I finally figured out why my proposals were getting ignored

For months, I was sending out these long, detailed project pitches. I'd spend an hour on each one, listing every single thing I could do. Then a friend in Austin, who also freelances, asked to see one. She read it and just said, 'Vera, this reads like a job application, not a solution.' That hit me. I was so focused on proving I could do the work that I forgot to show I understood their problem. I was talking at them, not to them. Now I start every proposal with one line about their specific need, then three bullet points on how I'd fix it. My reply rate went from maybe 1 in 20 to almost half. How do you guys keep your pitches from sounding like a resume?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair6262mo ago

Totally get that! My early pitches were so bad I'm shocked anyone hired me. I used to write these long lists of every single skill I had, like I was trying to win a trophy for being qualified. It sounded like a robot reading a manual. Now I just pretend I'm explaining my plan to a friend over coffee, quick and to the point about their specific mess. Focusing on their problem first was the biggest game changer for me too.

kareng272mo ago

How do you figure out their specific mess before you even talk to them?

graceprice1mo ago

@kareng27 that's the million dollar question right there. I stalk their LinkedIn posts and website blog for the last 3 months, see what they're bragging about or complaining about. If they keep posting about client retention, that's the mess. Or I'll look at their job listings - if they're desperate for a project manager, they're probably drowning in chaos. Then I just lead with "I noticed you're hiring for X, that's usually a sign Y is getting messy" - works every time. What do you do when their online presence is totally quiet?