5 Winning Strategies From Real Freelancers On Using LinkedIn To Pitch Freelancing Services
In freelancing, you have to put yourself out there. Pitching to brands, reaching out to potential clients, and connecting with other freelancers—it’s all part of the job. There are a number of ways to go about marketing your business, but today I’ll be covering how to use LinkedIn to pitch your freelancing services.
As a freelancer myself, here are five winning strategies I recommend:
1. Check What Other Freelancers Are Up To
LinkedIn is all about networking. So, don’t be afraid to utilize your network and also check out what others in your industry are up to. Think of it like this—LinkedIn is a way to do a little stalking while still being totally professional.
Check out the profiles of other freelancers both inside and outside of your established network. I specifically recommend looking into freelancers whose services, niche, and overall vibe align with yours. See what companies they’ve worked for, and scope out those companies yourself. See if they’re hiring, if you have any connections, etc. Do your research and decide if this is the type of company worth pitching to.
Doing this is a great way to find potential clients you would have never found otherwise. This also helps you find companies that have already worked with freelancers, and are likely open to hiring a freelancer like you.
2. Use LinkedIn To Boost Your Cold Pitching
We all know that cold pitching is a huge part of freelance life. But one way to improve your cold pitching is by doing a little extra research through LinkedIn.
I recommend searching up the company you’re pitching to, and finding a relevant employee like a hiring manager. Then, head back to the company website’s directory to find their contact information, and directly email that person.
If you can’t find the contact information for a hiring manager or other relevant employee, it’s okay to go ahead and LinkedIn message another employee who’s title seems relevant enough. By doing this, you can ask them to recommend a good contact and request to follow up with more information about your freelancing services.
Not getting responses to your messages? Try adding a personal touch like addressing a specific person at a company is a simple way to up the ante. Doing this will help your chances of your pitch getting noticed.
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3. Keep Tabs On Potential Clients
If you have any dream clients you’re interested in working with, go ahead and give them a follow on LinkedIn. This way, you can stay up to date on any announcements they have. This can be useful for adding a personal touch to cold pitches, as well as looking out for any jobs or freelance roles they may be hiring for. It also just helps you get to know a company and their style better over time, so you can tailor your pitch accordingly.
4. Share And Post Often
You might be thinking, “how does sharing and posting on LinkedIn help my pitching?” Well, by keeping your LinkedIn page up to date with recent projects and work, it helps build credibility over time- this is your brand! It shows that you’re active as a freelancer and you have the work to show for it. This helps you engage more with your network, and hopefully they’ll engage back in return. If you ever have any updates about your freelance services, it’s more likely to get noticed.
Think of it like this: the more regularly you share, the more people in your network will begin to know you as “the freelancer.” If anyone within your network has any content needs in your area of freelancing, you’ll be in the forefront of their minds. And hopefully, this will help you land some extra gigs!
5. Make Sure Your Profile And Information Is Up To Date
In addition to sharing your freelance work and posting regularly, make sure your LinkedIn profile and information is up to date. Because when you’re sharing your services and pitching to potential clients, it’s important that they can head to your profile and easily see what it is you offer. Make sure your title, about section, and skills are all up to date and accurately reflect your freelancing services. In addition, be sure to include the link to any portfolio or website you have in your work experience.
Bonus Tip: try to have some testimonials up on your LinkedIn page. It’s a great way for you to show off your credibility to potential clients and people within your network.
These are my top five strategies on how to use LinkedIn to pitch your freelancing services. LinkedIn is a great platform with more opportunities and ways to strategize than many people realize. So, feel free to utilize the strategies in this blog post and continue to grow your business and network!
Related:
3 Ways to Share Your Linkedin Profile Other Than Saying “Look Me Up”
How To Create An Optimized LinkedIn Headline (With Examples)
Meet The Writer!
Hello! My name is Lea Rose and I am an avid writer with a love for all things international. I recently graduated from UNC Charlotte with degrees in Communication Studies as well as Dance Performance and hope to be a full time travel writer one day. My writing primarily focuses on the ways places and experience shape us as individuals. Please feel free to check out my blog or connect with me through LinkedIn or Instagram @writtenworldblog.
