The Running a Freelance Hustle Series

Freelancers labor over crafting the perfect proposal to land engagements. This is how freelancing works. Clients post projects looking for talent, and skilled professionals submit proposals in an attempt to win the job. Here are ten hacks to help you create a proposal that helps you land projects.

Here we go…

No Mistakes

If there are typos or grammatical errors in your proposal, you might as well start looking for a position on ZipRecruiter. Read and reread your submission before sending it to prospective clients. Find someone who can reread your work. A program like Grammarly helps uncover errors.

How Do I Land My First Client?

There may be a variety of jobs in your specialty. For instance, in content writing, some projects involve writing sales copy, email drip campaigns, white papers, case studies, webpage content, blogs, and social media posts. You'll have to decide what type of work you want. Some categories will demand more experience than others. Craft two or three versions of your first proposal, then conduct A/B testing. Send both to different clients to see which proposal version produces the best results. Remember, results may not mean winning the project but getting a response. First, you need to receive interest, then work on your close.

What Are the 8 Ingredients of a Winning Proposal?

1. Proposals are like cover letters. Start with the person's first name if you know it. Sometimes you can locate the person and company's information on social media or LinkedIn.

2. Always talk about the project first. Demonstrate you understand the problem. Talk about how your experience matches up with the prospective client's needs.

3. Mention current projects that relate directly to what the client needs.

4. Briefly talk about how you would go about doing the project. Don't give away too much information; the client may decide they don't need you.

5. Add a client testimonial. Just one sentence, please.

6. Attach pertinent examples of your work or add a link to your website portfolio page.

7. Tell the client you're available to start work immediately.

8. Ask a project question to confirm you understand the work and continue the conversation.

What's a Good Proposal Length?

My proposals run between 250 to 350 words depending on the complexity of the project posted.

Takeaway: Be brief, concise, and engaging. Show some excitement and enthusiasm. Don't have the proposal; put the client to sleep before they reach the end of your document.

You'll find 13 stories I've published on Medium about starting a freelance hustle; now it's time to talk about running your freelance business. Enjoy. Come back. Succeed.