One of my very first posts when we launched WriteWorldwide was an article entitled: How to Find Freelance Writing Clients on LinkedIn (A System That Works). The article got a lot of positive feedback, and many people were surprised that LinkedIn is still such a powerful way to land new freelance writing clients.

My method has been tried and tested for several months now, and I’ve used it to consistently set new appointments each week.

So in case you still haven’t tapped into the power of LinkedIn to grow your freelance writing business, I decided to revisit this topic to do a deep dive breakdown of my main LinkedIn pitch – and why it works.

I’ve formatted the pitch template in bold italics with my analysis underneath. So, let’s get stuck in …

The Pitch

Hi <first name>,

I like to address prospects by their first name only. Not everyone agrees with this, and some people prefer to use a more formal greeting such as “Dear Mr./Mrs. <last name>”.

I like using first names because I feel it’s friendly, and puts me on an even footing with the prospect from the start. It really comes down to personal preference here, so go with what you feel comfortable with.

Thanks for connecting here on LinkedIn.

The opening of the pitch is casual and friendly, immediately thanking the prospect for connecting.

As a writer and marketer for <your industry>, I help <type of business> generate more leads and sales with quality content and marketing.

This paragraph hooks in the prospect by telling them what I do and how I can help them. Notice that I keep things very simple – instead of using the word “copywriter” I introduce myself as a “writer”.

Some prospects may not be familiar with the word “copywriter”, but everyone knows what a writer is!

Next, I’ve demonstrated that I work with companies in the prospect’s niche, and given a clear benefit of hiring me – that I can help them generate more leads and sales (make more money!)

My work has been featured on sites such as <2-3 sites>.

A short sentence like this quickly highlights your social proof so the prospect can see you know the industry and have had relevant writing experience. For best results, you should include publications that the prospect recognises.

Would you be available for a quick phone call next week to discuss how I can help with content and marketing at <company name>?

My preference is to ask for a call. I do this because it’s a great way to take the conversation away from LinkedIn, and it’s easy for prospects to agree to as a next step.

Notice that I say “a quick call” so create the expectation that I won’t take up too much of their time. I’ve also framed the call as a discussion to find out how I may be able to help them – rather than a sales call.

Let me know a day and a time that will work for you and we can jump on a quick call.

This sentence keeps the ball in the prospect’s court by letting them decide a date and time for the call. The language is very casual to reaffirm that I’m not a high-pressure salesman.

Don’t worry too much about time differences. I find that prospects are usually willing to negotiate a better time if it turns out to be the middle of the night in your time zone!

I look forward to hearing back from you.

This line is a friendly way to suggest that I expect to continue the conversation later.

Here are links to a few of my recent articles: <2-3 links>

Providing some links here is a great way to highlight the most relevant articles for the particular business you’re contacting.

Thanks in advance,

“Thanks in advance” recently topped a poll of the most effective email sign-offs. So while that’s still the case, it’s a good one to use.

<your name>

Keep things casual by using your first name here.

You’ll notice that this pitch template is very short and to the point, and each part of it has a very specific purpose, which I’ve highlighted.

The main purpose of the pitch is to start a conversation. I suggest avoiding adding any information that will confuse the message and prevent the prospect from taking the desired action (setting up a phone call).

Final Thoughts

Use this pitch template consistently, and you will bring in more work. When you’re ready to put it to the test, start off by editing the template to your own situation.

I’d then suggest sending it to at least twenty to forty prospects in your LinkedIn network per week. The more you send, the better your results will be.

Realistically, if you continue to grow your network and spend just thirty minutes each weekday on this task, you could send out a hundred pitches a week and achieve some really great results.

It’s totally fine to start slow, just keep a routine and build up your numbers as you go. Remember, marketing is a numbers game – at least at the start of your writing career.

To get the best results possible, I suggest continually growing your LinkedIn network so you always have a pool of new prospects to reach out to.

The best way to do that is by taking time each week to identify new prospects (based on industry and job title) using LinkedIn’s people search. Then send them a personalised invitation to connect with you.

It’s also important to follow-up with prospects about a week after your initial contact. For a recap of how to do this read through my previous LinkedIn post.

Your Free WriteWorldwide Pitching Template Cheat Sheet

We recently sent out a free PDF and editable Word version of our most successful pitch templates to all WriteWorldwide subscribers.

In it you’ll find all three LinkedIn pitch templates with examples of them in action – the personalised connection request, main pitch and follow-up – plus a whole lot more.

If you’d like to get your hands on our free cheat sheet, then grab your copy below: