Generate Hot Freelance Writing Leads with This Simple Email Template

I call it "warm email prospecting."

Mainly because it's the opposite of cold calling. And it's very different from your standard, generic email prospecting.

This is NOT mass emailing. It's NOT about sending newsletters or trying to automate your prospecting.

It's the opposite of all that.

Think of warm email prospecting as "artisan prospecting." Each email must be personally handcrafted and written for one person only.

When done right, a warm email positions you as a knowledgeable professional with a very relevant and timely message.

It's one of the quickest, most cost-effective ways to attract and land high-quality clients—without the unpleasantness of cold calling or the costs and time requirements involved with most traditional marketing tactics.

Why does this approach work so well? Namely because a strong, warm email leverages three key psychological triggers:

Personalization
Relevance
Brevity

These triggers increase the chances of getting a response from the prospect. And, once you have a response, it becomes MUCH easier to engage the prospect in a dialogue about your services.

In this article, I'll show you how to craft these powerful emails that get higher response.

The Winning Template

Here's the email template that changed my business. I've also taught it to more than 1,000 freelancers from all over the world who have used it to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in freelance income.

SUBJECT LINE: [Meaningful Connection]

EMAIL BODY:

[Meaningful Connection]

[Value Statement]

[Credibility URL]

[Soft Invitation to Connect]

[Email Signature]

Let's dive into the components:

Meaningful Connection: A statement that ties what you do to something you noticed about that particular prospect. It does NOT need to be some sort of "trigger event." It can be something you noticed on their website. Or some company attribute that would make them likely to need someone with your skill set.

Value Statement: A sentence or two that explains what you do, for whom you do it, and why you're different from many competitors. It can also explain why that difference matters.

Credibility URL: A link to your "About Me" page, some relevant samples, testimonials, a success story about how you helped a client solve a challenge, or anything that would help you sound credible. It doesn't have to be a link, however. It can be a list of recent clients. Or a description of an award you've received. Or some big accomplishment, years of experience or a unique background.

Invitation to Connect: No need to be wordy or elaborate. Keep it low-key. You could ask, "Should we connect?" or maybe, "Would it make sense to schedule a brief call soon?"

Finally, it's important to keep your email short and to the point: 125 words or less! Remember: brevity is one of the key psychological triggers!

Let's look at some sample emails that follow this format. Can you see why these emails would get more attention than a generic prospecting email?

SAMPLE #1

SUBJECT: You have very inspiring stories

Hello Mindy,

I came across your website a few times over the years because I do a lot of work with nonprofit organizations. As I looked through your site this morning, I read Sabrina’s story -- it was very inspiring!

I’m writing because I work with nonprofit organizations to create marketing materials that truly get noticed and increase donations.

I helped the Arts Council for Santa Cruz increase awareness of their events and bring new donors to the organization. I was also involved in projects that were awarded a prestigious "Our Town" grant through the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here’s a link to samples of my work: [URL].

Should we schedule a brief call to discuss how I may be able to help you?

SAMPLE #2

SUBJECT: Read about Slate in the Houston Business Chronicle

Hi Meredith,

I read about Slate's impressive growth in the Houston Business Chronicle—from zero to more than 1,100 employees in just three years. Congrats!

I’m writing because I may be able to help you clearly and concisely communicate with your employees. Among my 10-plus years of professional writing experience is more than seven years writing employee and benefits communications.

I've won several awards for my writing, including the PR Communicator of the Year award from the Houston Press Club. And I excel in translating corporate-speak into engaging content that employees will take time to read.

You can see samples of my work at [URL].

Would it make sense for us to connect in the next few weeks?

SAMPLE #3

SUBJECT: Excellent work on the Nutrix.com site!

Hello Kelli,

I've browsed your website a few times over the years, as I am very much into my home garden and sustainability. Yesterday I got your email about your new website. Congratulations—it looks fantastic!

I'm writing because my husband and I run a web design agency that works with small–to–midsize businesses. We act as a virtual design department for companies that don't want to hire in-house staff to create and maintain online stores and catalogs—or to do website maintenance and email marketing.

Just recently, we lowered eletrolite.com's bounce rate, increased their per–visitor page views, and created an email marketing campaign that increased their sales by 30%.

Would it make sense to connect on the phone? No sales pitch, just seeing if we might have a good fit.

Leave No Doubt That Your Email Was Handcrafted

A few helpful tips...

First, your email should read like you actually took the time to type a unique email to that specific prospect (because that's exactly what you need to do!) The idea that you're sending this message to a big list of prospects should never even cross the prospect's mind.

Also, address the prospect directly in the salutation. For example, "Hi Bill" or "Dear Ms. Weiss." And avoid the temptation to automate this process with technology (don't use autoresponders or email management software/service, etc.).

Finally, it's OK to reuse some of the copy from one email to the next. For example, your value statement will usually remain the same (although you can often tweak it based on the prospect you're emailing). But most of your copy should be unique to that prospect.

Don't Wait for the Perfect Script

The natural tendency is to wait to send your warm email until it sounds perfect. Or, to wait until you find just the right meaningful connection. Don't delay—good enough is good enough!

Of course, make sure your message and value statement are relevant to the prospect. However, don't assume that the "fit" has to be perfect for the email to work.

A big part of what makes warm email prospecting so effective is that it's so different from 95 percent of marketing emails your prospects receive every week. Just the fact you took the time to craft a relevant, personalized message will get their attention and increase the chances that you'll get a response.

Want to Learn More About Prospecting with Warm Emails?

I realize that some of the things in this article might not be completely clear. That's OK—this is meant to be a primer.

If you want to learn how to effectively apply this powerful client-attraction strategy, I have a home-study training program that walks you through the whole thing.

It's called Warm Email Prospecting 2.0. (Or "WEP 2.0" for short.)

And for a few days only, I'm making it available for 37% off its regular price!

WEP 2.0 walks you through my exact, proven, step-by-step system to generate hot client leads with short and simple emails.

I'll teach you the exact process I've been practicing and refining for 15 years. I'll show you what to do, step by step.

And I'll give you more than 30 winning email examples ... fill-in-the-blank templates ... follow-up scripts ... process maps ... checklists ... and little-known research tools that will save you a ton of time and hassle.

Better yet, I'll teach you how to turn this kind of low-key prospecting into a habit you actually WANT to do. 😉

Learn more about WEP 2.0 (and this limited-time 37% savings) here.