❌ You Don’t Need To Cold Pitch To Get Clients ❌

It’s no secret that finding clients is a challenging part of running your own business.

(It would be really lovely to wake up with a line of people willing to pay top dollar for my services, but alas, that has yet to be my reality. YET) 😏

And while this struggle is so real for like every single business owner and creative,

Do we really need to sell our souls to an exhausting, grind-based cold pitch routine to build a sustainable business?

(In my experience, the answer is no, even if a LinkedIn coach/inspirational guru tells you differently!)

Cold pitching, (AKA sending a message or email to a person you have never had contact with before asking for work) is a super common tool that many business owners use to raise awareness of their services and products.

But, just because it is an option doesn’t mean you HAVE to do it to become successful.

(There are a million and one ways to build a business, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either small-minded (oops) or a grifter (ew) and you should not listen to their advice.)

So, if we are not going to be spamming our business pitches into the void and praying for a response, what are the other options we have to find great clients?

I am nothing if not a fan of being transparent with how I have been able to grow my writing business,

So this week’s blog is a deep dive into the various ways I have built an arsenal of paying clients that have helped me earn over 250K in the four years I have been running my business.

(I promise, I do not bring up the money part as an act of vanity or bragging — I just really want to highlight that it is possible to make good money without banging your head against the wall sending cold pitches every single day)

So, if you are new to freelancing or have been feeling a lot of pressure lately to start sending as many pitches a day as you can because some “influencer” told you that you are “not maximizing your potential” without it,

This blog is for you.

Here are the different places and ways that I have landed consistent, paying clients, all without cold pitching even once:

#1 — Applying for work on Upwork

For those who don’t know, I started my freelance career on Upwork, a job posting platform that lets you host a profile with your work portfolio.

(It has changed a lot since 2019, unfortunately not all for the best, but it is still a resource I use for growing my business today!)

My first 20+ paying clients all came from this platform,

All stemming from the messages and proposals I sent to people looking for help with medical writing and marketing.

And yes, I can hear you all thinking,

“But Claire, isn’t that kinda like cold pitching??”

(And to that I say yes and no, let me explain)

While I made an effort to reach out to people I had no previous connection with, what I really liked about using Upwork to pitch my services was that I was pitching to receptive ears.

Real cold pitching involves reaching out to someone who you have no idea if they are even looking for a writer — while I personally consider Upwork to be a warm pitching platform, as I was sending messages to people who had made it clear that they are looking to hire.

What I love about this platform is that it really let me cut my teeth in self-promotion, talking about my services, and interacting with people looking to pay me for my work.

Using Upwork early on helped me get a higher response rate to my messages and made it so I never did any writing for free — both of which are valuable experiences that encouraged me to flex my CEO muscle from day one.

#2 — Referrals from existing clients

Next, I have gotten two new clients from referrals from existing clients, through them giving me testimonials and/or directly recommending my services to people in their network.

If you have ever had this happen to you, then you know how magical this feeling is,

Because it not only means that you are nailing your work with your current client, but they see your value and are willing to advocate for you and your skills to help you grow.

(Talk about a truly perfect experience!)

Full transparency — both of my referrals came to me naturally without asking for them directly.

(I ask for testimonials for my website, but the referrals that turned into working opportunities for me were spur-of-the-moment offerings from my clients).

I do know that some business owners offer referral programs with discounts or perks for clients who send over high-value referrals, but that has never been my preference.

Do what feels best for you, and always remember the importance of using your network to your advantage!

#3 — Asking existing clients for more work

As possibly one of the most successful techniques I use to increase my freelance income, ASKING FOR MORE WORK FROM YOUR EXISTING CLIENTS IS TRULY A WELL OF UNTAPPED POTENTIAL.

While this technique has not netted me any new clients (obviously), it has netted me multiple thousands of dollars of new work and projects with clients I love, which is truly the best possible situation.

At least once a year, I like to send my favourite clients a short and simple message along the lines of:

“Hey [name],

Just wanted to check in with your current workload. I have had a change in my availability and would love to fill the gaps with work from you if you have the need — would [x project specific to their needs] be something you would be interested in exploring? Happy to jump on a call to chat about this more if you are interested!”

As a person already deeply involved in their content plan, I have found that clients are very happy to receive this type of message.

(They love that you are offering your availability to them first, and offering new projects that show you are plugged into their content needs)

And, worst case, they just say no, which is no big deal!

#4 — Joining a social LI call

I have landed one lovely client through an introductory call turned into an impromptu sales pitch that I was fully not prepared for (oops!)

During my earlier days on LinkedIn, I took more social calls with other medical writers to expand my network.

I never went into these calls expecting to pitch my services,

(That wasn’t my goal, because no one likes jumping on a social call just to be pitched out of nowhere)

But I just so happened to be talking about my areas of expertise and the person showed interest in working with me on some of their own projects in that space, and before I knew it, we had another call scheduled to talk about my work and services to work together.

(I was totally taken aback, but it’s been such a lovely working relationship!)

So, I guess the takeaway of this one is don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and chat — this is obviously not an area I have a tone of advice and nuance about, but it is true that you never know who will be interested in your work if you agree to chat and expand your network!

#5 — Referrals from other writers in my niche

Finally, as the newest way I have landed new clients, I currently have two potentially new working opportunities lined up from referrals from other writers in my niche.

(We love women supporting other women, truly!!)

As my network has grown and as I have gained real-life writer friends who I love and respect so deeply,

I have been blown away by the generosity and support I have received from other writers who work with similar clients.

Its very tempting to assume that we need to freelance in isolation,

(Very brooding damaged artist vibes, but we must resist)

But I have to say that building my network has single-handedly been the best thing I have ever done for my business, not just because it has brought in more warm leads through referrals,

But because these writers have made me think about my business in unique and different ways, pushing me to grow and flourish.

(And honestly, the support and love I get from this community does more for my business success than 10000 cold pitches could ever do)

Cold pitching is not your only option

So, what do you make of the different ways I have approached growing my business?

(As you can see, it has nothing to do with a rigorous cold-pitching plan, and everything to do with using my network to my advantage)

Creating a sustainable business is a slow burn — so do your best to have patience and remember that there is no “one way” to find clients.

You run your business and you get to decide which options you want to try and explore. You do not have to send 10+ cold pitches a week to be a successful business owner.

(Yes, that is real advice I have received, and no, I have not and will not do that)

So, I must ask — how do you find clients?

I’d love to hear about your approach to landing new clients, it’s always interesting to explore other ways to find work!

Until next week,