While folks come into the freelance writing world through several different paths, the fact of the matter is that they often enter by either working for someone else, or through a relatively low-paying gig with a bigger firm. Yes, there are writing majors who jump into writing for print right out of college, but there are a lot more work-at-home moms who start with Demand Studios or someone similar.
Eventually, though, you get to the place where you want to earn more. To do that, you have to convince clients that your writing is worth more than what you’re currently getting paid. That means finding new clients and pitching.
The type of pitch will depend on the kind of writing you do. If you do web copy, your pitch is going to be very different from folks who want to do paid blogging. Still, there are some common characteristics of a good pitch:
Make it quick
You’ve probably heard about the “elevator pitch.” The concept is that you sell your service in the time it would take to ride the elevator. While chances are you need a little more time than that, you still want to keep your pitch short and right to the point.
Demonstrate, don’t hypothesize
If you believe your copywriting skills can improve a client’s business, say so. Use concrete examples. Show them how your writing has helped other clients. Use real numbers whenever possible.
Know your audience
Maybe you’ve been doing a lot of real estate writing lately, and you’ve set up appointments with a number of real estate agents in your area. When you get to those appointments, you don’t want to start talking about how you helped a client increase their ebook sales. You need to be relevant and interesting to your potential client.
Believe in the product
As anyone who’s ever done sales can tell you, believing in your product is usually a prerequisite to success. Your writing is a valuable commodity. Know that, if your pitch is successful, both you and your client win. You get a paycheck, and the client gets something to boost their business.
