Welcome to the world of freelance writing! We’re glad you’re here. In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about writing a proposal and pitching your services like a pro. So sit back and get comfortable! We’re about to demystify the fun and exciting world of earning benefits just by spending smart.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Tailor your proposal to the specific client and project. |
| Clearly articulate your understanding of the client’s needs and objectives. |
| Showcase your relevant skills, experience, and portfolio samples. |
| Provide a well-defined scope of work, deliverables, and timeline. |
| Communicate your value proposition and highlight what sets you apart. |
| Follow professional formatting and design guidelines to make your proposal visually appealing. |
| Include pricing information and be flexible based on the client’s budget and project scope. |
| Proofread and edit your proposal to ensure clarity and professionalism. |
| Follow up with the client after submitting your proposal to express continued interest. |
| Maintain a positive and professional attitude throughout the proposal process. |
Know What The Client Is Looking For
Let’s start with the obvious: know what the client is looking for. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s important not to assume you know what they need or want. Ask questions; don’t make assumptions!
For example, if you’re working on an article writing gig, ask “What do you want me to write about?” Or if you’re doing website development work, ask “What are your goals with this project?”
Once you have a clear understanding of what they expect from their project, use that information to create an outline that will guide your work and keep things running smoothly throughout its completion.
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Make It A Package
In order to make a proposal that doesn’t get rejected, you need to create a package. A package is a list of services and the prices you charge for them. You can also include information about how long it takes to complete each service and any extra options (like uploading your work or providing revisions) so the client knows what they’re getting for their money.
This is important because most clients won’t be willing to pay for everything at once and even if they were, it would be difficult for them if they didn’t know what they were paying for beforehand!
By creating packages that cover all your services in one place, you’ll ensure that clients are able to find exactly what they’re looking for without having to search through multiple documents or emails before making a decision about whether or not they should hire you.
Outline Your Process
Once you have an agreement with the client on what they want, it’s time to outline your process. It’s important to explain how you’ll get the job done and what each step will look like.
Start with a brief overview of what you’ll do first, second, and third. Then explain how you plan to handle unforeseen problems (and don’t forget about success!).
Finally, let them know that if everything goes according to plan while still clearly explaining how things will happen then this is what will happen next.
Make sure your proposal includes details like milestones and deadlines so that clients can see exactly when they can expect their content delivered or any other deliverables from you as part of this project.
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Show Pricing And Timeline
Tell the client how much you expect to get paid for your services. This is a pretty important piece of information for them! They’ll want to know what they are paying for, so let them know up front.
Be clear about how long you think it will take you to finish the project. Include as many details as possible: days or weeks? By when do you need them done? How many hours per day/week, etc.? Be specific here so they have an idea of what they are signing up for.
If there are any issues with your proposal (price, timeline), include a section detailing what happens next if something doesn’t go as planned and how that affects their budget or timeline expectations.
Add Extra Services
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can include additional services that are not included in your original proposal. You don’t have to charge them for these extras, but they do allow you to show off your value as a freelancer and demonstrate how willing you are to go above and beyond for the client.
You could offer social media management, content creation, or even ghostwriting services in addition to what’s listed on your proposal.
Share Your Experience And Expertise
Share your experience. Demonstrate that you’re qualified to write a certain piece of content by sharing some context about the kind of writing you’ve done in the past.
This could mean citing examples of previous work or client testimonials, but it also includes more general information like how long you’ve been freelancing and what kind of projects you are typically hired for.
Share your expertise. To demonstrate an understanding of the topic area, be sure to include any specialized knowledge or skills (e.g., familiarity with specific software) that would help make the finished product exceptional in its field.
Share your knowledge. State how much research will be required for this project and how long it might take and explain why this is important for ensuring quality content that meets requirements and deadlines!
Tell Them How You’re Different
The best way to stand out from the crowd is by showing them how you’re different from the competition.
To do this, you need to understand what makes your brand unique and explain that in your proposal. Tell them why they should choose you over the other freelancers who bid on the project. Tell them how you can help them achieve their goals whether it be growing their business or building their brand.
Use a personal touch: Show them that you care about their project and want to partner with them in making it successful by addressing it directly as “Dear [insert name],” instead of “Dear Client.” Your relationship with this person could last months or years; make sure they see that as an opportunity for collaboration and not just a transaction!
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Show Examples Of Work You’ve Done
When you’re writing your proposal, try to include as many examples of your work as possible. This will help show the client what you can do for them, and it will show that you have experience in this field.
If a potential client sees that you know what you’re doing and understand their needs, they’ll be more likely to hire you for their project. You also want to make sure that the writing samples are relevant if it’s fiction or poetry, then don’t include it!
If someone asks for your resume or portfolio, they probably want examples of previous projects where they can see examples of things like blogging posts or advertisements (or whatever type of writing is relevant).
Let Your Personality Shine Through In Your Proposal
To get clients to want to work with you, you have to make them feel comfortable. As a freelancer, you’re going to be working with a wide variety of people some will be the person who signs your paycheck and others will be the person that hands over that check.
You need those two parties (the customer and the client) to trust each other in order for either party to feel comfortable working together.
If a potential customer sees that you’re not being yourself when writing your proposal, they might think something like “I can’t trust this person.” Or if they see that your proposal is full of buzzwords or jargon, they might think something like “these people don’t know what they’re talking about.”
In both cases, it’s going to make them question whether or not working with an agency like yours would be beneficial for their business and ultimately lead them away from hiring someone from The Proposal Place instead!
Describe How You’ll Use Social Media To Promote Your Brand
Social media is a great way to promote your work, and it can also serve as a useful tool for collaborating with your clients. You should share the content that you create for them on social media but don’t forget to add a little bit of extra value by promoting their business as well.
Here are some ideas:
- Post examples of your previous work using hashtags like #branding, #advertising, or #design.
- Share photos that show how much fun you have working with this client (or others) in the caption.
- Ask people questions about how they feel about certain brands in order to get them talking about what they like or don’t like.
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Tell Them What Their ROI Will Be
One of the first things you should do when writing your proposal is to explain to the client how their return on investment (ROI) will be.
Return on investment is a financial term that refers to the amount of money a company makes from a specific investment. In other words, if Company X invests $1 million in Project Y and gains $2 million in revenue, it has a 200% return on its investment. This means they made twice as much money as they spent.
This can be applied to freelancing as well: The more value you create for your clients, the more likely they are going to want to work with you again on future projects.
So if you explain how working with you will benefit them financially by saving them time or resources, and increasing sales or traffic they’ll be more likely to hire you instead of someone else who’s less experienced but cheaper (or offers something else).
Explain Why The Project Will Provide Benefits Beyond Cost Savings
You can’t just write a proposal that shows how much money the client will save. That’s not enough to get you hired. You need to explain why your services will provide benefits beyond cost savings because otherwise, it’s hard to imagine why they’d hire you instead of doing this themselves or hiring someone else who can do it cheaper.
Explain how your services will help the client:
- How they’ll improve customer experience
- How they’ll increase sales (or reduce costs)
- How they’ll make them more productive or efficient
- How they’ll give them an edge over their competitors
Ensure They Know You’ll Produce Great Results
It’s understandable that you’re nervous about asking for a job, but one thing you can be sure of is that the other party wants to work with someone who will produce great results. If they don’t feel confident in your ability to do so, they have no incentive to hire you.
To help them feel confident, make sure they see:
- Your past work (your portfolio)
- Your skills and expertise (your resume or CV)
- Your experience (reference letters from previous employers/clients)
Propose Ways To Take This Project Further
You’re almost there. You’ve shown the client what your skills are, how you can use them to meet their needs, and why they should hire you. Now it’s time to get specific about what this project will look like and how much it will cost.
This is not the time for negotiation, though this is just an agreement on what tasks each party will be doing during the project, who does what, and when. Here are some ways to make sure that happens:
Give them ideas for how you can help them in the future (for example: “After we complete this project, I could build a website for your new product line as well! We could even make it responsive so it works on mobile devices too.”)
Ask if they have any suggestions for future projects or other ideas about how working together might benefit everyone involved (for example: “Do you have any suggestions on improving our current sales process? I’d love some feedback.”)
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Be Specific About The Ways In Which You Can Help
Your pitch should be specific about the ways in which you can help. For example, if you’re a writer and the client is an online magazine looking for articles, write: “I can write up to 2,000 words per hour.” Don’t just say that you can do it; explain how and why.
Include numbers wherever possible when describing your skills or experience. For example, rather than saying “I am an excellent writer,” tell them how many articles (or books) you’ve written and compare that number to other writers’ output you’ll seem more confident and trustworthy this way.
This can be one of the most difficult parts of working as a freelancer but also one of the most important aspects, so make sure to do it right!
This can be one of the most difficult parts of working as a freelancer but also one of the most important aspects, so make sure to do it right! It’s easy to get this wrong and lose out on a great opportunity.
Conclusion
An effective freelance proposal should be a personalized, professional document that addresses the needs of your potential client. If they can tell you to put some thought into your proposal, then they will be more likely to do business with you.
Don’t forget: it’s all about them and their needs! So take some time to do your research and craft a great proposal for your next client. We hope these tips help you win that next job!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources on writing freelance proposals that you may find helpful:
How to Write a Winning Freelance Proposal: This article provides practical tips and strategies for crafting a compelling freelance proposal that stands out to clients.
Freelance Proposals: A Step-by-Step Guide: Learn the essential steps and best practices for creating effective freelance proposals that increase your chances of landing projects.
Top 10 Tips to Writing a Bid Proposal: Discover valuable tips and techniques for writing persuasive bid proposals that impress clients and help you win more freelance work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Freelance Proposal?
A freelance proposal is a document that outlines the details of your services, how much they cost, and how you will be paid. It’s also your chance to tell the client why they should hire you over anyone else and why they should choose this particular project over any other projects currently in their pipeline.
Why Do I Need One?
If you want to be taken seriously as a freelancer, it’s important that you have a professional-looking proposal ready at all times.
Clients expect it, so if they don’t see one attached to your application, they’ll think less of your professionalism and probably reject your application without even reading it!
On top of that, having a proposal ready will show clients that you’re confident enough in your work that you’re willing to put yourself out there first rather than just waiting for them to approach you with an opportunity.
How Do I Write A Good Proposal For My Freelance Job?
The first step to writing a freelance proposal is to determine what kind of project you’re going to be working on. If you’re writing a proposal for a blog post or an article, then you can use the same process as if you were applying for a full-time job.
However, if you’re applying for web design or similar work, then it’s important to make sure that your proposal reflects that lightness and creativity.
What Are Some Tips For Writing A Great Freelance Proposal?
It’s important to keep in mind that when writing proposals for freelance work, there are no real rules just guidelines! So don’t worry too much about being perfect.
Just make sure that you address these points: who are your clients (and how will they benefit from working with you)? What does the client need from this project? What will be expected of them (in terms of time and effort)? How much money do they expect to pay? And finally, what is going to motivate them enough so that they want to hire YOU?
What Is A Freelance Proposal?
A freelance proposal is a document that you create to show your potential client why they should hire you.
Why Do I Need A Freelance Proposal?
You need a freelance proposal because it helps you sell yourself. It’s the first impression you make on potential clients, so it needs to be as good as possible to get them excited about hiring you and not someone else.
Plus, it can help ensure that the project goes smoothly by giving both parties an idea of what the expectations are upfront.
How Do I Write A Good Freelance Proposal?
Two main things make up a successful freelance proposal: 1) an understanding of the project, and 2) how your skills will benefit the client (and vice versa). If those two things aren’t conveyed clearly, then there’s no way for your client to know why they should choose you over anyone else who might be applying for the job.
How Do I Know If I’m A Good Fit For Your Project?
It’s hard to tell, but we’ll try to answer this question for you. If you have any doubts about whether you’re a good fit for the project, talk it over with your client and see if they can help you figure it out.
Or, if it’s really important to know what qualities they’re looking for to be successful on the project, ask them directly!
How Much Do I Charge?
This is a tough one. We’ve found that people tend to charge whatever they want and so many people tell us they charge low prices because they want to get more work (and it works).
But charging less doesn’t always mean getting more work; it just means that when someone asks how much something costs, they’ll remember how low your rate was compared to other freelancers’ rates and think “I could get someone else cheaper.”
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.