. That you are accessible and communicative. Keep them happy with your work. This grants you ongoing and repeated work. Most clients won’t search for another freelance writer if they are happy with their current one.
This also grants you more referrals. Happy clients are ones who know what they can expect. They know that you are reliable. And that you deliver high-quality work. When they come across another person seeking freelance writing, they refer you. Plus, depending on the relationship you built with them, you can ask whether they know someone looking for writing.
It’s a win-win all around. Clients get a good relationship and are happy. And you get new clients without pitching.
Be Accessible, But Not Everywhere
When starting out, many freelance writers build a presence everywhere. LinkedIn, Facebook, X, sometimes even TikTok. This bombardment of your presence isn’t necessary. But, that doesn’t mean you should ignore accessibility.
If you want work without pitching, be accessible. Keep your website up-to-date and have an online portfolio. This ensures clients can easily find you and samples of your work.
As I said, you still want an online presence. Making social media into a billboard for your work is unnecessary, though. Instead of having subpar activity on every platform, focus your time and energy on one or two. This lets you build up your presence on these platforms and truly target the right clients based on your niche.
Accept You Aren’t for Everyone
We all have a tendency towards desperation when looking for work. Especially when starting out. We are not okay hearing from any prospective clients that our prices are too high. Or that our turnaround time is unacceptable. Some clients won’t have any issue. But it’s the ones who do that we worry about. So, we adjust. Make the changes where necessary. Basically trying to please everyone so we can land all the contracts.
Well, the truth is that not everyone accepts us.
And there is nothing wrong with that.
There will always be people who think our prices are too high. And some who don’t. The ones who don’t are the clients you want. Don’t lower your prices and value so you are more appealing. Stick to your guns and be confident about what you bring to the table.
If you are concerned about your prices, look at them on a large scale. If nearly every prospective client has an issue with your prices, then they may be too high. Conversely, if every client accepts your prices, then you are too low. The sweet spot is finding the middle-ground where you make what you’re worth, and you are getting clients. Just not every client.
Look, we will never be the right choice for everyone. And that’s okay. Accept that as a strength and move on. The clients who are okay with you understand your value and are happy with your deliverables. Those are the clients you want.
Success Without the Pitch
Being a successful freelance writer without pitching is possible. It just takes some conscious effort. Make things work for you, not against you. And target those things around appealing to new clients.
While no one likes pitching, don’t make avoiding it your mission, either. Pitching has its place. You can minimize it. And you can have success without it. But doing everything in your power to avoid it doesn’t help, either.
Accept it when you have to. Eliminate it where you can.