How to Write Cover Letters That Get You Clients

Let’s go over a few of my favorites.

Pro Tip #1: Use the client’s name

The classic book How to Win Friends and Influence People offers a powerful, timeless insight into human psychology: There are few things people love more than the sound of their own name.

Of course, no one is going to choose you just because you address them by name. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t an important—even critical—part of the proposal process. Powering up your car’s ignition doesn’t automatically make it drive, but it’s still the correct first step. Similarly, starting your proposal by addressing the client by name is one of the easiest and most effective ways to grab their attention, elicit warm feelings, and stand out from the crowd.

How to find a client’s name:

1. Check to see if it’s in their project description. Clients may sign their name at the bottom, or it may be included elsewhere (e.g., inside of a document they’ve attached to the project description, on a web page they’ve linked to, etc.).
2. Scroll down the page and scan their reviews. If they’ve hired freelancers on Upwork before, one of those people may have mentioned the client’s name when leaving them feedback.
3. Look for clues. If all else fails, you can look for more subtle clues, like their company name, website, or anything else you can pop into Google for more information.

Don’t complicate this. I’ve been using this strategy effectively for years, yet I still get emails from people with questions like “Won’t I look like a stalker?” (As if clients don’tlike it when you check out their website.) Or “What if I just can’t find their name no matter what I do?” Just do your best and don’t worry about factors that are beyond your control.

Pro Tip #2: Minimize the #1 proposal killing word

Can you guess what it is?

I’ll give you a hint: It’s most people’s favorite word.

“I.”

It’s okay to admit it—we all love talking about ourselves!

And it can be appropriate to talk about yourself in your cover letter (and elsewhere throughout your proposal). For example, maybe you worked on a similar project in the past. Or maybe you feel your education or background might be of particularly interest to the client.

But you need to be careful not to overdo it.

Just like you are your own favorite topic of conversation, the client is mostly interested in him/herself, too. Use that knowledge to your advantage.

If you aren’t paying close attention, you can easily end up rambling on and on about yourself. You end up with what I call a “Me, Myself, and I” proposal that tells the client nothing about how you’re going to help THEM win.

An easy fix is to make sure you use the word “you” liberally throughout your proposals. This forces you to keep the focus mostly on the client, which they’ll love—and helps prevent too many instances of “I” sneaking in.

Pro Tip #3: End your cover letter with a strong call to action

Direct response copywriters have learned that people are more likely to take action if you tell them exactly what to do.

Which of the following would you be more likely to respond to:

1. “Hope to hear from you soon!”
2. “I’d love to hear more about what would make this project a success for you, and explore if we’d be a good fit to work together. Can you hop on a 5-10 minute call to discuss?”

Notice how the latter is specific, easy to commit to (as opposed to hiring someone on the spot, which is a much bigger decision), and gives the client a clear and simple way to move forward quickly and with as little commitment as possible.