How I got every client I’ve ever had

Today’s newsletter is a follow-up from last week’s “How I got started as a freelancer,” and it’s also a response to another question from my Ask Me Anything form! 

Here’s the TL;DR:

LinkedIn and referrals. 

I get quite a few inbound inquiries through LinkedIn, and I’ve recently gotten some good referrals.

It sounds fun to take a walk down memory lane, so I’m going to look at every single client I’ve had since March 2022 and break down exactly how I came to work with them.

My friend Sam did something similar in her recent newsletter, Every freelance gig I’ve ever had. (Yes, I shared this last week, but I’m sharing it again.)

(Table formatting is a bit wonky on mobile. Desktop viewing is recommended.)

*This “agency” client is actually nDash, a freelance writer marketplace and content platform. I have previously described nDash as “Upwork if it was actually legit and paid well.” I have written for 10+ brands through nDash, but I just put the initial acquisition method here. 

Here is the exact pitch I sent for that first nDash gig:

I highly recommend linking directly to one or two specific, relevant samples in a cold pitch. Editors and managers don’t want to wade through your portfolio site. Deliver what they’re looking for on a silver platter, and be as direct and concise as possible.

Here’s another pitch that landed me a client:

Expert freelancers Lizzie Davey and Kat Boogaard both have great resources covering cold pitching and freelance pitch emails. I also like this post from my friend Stephanie on how she found her latest clients.

To be completely honest, I’m not sure why I get so many unsolicited, inbound inquiries on LinkedIn. They don’t all turn into consistent, well-paid gigs, of course, but some of them do! Here are my quick LinkedIn tips:

• Fill out your entire profile.

• Spend some time commenting on other people’s posts a few times throughout the week.

• If you never post, start posting weekly-ish.

• Find and follow marketing and content leaders at companies you’d like to work with.

• Follow people who talk about freelancing, and look at their posts and profiles for inspiration. (I’d start with Austin L. Church, Alyssa Towns, Kaitlyn Arford, and Tim Herrera.)

• Add me on LinkedIn! 😉

I’m not a LinkedIn expert, but I’m happy to help if I can. 

If you have any more questions about client acquisition and/or pitching, let me know!

I’m taking next week off to commune with loons in Wisconsin’s Northwoods.

See you in TWO weeks,

Kara

Out of Office

What I’m doing when I’m not working

• I went to my first drive-in movie last Saturday! It was a perfect evening (mild temp, no bugs), and I really enjoyed the movie (Superman) and the vibes.

• I’m trying to sort through my entire camera roll on my phone/iCloud. I got one of those swiping apps (swipewipe) to facilitate the sorting, and I’ve deleted more than 4,000 files so far! I’m thinking of switching to Google Photos for photo storage and organization.

P.S. Got a question about self-employment, anti-hustle culture, business books, or something else?

Kara Detwiller is a writer and creative based in small-town Saskatchewan. She specializes in long-form content writing for enterprise SaaS, cybersecurity, and manufacturing clients. She is also working on her first novel, among other creative pursuits. To connect, reply to this email or find Kara on LinkedIn. To support her work on Wishful Working, share this email with someone or buy her a “coffee.”

Why Wishful Working? I write this newsletter because I want to see more people enjoy a life not centered around work. For some, the path to freedom and flexibility is through self-employment, but we also need to challenge cultural norms and champion healthier working conditions and work/life balance for all types of workers.