The power of warm pitching

How one writer landed her first high-paying client

For many freelance writers, the idea of cold pitching makes them clam up and avoid reaching out to potential clients. Believe me, I’ve been there. But I’m here to tell you that warming up your pitch can make the process so much easier. While it is nerve-wracking to reach out to businesses and organizations to provide your copywriting services, it’s the most rewarding way to build a freelance writing business. 

I want to share my cold pitching story with you. The day I learned how to warm up my cold pitches was the day I leveled up my freelance career. I discovered the importance of researching the client, adding personalization to the email, and explaining why I’m the perfect person to solve their problems. The first ever email pitch I sent out got a reply within the hour and I secured a new, high-paying client within the week!

It wasn’t easy. I had to challenge my imposter syndrome, learn how to warm up a cold pitch, and time the email just right. Here’s how I did it, and how you can too. 

Research and Timing

Before I share the actual email pitch I sent, I want to give you a little context on the company and what research I did to prepare. 

As a former nanny, babysitter, and camp counselor, I’m interested in working with clients in the childcare niche. I looked into services that match nannies to families, signed up for their email newsletters, and frequently browsed their sites.

One day, one of these companies sent out a survey via email. As someone who enjoys filling out questionnaires, I clicked it without thinking. 

As I answered the questions, I realized they were gathering information for new useful resources the company could provide for its customers. Ding ding ding!!! That means they’re going to need a lot of new content in the coming months. I knew it was the perfect time to pitch to them, but I was new to freelance writing and didn’t feel confident in how to approach this opportunity.  

I dove into blogs, articles, and YouTube videos about the art of cold pitching, but it sounded discouraging. It was all about finding contacts, pumping out a calculated and short email, and sending the same one to hundreds of people.

 What really changed the game for me was listening to the Copywriter Club Podcast and learning the “warm up” to a cold pitch. 

I came across episode #224 with Bree Weber where she discusses her unique warm pitching strategy. Connecting with potential clients is all about personalization and relevancy. She makes sure to do her research on the potential client, discovers the perfect time to reach out, and crafts an email that speaks directly to their needs. I thought that was genius, and I wanted to give it a try.

Once I learned enough about warming up my cold pitch, I dedicated an hour to reading through the content on the company’s website and familiarizing myself with their writing style. I thought about what problem they faced–I knew from the survey they sent me that they planned to ramp up the volume of content on their site, and I also knew their writing team probably needed some help. I came up with a strategy to align myself and the solution to their problems.  I did some digging to find the email for the company’s Marketing Manager and crafted my first-ever successful pitch. 

The Cold Pitch

Let’s start with the subject line: “I Know [COMPANY NAME] is Changing Things Up—And I Can Help.”

I referenced the company name, I used catchy, attention-grabbing language, I let them know that I’ve done my research, and—most importantly—I hinted at the services I offer.

It’s incredibly important to learn the name and email address of a contact at the company who is most likely to oversee freelancers. That way, the company sees right off the bat that you’re paying attention. That can include their Marketing Manager, Content Specialist, Senior Writer, or any other title that lets you know they’re the one in charge of sharing stories about the brand to attract customers. 

Often, you can find employee contact information on the company website itself. However, sometimes email addresses are hidden so people aren’t inundated with tons of messages. If that’s the case, you can do some sleuthing on Google to figure it out, or pay for a service that provides company email addresses. I often play a guessing game based on the free sample versions listed on those sites and hope for the best. 

In the first paragraph, I introduced myself and mentioned that I interact with their content: 

“I'm Maya, a nanny, camp counselor, and freelance digital content writer. Just a few moments ago, I completed [COMPANY NAME]’s survey and I noticed that you guys are looking into creating a whole new slew of useful content for your customers.”

I then went on to explain a further connection I have to their company. I mentioned past work experience that proves I have expertise in this niche, and I squeezed in a compliment too! 

“I worked with [COMPANY NAME] to find nanny jobs in the past, and I loved it because it was free, safe, and had a wide variety of well-paying jobs I could easily apply for. I'm so excited that you guys are expanding to level up your platform!” 

Next, I moved on to the meat of the persuasion. I discussed some pain points of the company and their current needs in a compassionate, understanding tone:

“As an experienced professional writer, I know that takes a lot of work. Not only do you have to develop new content strategies and topics, but you will need to produce a ton of articles, newsletters, and advertisements to showcase your ever-increasing relevance in the caregiving industry. I also know that work can ramp up quickly, and the stress begins to pile on.”

Finally, the actual pitch enters the picture.

“That's where I come in.”

Lastly, I brought up my relevant experience and offered my services to the company. I sent some samples of my writing work to display my talent and professionalism.  

“I've worked with 10+ families to provide childcare, I was a camp counselor for three summers--one of which was remote during 2020, and I'm a talented writer with over a year of experience working with digital brands to expand their content creation. I would love to take some of the work off of your team's plate and take on some content writing for [COMPANY NAME].

Here are a few links to my published work:

[LINKS] 

I've also attached to this email a video I filmed and edited for a summer camp’s virtual arts & crafts program in the summer of 2020.”

The end of the pitch brings the reader back to that pain point:

“If you're interested in hefting a large chunk of that massive pile of work onto someone else's plate, please shoot me an email.”

The very last line of your email must be a call to action. I didn’t want to scare them off by offering to hop on a call right away, so I used Bree Weber’s suggestion to offer to send over a video detailing my services. It doesn’t have to be professionally edited or anything. Simply film yourself discussing your experience and how you are the perfect solution to the company’s problem, and send it over. You can even film it on your phone! However, many writers find that asking potential client to hop straight on a call works well for them. Even simply ending your email with a question like, “how does this idea sound to you?” can help you get a response.

“Here's the next step: I'll send you a short video detailing my experience and what I can do for you. Then, we can go from there!”

After I hit send, I didn’t have to wait long for a response. The Marketing Manager connected me with their Freelance Coordinator, and we hopped on a call the next week. The rest is history!

Lessons for future warm pitching

The most important thing I learned about email pitching is to be brave and get started. Successful freelance writing is about making your own opportunities rather than searching for the ones that already exist. 

If you’re finally feeling ready to give cold pitching a try (or another try), I urge you to focus on warming it up. Make sure you do your research and stay up to date on the company’s content strategy and goals. When you notice they are ramping up their content production, that’s the perfect time to cast your line.

Don’t be afraid to write a longer email that is personalized and relevant. Touch on their pain points and position yourself and the perfect solution to their problems. And don’t forget to toss in a few compliments along the way.

When I first started freelance writing at the end of 2020, cold pitching felt impossible. But after working with too many low paying clients that didn’t respect my time or my work for over a year, I was fed up and decided to adjust my business strategy. Today, I utilize warm pitching on a weekly basis and I work with incredible companies and organizations who value me.