Win Clients Without Pitching
Combine buyer psychology and realistic expectations.
It’s a natural instinct to “pitch” ourselves to new clients.
Fancy deck. Lots of testimonials. A discovery call where you try to convince the prospective client that you’re the best person for the job.
But is persuasion even the right approach?
In the book The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, Blair Enns writes:
Presenting is a tool of swaying, while conversing is a tool of weighing. Through the former we try to convince people to hire us. Through the latter we try to determine if both parties would be well served by working together.
As freelancers, we have to be the right fit for the client’s needs. If you and the client are aligned, you can make them want you more with a few subtle tactics.
Hone in on your niche expertise
Finding a good freelancer is hard for clients.
There are a lot of freelancers in the world who don’t produce high-quality work or aren’t reliable. If you’re neither of those things, you’re already leaps and bounds ahead of the competition.
If you have a specialty? Even better.
You can use subtle cues to let prospective clients know that your talent is in high demand.
“I work with a limited number of clients to ensure the highest quality.” (I include this on my pricing sheet)
“The earliest I can take on new projects is in 2–3 weeks.” (or more)
“I focus on X type of projects instead of Y type of projects.” (I have enough work that I can be choosy)
Maybe this is a slight stretch when you’re first starting out but by saying the words out loud, you’re manifesting them into reality.
Clients are self-selecting with these phrases. If they’re looking for a freelancer that can churn out work quickly, on-demand, and in a wide range of formats — then they’re not the right client for you.
Clients will see you as a limited resource. And chances are, they’ll decide more quickly if they think you’re in high demand.
Anna Burgess Yang
Admit that you might not be a good fit
“Yes” is an easy response. Say yes, and figure it out later, right? (Especially if you’re new to freelancing and need the money.)
And sure, sometimes it works out in your favor. You learn new skills or build your portfolio.
But other times, that “yes” should have been a “no.” It can get you into sticky situations where you’re not able to deliver what you promised to the client.
Let the prospective client know you don’t have the specific experience they’re looking for. If you’re interested in the work, let the client know that you think other projects have prepared you for the work, even if you haven’t done the exact same thing.
It’s a pretty simple conversation:
Client: Have you done X before?
You: No, but I’ve done Y and Z, and here’s how those projects were similar. I think I can do this also, but wanted to make you aware that I haven’t done anything exactly like this.
The “yes” version would gloss over the lack of experience, or tell the client that you have done the same type of project before (even if that’s stretching the truth). The “no” version is more honest: you might not be the right fit.
If the prospective client really wants to work with you, the lack of specific experience won’t be an issue. They’ll see the potential based on your other work.
If the prospective client says, “Sorry, we need someone with specific experience” then you’ve potentially avoided disaster. You could have ended up with a nightmare project and an unhappy client.
This tactic can also work with existing clients. A client hired me to do one type of work, but then gave me different work (work I didn’t enjoy and struggled with). I finally let the client know that the work was not in my wheelhouse: “Hey client, I don’t think I’m the right fit for X, because my specialty is Y.”
Suddenly, the client was interested in Y. I had proven that I was a good freelancer and earned their trust by admitting that I didn’t feel good about the work I was doing.
It was a risk: I could have lost the client altogether. But the alternative for the client was losing a high-quality freelancer (and starting over with finding a replacement). Better that we keep talking, and find a way to work together.
Be honest about your boundaries
One of the joys of freelance life is choosing when and how you work.
Not all clients understand this. They consider you “part of the team” and expect you’ll always be available. Sometimes it’s because the client has never worked with a freelancer before. Other times, it’s because they don’t understand how many clients you might be juggling.
You want to let the client know what to expect, especially if it sounds like they want something different than how you usually work.
Client: Are you available to hop on calls when needed?
You: I’m happy to schedule calls X times per month and can write that into the contract.
I don’t work on Fridays and let my clients know. I also make it clear that most of my work is asynchronous. I’m in several client Slack channels, which often begs for “instant communication” but I hold my ground — I’ll reply on my own terms.
Again, you’re giving a reason not to work with you: your preferred communication doesn’t match their expectations. If that’s a sticking point, then the client isn’t a good fit. If the client is a good fit, they’ll respect your boundaries.
Let your work speak for itself
The portfolio. A freelancer’s key to the world.
The good news? You don’t have to say much. Your portfolio should showcase your best work.
But how you display your portfolio and what you send to clients matters, a lot. If your portfolio is just a shared Google Doc of links, you don’t give the impression that you take pride in your work.
Instead, your portfolio should be one additional (easy) reason for a client to say “yes” instead of a reason to say “never mind.”
A great portfolio:
- Looks professional (I use JournoPortfolio)
- Has filters for different types of projects
- Showcases your best work, not all of your work
- Is updated regularly with new projects
If a client asks to see samples do not send them a link to your entire portfolio. Instead, send links to 2–4 relevant samples on your portfolio site. Relevance is so important: you’re showing the client that you understand their needs.
If you’re only sending a few links, why put time into a portfolio site? Not all clients will ask for samples. Many will browse your work on their own before ever reaching out. My portfolio is on my LinkedIn profile and in my email signature.
I also keep track of all of my client work, even projects that aren’t on display in my portfolio. I had a prospective client ask for very specific examples recently. I had done similar work, but it wasn’t on my portfolio site. I was able to look back at my list of links (in Airtable) and find relevant samples.
You’re not telling clients to work with you: you’re letting them decide on their own, based on alignment between what you say and what they see.
Win without pitching — but follow up
Even if a client is convinced that you’re the right freelancer to hire, not all clients are on the ball with the next steps. They’re busy, or hiring a freelancer, while necessary, isn’t their highest priority.
The follow-up is on you. If a prospective client doesn’t reply after a few days, send another email.
At some point, lack of follow-up is a “no” (even if the client doesn’t say no), but not necessarily. I usually connect with prospects on LinkedIn immediately. If they don’t reply to emails, I continue to engage on LinkedIn. Some have come back around and re-engaged in the conversation.
But lack of follow-up can also be an indication of the working relationship. If the client takes forever to sign a contract, what will they be like when you pay your invoice?
So be mindful as you move through those final steps that you need to evaluate the prospect. Both parties need to be served by the relationship.
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