This is The Email Freelance Writers Want to Get From Potential Clients

Last week I received the ideal email.

A managing editor I’ve worked with a few times reached out to me with a marketing writing project, and in five sentences I had all the details I needed to decide if it was a good fit for me.

Five sentences.

Today on the Web Writing Advice blog I’m diving into those five sentences so other managing editors, marketers, publishers and writer-hiring folks know what we freelancers really want to learn when you reach out to us about a project. Let’s go!

Disclosure: The Web Writing Advice blog is reader-supported, which means this post contains affiliate links and advertisements. I earn a small commission if you shop through them, which helps fund my website so I can continue to bring you amazing content. Thank you! ~Angela

Here’s How to Pitch a Project to a Freelance Writer

As a freelance writer, I field project proposals weekly. Some align. Some don’t. But, the ones that really set the collaboration off on the right foot are concise, detailed and direct.

Here’s an email I received last week about a project — that I accepted. Rob got straight to the point and shared the key details that matter to me (and most other freelancers too!). Take a nod from Rob.

1. Share the client/publication name and topic.

Get straight to the point. I love that he shared the name of the client, publication, content type and content topic in the first sentence. This immediately informed me of who the project was for and what I’d be writing about. This removes a lot of guesswork (or a follow-up clarification email) for me, especially since I collaborate with publishers with multiple websites and content types.

2. Explain the provided materials.

The second sentence clearly defines what the editor will provide. This helps me understand the scope of the project and what I have to work with. In this example, he offers an article outline, internal client links to include in the copy and a PDF of information direct from the client. Great! These items paired with the client’s editorial style guide give me everything I need to know to craft the content to the client’s specs.

3. State the fee.

I love my career. In addition to the joy that I get from playing with words, it also pays the bills. So, learning the fee upfront is helpful. In this scenario, Rob gets right to the point by sharing the fee and word count.

Sometimes a client will share a set project rate, a per-word rate, or a fee range. Some will ask for a quote, which is fine, but it’s always nice to have an idea of the client’s budget at the start. If it’s well below my usual range, I will ask for a few more details and then make a counteroffer. If we don’t align on fees, then it doesn’t make sense to iron out more details about the project.

4. Mention the deadline.

If a proposal states the deadline upfront, it makes it much easier to see if I have space on my writing calendar to complete the project within the client’s timeframe. Sometimes the content type, topic, and fee are ideal – but the deadline doesn’t work for my schedule. By sharing this date in our first communication, I can ask in my reply if there’s any flexibility on the deadline.

5. Share the next steps.

I love knowing exactly what the client needs to move forward. Here, Rob needs a confirmation of acceptance, and he will go ahead and assign the project so I can get to work without any further negotiations. I love this streamlined approach that keeps the workflow moving forward.

And, that’s it, my friend. It’s pretty simple to get a freelance writer to take an interest in your project and respond to you when you share these core details at the onset.

Freelancers – Does this resonate with you? Are you also looking for these details in your first communication about potential projects?

Marketers – Was this helpful? Does this make it easier to craft outreach emails to freelance writers?

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* This article was first published on the Web Writing Advice blog on August 1, 2024. Never miss a post from Web Writing Advice. Get email updates by subscribing HERE. As a thank you, I’ll send you my free e-book, "18 Ways to Increase Online Writing Productivity and Earnings".

Angela is a blogger, brand journalist and all-around wordsmith writing behind the scenes for brands including McKesson, ADP, CarMax, Kaytee, Zilla and Tom’s of Maine. If your content marketing platform or marketing agency is looking for a writer, give Angela a shout at [email protected].