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Have you been introduced to a client but never heard back from them? You feel like you wrote the perfect pitch email that could land you the gig, but you don’t get a response? Well, It is something that happens to a lot of freelancers so you are not the only one!
With that being said, there are ways to improve your introduction email response ratio. This article will explain some simple tips and tricks to help you write emails that get more responses. We also provide you with a sample email that you can use to write the first email to your freelance clients.
Tip #1. Check if your profile represents the skill that you’re trying to sell
Typically, freelancers should aim to have links to their portfolios in the introductory emails. In the emails that are being cc’d to the clients at Unicorn Factory, freelancers have links to their profiles. The profiles include portfolio items such as case studies that are representative of the type of work that the freelancer offers. Thus, it also determines what type of work the person will most likely get.
For example, let’s say you want to or have applied for a logo design work, and have emailed the client about it with your portfolio items. But, the examples of your work include mostly website design. In this case, the client will most likely not respond to the email. Why? Because they can’t see examples of relevant work that you have done.
You should consider a couple of things when deciding what work will be showcased in your portfolio. First, what kind of clients do you want to attract? If it is small businesses, try to show examples of work that you did for small businesses. Second, what skills are those businesses
looking for? Then highlight those skills in your portfolio. So when the clients go to your portfolio they can directly see how working with you will benefit them.
Tip #2. Make sure your emails are concise
Each freelancer has their own way of writing emails to clients, and that is totally normal. You could also consider experimenting with your personal writing style in order to get a higher response rate.
At times, it could feel daunting to write that first introductory email, because you feel like you need to sell right then and there. At this stage, there is a common mistake that freelancers make, which leads them to not get as many responses as they could. That email may look something like this:
“Hi Client Name,
Nice to e-meet you and hope to find out more about the website that you created.
I have been involved in web development projects for quite a number of years have and have completed a variety of work for both small and large businesses.
I have specialized in small businesses over the last 5 years and was fortunate enough to help many small businesses get started with their websites.
My background is in web development. I have been designing for web and digital for about 5 years and am very familiar with taking projects from start and building them out to fit your requirements and expectations.
My rate is $100+ GST/hour. The project rate can vary depending on what is required. We can establish a budget that works for you once I understand the scope of the project and your expectations. I can certainly achieve what you want for the budget you’ve specified in your brief for Unicorn Factory.
Please have a look at type of work I’ve done previously: links attached. Feel free to take a look at the different services that I offer under “what I do” section and also under “my Projects”. I think this will be the best way of showing you the full scope of the work that I do.
It would be great to catch up over Zoom and then we can discuss your logo design in more detail. Let me know when is a suitable time to schedule a meeting with you.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks,
Your Name”
What did you think about the email?
Honestly, it’s a professional email that could work. But there are ways to make it even better. First, we can go ahead and remove the part about the freelancer’s background. This should be discussed over the call with your client.
Second, let’s remove any mention of your rates before the call. If you decide to put down your offer in the email, the clients will make up their minds before they hear what you can bring to the table.
Third, let’s remove a detailed description of your previous work. In the email, there should be a link to your portfolio, or in this case to your Unicorn Factory profile. The client will learn more from seeing your work rather than reading it from the email. You can then talk about it further on the actual call.
This ends up in a perfect email that will most likely be read by your clients:
“Hi Client Name,
Nice to e-meet you and hope to find out more about the website that you created.
It would be great to catch up over Zoom and then we can discuss your logo design in more detail. Let me know when is a suitable time to schedule a meeting with you.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks,
Your Name”
Convincing your client that you are the perfect candidate for the job is not something you need to do over email. Save this for the call that you will have.
What you should really focus on in the email is adding a secret ingredient.
Tip #3. Add a clear Call to Action
In your email, you absolutely need to have one thing: a clear call to action. That will make a perfect email to send to your clients today:
“Hi Client Name,
Nice to e-meet you and hope to find out more about the website that you created.
It would be great to catch up over Zoom and then we can discuss your logo design in more detail. Let me know when is a suitable time to schedule a meeting with you.
Feel free to schedule a call with me at your convenience here.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks,
Your Name”
If you have Calendly, link it in the email so there’s action that the client can take to get to the next step effortlessly. If you’re not familiar with the Calendly tool and you are a freelancer on Unicorn Factory learn more about it here.
Conclusion
The goal of the introduction email to your freelance clients is not to convince them that you are the right fit for the job. That sounds a bit contradictory, doesn’t it? In reality, the ultimate goal is to get your clients to book a call with you. And during the call, you will be able to talk through all the important points that describe why you are the perfect fit for the job.
People get so many emails. You are not just competing with other freelancers, you are also competing with the inbox of your clients and not getting lost in it is crucial. Take yourself out of the inbox as fast as possible using these three tips:
- Check if your profile represents the skill that you’re trying to sell
- Make sure your emails are concise
- Add a clear Call to Action
