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Welcome to the 39th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you grow your freelance business with confidence. Get tips, tools, and insights every other Friday to help you save time, make money, and work smarter based on my 35⁺ years as a freelance writer.

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Hi, Friend!

As I’ve mentioned here several times over the past year, my son Trevor is still looking for a full-time graphic design job. (Feel free to check out his LinkedIn profile and share with anyone you know looking to hire.) I really feel for anyone who’s been laid off and looking for work in this awful job market and uncertain economy.

But what I do keep stressing to him is that, more than likely, he’s going to get a job from someone in his network (or my network or my husband’s network).

Relationships are at the heart of your career, whether you’re a freelancer or working at a J-O-B.

While it’s easy to click-and-apply for those jobs (or freelance/contract gigs) on Indeed or LinkedIn, you’re part of a cattle call. It can certainly play an important role in your job search/marketing efforts.

But don’t overlook the value of direct outreach and networking—whether trying to land a job or your next freelance client. And that’s what this issue of Expert•ish Freelancer is all about.

P.S. Check out Trevor’s latest Freelance Giggles ☺️ comic near the end of this newsletter.

Today’s newsletter highlights how to land clients through direct outreach and networking.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

✅ Research before you pitch.
✅ Follow up strategically.
✅ Network like making friends.

Today’s issue is brought to you by PodPitch. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer! ⬇️ 

Looking for the last newsletter? Find it here: EF #38: 💰 How I Doubled My Fee With a New Client

Survey says…

Wondering how freelancers are successfully landing clients these days? Based on my LinkedIn poll, here’s what’s working in 2025 for those who responded.

Know of a good resource? Tell me!

5 Ways to Land Clients Through Direct Outreach & Networking

Let's be real—watching your pitches and proposals disappear into the void while your bank account gets uncomfortably low is no fun. You refresh your inbox hoping for a “yes,” check those platform notifications one more time, and wonder if anyone's actually reading what you're sending.

Here's what I know from talking to freelancers who are consistently booked: Direct outreach and real networking are how they're landing clients in 2025. Not platform algorithms. Not AI-generated mass emails.

Real conversations with real people.

So let's talk about five practical ways to use outreach and networking to fill your pipeline. No sleazy sales tactics required—just genuine connection that leads to paid work.

1. Do Your Homework Before You Hit Send

The biggest mistake I see? Sending the same generic pitch to everyone. “Hi, I'm a freelance [whatever] and I'd love to work with you!” 🥱 Boring and impersonal. (I’ve done this myself—it’s just not nearly as effective as a personalized approach.)

Here's what actually works: Spend 5-10 minutes researching each prospect before you reach out. Five personalized messages will outperform 50 generic ones every single time.

What to look for:

• Their recent LinkedIn posts or company news 📰

• Actual pain points you could solve

• Common ground—shared connections, similar challenges, mutual interests

The mindset shift: You're not looking for any client who'll pay you. You're looking for the right fit. When you approach it that way, your outreach stops feeling desperate and starts feeling collaborative.

Quality wins over quantity.

2. Lead With Value, Not Your Services

Nobody wakes up excited to read another pitch about your services. What people do respond to? Someone who clearly gets their work and has something genuinely useful to share.

Before you ever mention what you do, warm up the connection:

On LinkedIn: Engage with their content 3-5 times before connecting. Real engagement—thoughtful comments, not just “Great post!” 👍

When connecting: Reference something specific. Keep it to 2-3 sentences. No pitching in the connection request.

That first DM: Wait a few days, then lead with value. Share a relevant article. Offer a genuine compliment. Start a conversation, not a sales pitch.

For cold emails: Open with something you noticed about their business, then transition to how you might help. Keep it under 150 words.

Here's the contrast:

Bad: “Hi [Name], I'm a freelance designer with five years of experience. I'd love to work with your company. Are you available for a call?”

Better: “Hi [Name], I noticed your recent rebrand—the new color palette really works. I saw you're launching a product line next quarter. I've helped three e-commerce brands develop visual systems for product launches. Would it help if I shared what worked for them?”

One is all about you. The other shows you've done your homework.

Pro tip: Use multiple channels for important prospects. Email and LinkedIn shows you're serious without being pushy. Plus, you ideally want to move communication off the platform and into their inbox.

3. Follow Up Like a Pro

Most people won't respond to your first message. That's not personal—they're busy, your message got buried, or the timing wasn't right. Most conversions happen after multiple touchpoints.

Your simple follow-up system:

First message: Your initial outreach.

Follow-up 1 (one week later): Share something valuable. “Thought of you when I saw this article. Also wanted to bump my last message up to the top of your inbox in case you missed it.”

Follow-up 2 (another week later): New angle. Reference something they recently posted or a company update. A simple note, like “Congrats on that award I saw you post about on LinkedIn!” let’s prospects know you’re paying attention.

Follow-up 3 (one or two more weeks later): The honest check-in. “I don't want to clog your inbox. Is this a priority right now? If not, totally understand. Happy to check back in next quarter to see if things have changed.

Then move on. After 3-4 follow-ups, focus your energy elsewhere—unless it’s a dream client. For a “bucket list” brand you want to work with, check in quarterly.

The 🔑 key: Every follow-up needs to add value. Don't just say “following up.” That can be annoying. Share something new, offer a fresh insight.

Track what you're doing with a simple spreadsheet. Stay persistent but respectful. There's a line between “professional” and “annoying person who won't take a hint.” Don’t be that freelancer. 🙄

4. Use AI as Your Research Assistant, Not Your Writer

Honestly, every smart freelancer is experimenting with AI for outreach. ChatGPT can write a cold email in seconds, right?

Here's where AI actually helps: research, drafting templates, organizing outreach, tracking responses. It's great at grunt work.

Here's where it fails: Actually connecting with humans.

Smart ways to use AI:

• Generate a rough draft, then rewrite it in your voice.

• Summarize research quickly.

• Track and categorize responses.

• Draft follow-up reminders.

The non-negotiable: Never send an AI-generated message without heavy editing.

People can usually tell when they're reading AI, whether it’s slightly-off tone or generic enthusiasm. Think of AI as your research assistant who drafts ideas—not as the person writing your emails. Let your voice and personality shine through!

5. Network Like You're Making Friends

Forget awkward “networking events” where you can literally feel the let’s-do-business vibe 😵‍💫 in the air. Real networking—the kind that leads to clients—looks more like making friends. Here’s how it plays out.

Online strategies:

• Post helpful content on LinkedIn two to three times a week. Share what you're learning, problems you've solved, and examples of your latest projects. Most importantly, be yourself.

• Actually engage in conversations. Add thoughtful comments. Share someone’s post with your perspective. (See how I did this last week with a tourism pro.) DM people doing cool work just to say, “Hey, love what you're building.” No ask, no agenda. (I’ve done this with some people in the newsletter space—I always love to connect with other creators.)

• Join smaller, niche communities where your ideal clients hang out. (On Facebook, I’m in a travel PR group. On LinkedIn, I’m in a luxury hospitality group.) Show up consistently, be helpful, become a familiar face.

Real-world connections:

I haven’t been to an in-person networking event in quite a few years, but they can be a great way to connect with prospects, clients, and other freelancers.

• Attend industry-specific events—even virtual ones count. Large conferences abound (think Content Marketing World). But smaller and more targeted could be even better (like Black Travel Summit), especially if you’re an introvert.

• Try coworking spaces or local freelancer meetups. Working alongside others leads to organic conversations.

• Have coffee chats with prospects, clients, and other freelancers. Not networking calls—actual conversations in a local coffee ☕ shop. I just did this a few weeks ago with a fellow freelancer, and I’ve got another one set up with a former editor.

Small Ways to Network That Don't Feel Like Networking

You don’t have to go big or go home when it comes to building relationships. Add these micro-networking tactics into the mix.

Follow the golden rule of network by making this mindset shift: Give first, ask later.

Answer questions in forums. (I tried Reddit—not my style.) But I often pop into Facebook groups or engage with LinkedIn posts offering helpful tips and insights.

Make introductions. Be a matchmaker for people who would benefit from collaborating. I recently had a press trip invite from a PR person, and I thought the trip would be the perfect fit for another travel writer I know. After sharing their contact info, the two are hopping on a phone call next week to talk through the trip ✈️ itinerary.

Share opportunities that aren't right for you. (When one of my editors asked me to write an article that wasn’t a good fit, I politely declined but connected him with a writer who was a great fit. I’m looking at you, Dawn! 😉) Be genuinely helpful without expecting immediate returns.

👉I can’t overemphasize the importance of building relationships with other freelancers, too. Some of my best client referrals have come from freelancers who were too booked or who worked in complementary areas.

A Few Quick Wins

✅ Make it sustainable: Block 30 minutes ⏱️ a week for networking. Consistency beats spending three hours at an event you dread.

✅ Think out of the box. For dream clients, try going old school. A handwritten note 🖋️or relevant magazine or book mailed with a personal note gets noticed. Physical mail is rare enough now that it stands out.

✅ Create quick video messages (I hear Loom works great—haven’t used it myself) to differentiate you with top prospects. Seeing your face builds connection faster than text.

✅ Partner with complementary freelancers for mutual referrals. Copywriters + designers. Developers + brand strategists. Refer clients to each other. Know someone who needs travel content—newsletters, blogs, web copy, etc.? I’m your girl. 🙋‍♀️

✅ Track what's working. Which messages get responses? Which channels convert? Pay attention and do more of what works.

Bottom Line

We’re in the home stretch of 2025. Direct outreach and networking aren't going anywhere. Yes, it takes more effort, more time.

But that's exactly why it works. Most freelancers don't do it consistently. They'll try for a week, get discouraged, and go back to easier methods.

But planting those seeds today and nurturing them over the next few months could blossom 🪴into a successful 2026.

• Share Your Success Story. I would LOVE to hear how you’ve implemented any of the ideas in Expert•ish Freelancer and found success. I might even include your win in a future newsletter. You can always reach me at [email protected]. 

• Follow me on LinkedIn. I share more freelance tips/insights most weekdays.

• Turn to Expert•ish Freelancer’s Tools & Resources page, highlighting valuable resources to help you successfully run your freelance business. You’ll find recommendations for apps, tools, training, services, websites, blogs, podcasts, books, videos, and more! If you’ve got a resource you love, let me know about it.

Thanks for allowing me into your inbox!

I look forward to sharing my freelance journey with you, and I look forward to hearing about yours. I’m just here as your guide. Take what works for you, and tweak it to your needs. Rinse. Repeat.

I’ll be back in two Fridays with another edition of Expert•ish Freelancer.

In the meantime….

Be kind. Do good. Give thanks. 😊

With gratitude,
Lisa Beach

FYI: In yoga, the instructor often closes the session by saying “namaste” as a way of acknowledging and honoring the light, spirit, or goodness within each person in the class. 🧘‍♀️ It’s often used as a closing to convey unity (we’re all interconnected), gratitude (thank you for this shared experience), respect (I respect you and your journey), and peace (may you find peace within yourself). Essentially, it's a way to acknowledge the shared experience and to leave with a sense of peace and connection. 😊