EF #13: Making LOIs Work for Your Freelance Business

A Q&A guide to leveraging Letters of Introduction

Author

Lisa Beach
September 20, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Welcome to the 13th edition of Expert•ish Freelancer, a newsletter that helps you launch or elevate your freelance business. Every other Friday, get tips tools, and insights based on my 35+ years as a freelance writer.

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I’m trying to be more mindful of the fact that you’re busy (and probably reading this on your phone or tablet). So, I’m still delivering the value, but hopefully in a quicker, more reader-friendly way.

By the way, if you missed last Friday’s Bonus #7: Income-Planning Worksheet that arrived in your inbox, I encourage you to download it ASAP. I make Bonus Items available to download for one to two weeks, and then they disappear.

Today’s newsletter dives into how to make LOIs work for your freelance business.

🔍 Key Takeaways: 

  1. What an LOI is and why it matters.

  2. How to write one that stands out.

  3. When to send it—and how to follow up.

P.S. Before you dive into this issue’s Freelance Focus, please take a moment to check out the newsletter sponsor below. Sponsors help keep the newsletter free, so please click on their link to check out their offer!

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Friday Freelance Fuel

Here’s your weekend To-Do list to inspire next week’s success.

✅ Learn: The International Center for Journalists (IJNET) offers great resources and toolkits for journalists.

✅ Listen: Ed Gandia’s latest podcast episode, #354: Breaking Free from the Feast-or-Famine Trap: What You Need to Change Starting Today, gives you great insights into prospecting.

✅ Follow: I love reading what Jay Acunzo shares on LinkedIn about the power of storytelling in marketing and creative work and the importance of “resonance over reach.”

Freelance Focus: Making LOIs Work for Your Freelance Business

As a freelancer, you need a variety of tools in your “marketing toolbox” to prospect and land clients. At the top of the list? Letters of Introduction (LOIs).

They can be a powerful tool to help you market your services. But many freelancers are unsure how to write an effective LOI, when to use one, or how to follow up.

Plus, LOIs have a bad rap! Some freelancers think they don’t work, so they don’t bother with them.

In this Q&A article, I’ll answer some of the most common questions about LOIs and provide practical tips on how to make them work for your freelance business.

Q: What is a Letter of Introduction (LOI), and why is it important for freelancers?

A: An LOI is a brief document (think 5-10 sentences) that introduces you and your services to a potential client. It helps showcase your skills and experience in a professional and concise manner, increasing your chances of being considered for freelance projects.

👉 Know that an LOI will rarely land you an immediate project. It’s the beginning of a conversation—the first step in building a relationship.

Q: When should I send an LOI?

A: You can send an LOI to a potential client you've identified through networking, cold outreach, referrals, or other methods. Plus, you can use LOIs to follow up after attending industry events or conferences.

Q: How do I write a compelling LOI?

A: A solid LOI should be well-written, focused, concise, and tailored to the specific client, industry, or opportunity.

  • Start by with a strong introduction that grabs the reader's attention, but don’t try to be too cute or clever here.

  • Clearly highlight your qualifications, skills, and experience —then highlight how your services align with the client's needs.

  • Note your unique selling points (such as being SEO-certified or having worked in the industry) and demonstrate how you can benefit the potential client.

  • End your LOI with a persuasive call to action (CTA), such as offering to send samples of your work (if you didn’t link to them in the LOI) or asking about their freelance needs.

👉 Ask a trusted freelancer to review your LOI and provide honest feedback. Sometimes it helps to have a fresh pair of eyes to spot errors, ambiguity, or ommissions.

Q: How can I follow up after sending an LOI?

A: After sending an LOI, wait about a week to follow up if you haven’t heard back. Make sure you include the original email to keep the conversation organized in one thread. Keep your message brief and professional. (“I’m following up on my email below to see if you have any questions about my experience. May I send you some writing samples?”) If you don't get a response, send a second follow-up email about one week later.

Q: What if I don't receive a response to my LOI?

A: It’s very likely you won’t get a response from many people. Don't get discouraged! There could be a variety of reasons: people are busy, on vacation, on maternity leave, projects get put on hold, freelance budgets are frozen—or they simply aren't interested. 😢 But keep sending out LOIs anyway and continue networking with potential clients. This isn’t something you do for a few weeks and then give up. Make this part of your weekly marketing effort. Eventually, you'll start to see results.

👉 Know that sending LOIs is a numbers game. You might send dozens over several months before you land a new client. Home in on anyone who responds and expresses interest—even if they just say they’ll keep your information on file. (This is where nurturing prospects and effective follow-up come into play. I’ll address this in a future newsletter.)

Some freelancers like to track the stats on their LOIs, recording how many they sent, the percentage of conversions, etc. I am not that freelancer. 😂

Bottom Line: LOIs can be a valuable tool for freelancers looking to land new clients. By following these tips, you can write effective LOIs that showcase your skills and increase your chances of successfully landing new clients.

Action Step!

Ready to put your knowledge into practice? Now that you’ve got a better understanding of how LOIs work, take action! Craft a generic one that you can tweak for each prospect. (I’ll send you a template next Friday that you can use as a model.) Once you’ve got a generic LOI, you can also create more specific ones (such as one geared towards a specific industry, one geared toward a specific type of service you want to provide, etc.)

High/Low

⬆️ High: I just asked two clients for a rate increase (an extra $0.50/word) and they both said yes. #EmailNegotiationsRock

⬇️ Low: A new agency had reached out asking for my help on their travel client’s project, but they just told me that “the client decided to go in another direction.” #RejectionAlwaysStings

Mindset Matters

It’s important to recognize how imposter syndrome can manifest differently for freelancers at various career stages. If you’re new, you might question if you’ve got what it takes to make it as a freelancer. But even when you’re seasoned—with years of experiences and top-tier client projects in your portfolio—imposter syndrome can still creep in.

During times of self-doubt, I’ve questioned whether my rates were too high, whether my writing was good enough, and even whether I’m too old to keep up with ever-changing technology and social media algorithms. But, with a little self-reflection, I push the doubts aside and keep moving forward, carving my own unique path. I lean hard into my strengths and do whatever continues to work for me. It’s gotten me this far, right? 😉

When You’re Ready Here’s How I Can Help:

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

  • Ask Me Anything! Your questions and feedback help shape future newsletter content. (I’ve already answered a few subscribers’ questions in past issues.) You can reach me at [email protected]. 

  • 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 reach me at [email protected]. 

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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

Namaste, freelancers!

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. 😊