Freelance Career Advice

I have made Over 1 CR as a Freelancer. Years ago, I was struggling to find clients, sending out pitch after pitch with no success. After trial and error, I discovered the strategies that turned my freelancing journey into a 7-figure success story. Today, I'm sharing my top pitching techniques with you. ✅ Strategy 1: Comment Strategy How to Use: Engage with top creators on LinkedIn, DM them, share resources, nurture relationships, then pitch. Benefit: Builds strong relationships and trust. ✅ Strategy 2: Video Pitches How to Use: Create personalized video pitches. Benefit: Personalization increases engagement. ✅ Strategy 3: Value Ladder Offers How to Use: Start with a low-commitment offer like a free audit. Benefit: Eases clients into your services. ✅ Strategy 4: Exclusive Insights How to Use: Offer exclusive insights or industry reports. Benefit: Demonstrates expertise and adds value. ✅ Strategy 5: Success Stories Follow-Up How to Use: Follow up with a success story from a similar client. Benefit: Provides social proof. ✅ Strategy 6: Free Tools or Templates How to Use: Share free tools or templates, then pitch comprehensive services. Benefit: Demonstrates value and expertise. ✅ Strategy 7: Social Proof Landing Pages How to Use: Direct clients to a landing page with testimonials and case studies. Benefit: Builds credibility and trust. ✅ Strategy 8: Follow-Up with Added Value How to Use: Follow up with additional valuable content related to the client’s business. Benefit: Keeps you top-of-mind and adds value. ✅ Strategy 9: Personalized Case Studies How to Use: Create case studies tailored to your potential client’s industry. Benefit: Shows clients how you can solve their specific problems. ✅ Strategy 10: Niche-Specific Content How to Use: Develop content highly relevant to the niche of your potential client. Benefit: Positions you as an expert in their industry. ✅ Strategy 11: Client Education How to Use: Educate clients on industry trends and solutions before pitching. Benefit: Builds trust and positions you as a knowledgeable resource. I've excelled at pitching potential clients and succeeded in sealing 99% of deals to date. I've taught my 5000+ students all the secret strategies of getting high-paying clients, and today, I see them making 50K-1Lac a month easily. 📌 If you're interested in learning from me & my 6-figure team, DM 'Freelance' for details. Question: Do you find it helpful?

The biggest battle a writer faces isn’t the blank page. It’s making a portfolio. You’d think it’d be easy… Just pick your best work, slap it together, add a link, DONE. It’s not. Because the moment you sit down to make it, the chaos begins. You start second-guessing everything. Is this too long? Too short? Too casual? Too polished? Do I look like I know what I’m doing, or like I’m trying too hard to prove it? Every voice in your head fights for control. the one that wants to keep it lean. the one that wants to explain every detail. the one that wants to sound impressive. …and the one that just wants it over with. For me, it started with the line I kept seeing everywhere--”Make it short. Brutally short.” Sounds smart in theory. But when you’ve written across formats, industries, voices, goals… where do you even begin to cut? I had a 48-page monster at one point. No joke. Trimming it under 20 felt like butchering my own brain. I wanted to show how I think. How I fix things. How I don’t just write but also diagnose, adapt and solve. But there’s no template for that. Some people want one viral campaign. Some want your SEO work. Some want strategy. Some want humour. Some want proof you can handle the boring stuff. And all of them want it fast. So I did what felt right. I threw out the idea of a “perfect” portfolio. Instead, I tried to build something that reflects how I think and how I work through problems (here and there). I added a few breakdowns. Yes, I’ve included some of my best work. But I’ve also added the messy ones. The practical ones. The ones that didn’t win awards but made a real difference for the brand. Because that’s the work that taught me the most. My portfolio’s still flawed. It always will be. A writer’s portfolio is a living thing. You don’t finish it… you revisit it. With better clarity. Sharper judgement. New scars. So no, I didn’t make it brutally short. But I did make it brutally honest. And if that’s not enough? Well… I’m not writing for everyone anyway. Attaching the PDF below, if you’re curious. P.S. I suck at Canva (like, truly Olympic-level bad). All design crimes are my own. Feedback (and forgiveness) welcome. . . . . . #portfolio #writing #content #contentwriting #LinkedIn

I found a trick to make portfolio creation 10x easier. Before you *design* your portfolio, *write* your portfolio. I know it’s tempting to jump straight into the design tool. But hang on for a moment…and consider these 3 steps: 1/ Create your outline - Open a text document - Type a list of each page you will include - Under each page, type each section - On your “projects” page, list each project Bam, at this point you have the full outline. It’s better to be here right now with text. If you arrive here first in the design tool you’ll stress too much over pixels. Now it’s easy to decide if this is the right direction before committing. 2/ Get inspired by other designers - Find 3 portfolios you admire - Scroll through their site - Write a list of the pages/sections they include - See if they do anything you love that inspires yours Congrats, now you enhanced your structure without moving a single design pixel. 3/ Add the meat - Type out the content you wish to include under each page/section - This may include your positioning statement, bio, project overviews, visuals to include, etc. Super, now you’ve just given yourself a blueprint for your entire portfolio. — The key is to write with words what you hope to see with your eyes. If you jump into the tool first, you’ll get overwhelmed with decisions. By writing your portfolio first you made 100+ decisions while the structure was more malleable. It’s easier to edit words than it is to edit polished pixels. Way to go, you are amazing.

Freelancers: Cold pitching is NOT the way. There's a smarter way to do this. Pitching to content gaps. I've been saying this lately until I turn blue in the face, but I promise you that cold pitching is a first-class ticket to frustration. As an editor for a few publications, when I receive cold pitches, here's what happens. DELETE. or IGNORE. Cold hard facts, y'all. Why? Because I get 20+ every single day. Daily. Every day. So what's the alternative? Take time to review the site you want to pitch. Now look at their competitors. What is the site you want to pitch NOT writing about that they should be? What is a topic their competitors are 'winning?' That's a content gap. And I promise you that the content gap is causing the editor of the site you want to write for headaches—of differing intensities. Send a tailored pitch to the editor of the site you want to write for. The pitch should explain the gap, describe what you would write to fill it, and include samples of your previous work. When you do this, you're offering something of value. It's not another cold pitch to go with other 20+ in their inbox. And because of that, you're more likely to get a response. GET CREATIVE. Zig where others zag. Quit swimming upstream. And then wondering why you're going nowhere fast. --- 👋 Hi y'all, I'm Kris. 🎒 A former startup guy who now runs a successful content studio. 🖋 Building my business has been hard. I want it to be easier for you. 🤝 To learn how I work more closely with clients, check out the links I share in the comments of these posts and the Featured Section of my profile.

Writer’s Block Isn’t the Problem — Perfectionism Is 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚: “𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙨?” Here’s the truth: I don’t wait for ideas. I create systems that make ideas inevitable. Most people stop posting because they’re chasing the perfect topic or the right words. That’s not writer’s block — that’s fear of judgment dressed up as procrastination. Here’s what’s helped me write consistently (without forcing it): 📍 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 Every conversation, DM, comment, or challenge at work is potential content. If someone asks me a question, I write the answer as a post. Real moments > made-up topics. 📍 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗲 I keep a simple Notion doc with: Questions I get often Frustrations I feel Posts that inspired me When I sit to write, I’m never starting from zero. 📍 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝘀 Your first version doesn’t need to be smart. It needs to exist. Once you give yourself permission to write badly, you’ll be surprised how quickly it turns into something useful. 📍 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗚𝗼-𝗧𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 “One thing I wish I knew before…” It works. Every time. Consistency > brilliance. You don’t need viral posts — you need visible ones. What’s your go-to move when you feel stuck writing? Let’s help each other out 👇 #LinkedInWriting #ContentCreation #WritersBlock #ConsistencyWins #CreatorTips

Hot take: You don’t need louder content. You need real content. And Saheli Chatterjee proves it every single day. While most people are busy shouting on social media, she’s quietly building one of the most trusted personal brands in the freelancing and marketing space. And the best part? Zero gimmicks. 100% trust. Here’s what I learned from studying Saheli’s LinkedIn and Instagram strategies (and what you might want to steal too 👀): Authenticity over aesthetics: She doesn’t just share wins, she shares struggles, lessons, and real journeys. Her followers feel seen and heard and that’s exactly why they engage. Value-first content: Whether it’s a quick Instagram carousel or a long-form LinkedIn post, her content teaches you something immediately. It's not about hyping herself up; it's about helping her audience show up better. Platform-native strategy: On Instagram? Visually engaging, highly interactive, bite-sized storytelling. On LinkedIn? Longer, narrative-driven posts that break down strategies and celebrate real results. She adapts to what each platform (and audience) truly wants. Community-first mindset: Polls, Q&As, meaningful comments- her content isn’t a one-way street. She’s building conversations, not just audiences. Consistency that feels human: She’s active, but never robotic. Every post feels intentional, not forced. And that’s what keeps her brand fresh, relevant, and growing. The impact? → Millions of views. → Thousands of real conversations. → A business built on trust and not noise. If you're a freelancer, creator, or marketer: Focus less on making noise. Focus more on building connection. That’s where the real magic (and real business) happens. #SaheliChatterjee #SocialMediaStrategy #Freelancing #Instagram #Analysis #LinkedInGrowth #Freelance101Academy

Copywriters, Freelancers, and Agency Owners: Want to know the #1 secret to landing high-ticket clients? It's not about sending 100 cold emails or DMs a day or having the perfect outreach method. The real key to winning over big clients is... PERSONALIZATION! I receive tons of cold emails and DMs every day, and most of them miss the mark. They aren’t targeted enough, and often, I don’t need the service at all. After nearly a decade in the trenches and landing over 1,000 clients, I’ve learned that personalization is the make-or-break factor in your outreach messages. When you take the time to: Do Deep Research: Understand your prospect’s business, industry, and specific pain points. This shows you’ve invested effort into understanding their unique needs. Create Custom Value Propositions: Highlight how your services can address their specific challenges and help achieve their goals. Use relevant examples and case studies. Build Genuine Relationships: Engage in authentic, personalized communication that fosters trust and rapport. Mention specific details about their work or recent achievements. That’s when the magic happens. Your prospects start seeing you as a valuable consultant, not just another generic freelancer. And that’s when the big deals start rolling in.

How do I get clients as a freelancer? LinkedIn, SEO, referrals, my courses, writing articles, and pitching new and existing clients. Here are some of the more effective methods I've used over the last twelve years worth trying out: 1️⃣ Pitch your existing clients and ask for referrals An underutilized approach to generating new business is simply asking your current clients if they'd be interested in additional services from you or could refer you to their colleagues. Since they're already satisfied with your work and trust you as a partner, this is going to be a more effective route for getting a positive response that turns into new opportunities. On the pitch front, it's appropriate to occasionally reach out to current customers with expanded offerings or a completely new service of relevance to their needs. For example, a fellow freelancer just offered her existing project management clients the option to receive new training and consultation on integrating AI with their project management functions. She was able to tailor the pitch to their specific needs, given she's already got behind-the-scenes insights into their circumstances and recognized this was a value add. The pitch was a success because she anticipated a need, upleveled her skills in this area, formulated a relevant offering with pricing, and wasn't afraid to pitch the client despite them not directly asking for this kind of support. In terms of referrals, I'd recommend asking your existing clients to keep you in mind if their colleagues internally or externally need additional support related to your expertise. This can be informally in conversation as you're wrapping up a project like this, "I'd appreciate it if you'd refer me when any future editorial strategy projects come across your desk, either here or with a colleague elsewhere. It makes a big difference for me as a small business." 2️⃣ Build relationships with other freelancers I can't advocate enough for building a tight-knit circle of other freelancers in and out of your industry, who you can befriend, support, and rely on for companionship. Some of your fellow freelancers will merely be colleagues and others friends, but what's most important is that these are genuine connections and not purely transactional relationships. In the long haul, you're likely to receive referrals from the other freelancers you know and get the inside scoop on what is and isn't working in terms of business development, sales, and marketing. You'll need to reciprocate referrals or offer other kinds of support as it's the right thing to do. If you're unclear on where to start, find other freelancers that deliver similar types of work or operate in the same industry, and have shared interests, giving you plenty to go off of. Read on for the other four suggestions in last week's edition of the Career Freelancer newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ewwX8PBW 🧡

10 practical freelancing tips that actually lead to long-term growth (And it has worked 100% for me) 1. Position before pitch → Most freelancers rush to pitch before they’re positioned. → Build your online identity like a brand before you send cold messages. → People research you. Be worth finding. 2. Create a ‘freelancing’ origin story → Your why is your weapon. → Most freelancers only talk about what they do and not why they do it. → Write a short story: What made you choose freelancing? → This builds emotional connection and helps potential clients remember you. 3. Screenshots brings trust more than testimonials → Client wins in DMs > polished testimonials. → Start collecting raw proof: WhatsApp, Slack, emails. → Authentic > aesthetic. 4. Create ‘client kits’ → Most freelancers don’t think like businesses. → Design a kit: onboarding doc, SOPs, pricing, delivery timeline. 5. Don’t market like a freelancer. Market like a category → E.g. You’re not a content writer; you’re a conversion partner for SaaS → Rename your role → Rewire how you're seen. 6. Public wins = Private leads → Post your process. → Your before-after results. → Even your thought experiments. → Being “seen working” drives DMs more than being “perfect and silent.” 7. Ask your client what made them choose you → Then use their actual language in your next LinkedIn bio/intro line → No copywriter knows your client like your client. 8. Never negotiate deliverables in DMs → DMs are for intent. Send a “calm confidence” proposal after. → Looks more pro. Makes them 𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 before ghosting you. 9. Show proof of personality → People work with humans, not PDFs. → Share your quirks, principles, values. → It builds invisible loyalty even before the first call. 10. Build a ‘Brand Bank’ Start a folder with: → Wins → Failures → Client quotes → Story prompts → Hooks you wrote It’s your personal brand library. Every post = a deposit.

Most freelance advice sounds inspiring, but it keeps you broke. Let me tell you what I wish someone had told me sooner. The advice that nearly killed my freelance career: → "Follow your passion" Sounds nice until rent is due and you're writing $10 blog posts about dog food. → "Just focus on delivering great work" I spent 2 years perfecting my craft while watching mediocre writers with better marketing land $5K clients. → "Don't ask for help, figure it out yourself" Made me waste 6 months reinventing processes that successful freelancers already mastered. → "It's okay to hustle hard in your 20s" Had me burning out on poverty wages, thinking exhaustion was a badge of honor. → "Don't raise rates too often, you'll lose clients." Kept me stuck at $15/hour for 18 months while my skills grew exponentially. What actually changed everything: → Find profitable niches first, passion projects second I switched from "creative writing" to "SaaS copywriting" and tripled my rates. → Market yourself as much as you write The best writers aren't always the busiest; the best marketers are. → Join communities, steal strategies I joined 3 freelancer Slack groups and learned more in one month than I had in a year of "figuring it out." → Set boundaries early and often Saying yes to everything means saying no to the opportunities that actually matter. → Raise rates regularly Your skills improve every month. Your prices should too. The truth? Most freelance advice comes from people who never had to choose between groceries and keeping the lights on. I stopped following "follow your dreams" advice and started copying what successful freelancers actually do. Because what they don't tell you: Being a good writer isn't enough. You need to be good at business, too. Stop romanticizing the struggle. Start building systems that actually work. P.S. What's the worst freelance advice someone gave you? I bet it's in my list above.