Table of Contents

How To Write A Compelling Cover Letter

Submitting proposals for job openings is one thing you’re gonna need to do if you want to land a job as a freelancer. And for every proposal you submit, you would most likely need a cover letter. So, in case you were wondering if cover letters are necessary, the answer to that is Yes! But how then do you write a compelling cover letter that stands you out and gives you an edge over the competition?

A cover letter is most likely the first point of interaction between you and a potential client and it presents an opportunity for you to leave an impression about yourself. Seeing the huge role cover letters play in helping you land a job as a freelancer, knowing how to write a compelling cover letter is a big deal.

Typically, cover letters contain your contact info, an introduction, and highlights of your credibility, work ethic, experiences, and positive personality. The following tips would help you bring all of these elements together in order to write a compelling cover letter that stands out.

Customize Your Cover Letter

This is one of the most vital tips in writing a compelling cover letter. Ensure that every cover letter that you submit is tailor-made specifically for the job posting and not a copy-pasted template from Google. Copying and pasting cover letters is a major mistake so many freelancers make and prospective clients find this extremely annoying.

Copy-pasted cover letters are like a red flag indicating that you’re not serious enough about the job and that you may not even have read the job posting entirely. It also implies that you are likely to treat the job as carelessly as you wrote your proposal.

Instead, write a clear letter that addresses the issues stated in the job post, showing the client that you’ve actually read their job post and that you’ve crafted your proposal precisely for them. This will significantly increase your chances of being hired.

Less Is More

You don’t have to go all out and fancy with a cover letter. Instead, keep it simple! Cut out all of those vague or ambiguous words, and be sure to clearly state the specifics. You don’t want your prospective client wondering where exactly you stand on your capability to perform a job effectively. In fact, your cover letter ought to be an opportunity to shine light on your strengths. So by all means, be as clear and specific as possible.

Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch and in the most concise manner, you need to convey a prospect to hire you. This means not going too much into your history or education or the many other things you did before you finally found your way to gaining the skill relevant to the job: this will not help you pose smarter, or as more experienced. While you may think sharing these details is great, your prospective client may not.

Don’t be lengthy for the sake of being lengthy. Be as concise as possible and make each word count. Say only what you believe the client wants to hear.

Emphasize that you’re always ready to learn new things

Employers who hire freelancers often have a secondary fear that guides their hiring decisions: rigidity. If your previous projects don’t resemble exactly what these employers have in mind, show that you’re willing to step outside of your groove and learn new things—not just today, but always.

State the unique skills that you offer

Yea, we know you’re an artist. But there are many other artists submitting proposals for the same job. So why should you be hired and not them?

When writing a cover letter, it is important to list out your unique skill or emphasize the very specific talents that the client needs, and how you’re the perfect person to supply those talents. Again, this shows that you read through the job posting, and helps the client see that you are the best person for the job.

While there may be many artists applying for a job, you could specify your area of specialty, say a graphic artist. If the client needs someone who can draw a very specific type of dragon, you’ll have more chances of landing the job than just any artist. Be sure to provide some reassurance and let the client know that dragons are your specialty. Avoid listing value that almost anyone else can offer as you’d end up in a race to the bottom.

You could also rephrase the problem stated in the job posting as this shows that you understand what exactly their needs and what the job entails and thus you are more likely to handle the task properly.

Cultivate trust

Most of the time, when clients hire a freelancer to complete a short or long-term task, their greatest concerns are related to skill level and reliability. They want someone who can execute the job according to their specific vision, and they want someone who won’t disappear before the work is done. This requires a great deal of faith and risk, so respect that your clients are looking for someone they can trust. Write well, state your claims with confidence, and believe in yourself and your own abilities—if you believe that you can deliver what’s asked of you, your clients will too.

Avoid typos in your cover letter

Always read your cover letter before hitting the send button. Typos will make it look less professional and decrease your chances of getting the job. This is especially relevant if you’re applying for translation, editing, copywriting, or other writing jobs where improper grammar and typos are guaranteed to break the deal.

Parting Thoughts

There are some control words that clients like to attach to job postings as a way of making sure you read through the entire post. They then ask you to start your cover letter with that particular word. Be attentive and use these control words to avoid your proposal being ignored. Also, be sure to share a few of the things you’ve worked on (no more than 2 or 3), or better yet, add a link to your portfolio. Clients don’t usually ask, but they expect you to attach these things. Once you have these seemingly insignificant things right, landing a job as a freelancer becomes relatively easy.