Whilst a plan and consistent marketing is the way to future proof your freelance fashion design business, sometimes you just need to get a project in the bag. Here’s the one proactive email script to get you through a dry spell…
When you just need to get some client work to keep the wheels turning, referrals or past clients are the first place to go hunting, because they already know, like and trust you. 86% of B2B buyers say word-of-mouth is one of the most influential factors in making purchase decisions but you can’t sit waiting for the email to hit your inbox, or the whatsapp to ping, you have to get proactive.
Business is unpredictable. In-house design teams get sick or go on maternity leave earlier than expected, new CEO strategy gets dropped on a management team, staff leaving their role for pastures new…the list goes on. Clients are looking for freelance designers regularly to fill a gap. Put simply, the best jobs are the ones that haven’t been advertised. It’s the same with a freelance brief and sometimes you just need to ask for work.
Conversations create clients. No sale ever happens without a conversation and proactive doesn’t mean pushy. We want to create an energy that is high intention but low attachment. Long drawn out emails have high attachment energy; sending this email takes 5 minutes of your day and could create £5K of work by the end of the week.
The Email
Email Subject: Long-time no speak.
Hello [X],
I hope you are good? Long-time no speak.
It felt good to see the new range in store/online recently, I love how the shades came through [or insert another short, one sentence max compliment/observation].
When are we working together again? 🙂
[Your Name]
Mindset
People are busy. Clients sit with an unresolved problem on their to-do list all the time. Often a gentle nudge communicated in the right way (a bit cheeky), at the appropriate time is all that’s needed. The script is intentionally short and to the point and will feel scary if you have never taken this approach before, yet the thing that feels the most fearful in your business is the thing that will move your business forward and action is the antidote to fear.
I invite you to send the email today. Go for a walk, run, dance around the room before hitting send to calm your overthinking mind.
Remember, nobody will die, there will be no blood. You’ve got this…
