Olajumoke OkunadeFreelancing has opened up incredible opportunities for Africans to work with international clients, earn in stronger currencies, and build sustainable careers. However, many freelancers rely solely on platforms like Upwork and Fiverr to find work, often facing stiff competition, low-paying gigs, and high platform fees that eat into their earnings. As a result, cold pitching for African Freelancers is fast becoming a thing.
While these platforms have their advantages, they also come with limitations. Aside from the fact that thousands of freelancers compete for the same jobs, many clients also prioritize the cheapest options, forcing freelancers to lower their rates. Additionally, both Upwork and Fiverr take a significant percentage of earnings, reducing overall income. Most African freelancers are usually at the mercy of the platform’s rules, sudden account suspensions, or algorithm changes.
Cold pitching for African Freelancers, on the other hand, gives you direct access to high-quality clients, allows you to set your own rates, and enables you to build long-term business relationships. Instead of waiting for clients to find you, you take the initiative and reach out to businesses that need your services. This guide will walk you through the process of crafting effective cold emails and LinkedIn messages to attract clients, with real-life examples and templates.
What is Cold Pitching?
Cold pitching is the process of reaching out to potential clients—without prior contact—to offer your freelance services. It is a proactive approach to business development, allowing you to create opportunities rather than waiting for them.
Why Cold Pitching Works for African Freelancers
- Less competition: Instead of bidding against thousands of freelancers, you contact clients directly.
- Higher rates: Businesses often have bigger budgets than clients on gig platforms.
- More control: You negotiate your terms without worrying about platform restrictions.
- Stronger relationships: Direct communication fosters long-term partnerships.
Many freelancers avoid cold pitching because they see it as begging. It’s not. You are a skilled professional offering a solution to a business problem. Approach cold pitching with the mindset that you are helping businesses improve their operations, not just looking for work.
Choosing the Right Clients to Pitch
Identifying Your Ideal Client Profile
Before you start pitching, define who your ideal client is. Do you want Tech startups, e-commerce brands, digital agencies, etc. How big do you envision the business to be? Small businesses, medium enterprises, or large corporations are some categories you might want to consider. Who do you want to pitch? Founders, CEOs, marketing managers, editors, etc? Have a definite persona of your ideal client profile.
How to Find Potential Clients
- LinkedIn search (use keywords like “content manager,” “startup founder,” etc.).
- Company websites (look for the About or Team page).
- Industry directories (local and global listings).
- Job boards (find companies actively hiring for your skillset).
Crafting an Effective Cold Email
A cold email should be short, personalized, and value-driven.
Key Components of a High-Converting Cold Email
- Subject Line – Grabs attention (e.g., “Quick question about your website content”).
- Personalization – Mention something specific about their business.
- Value Proposition – Explain how you can solve a problem for them.
- Call to Action (CTA) – Encourage a response.
Example of a High-Converting Cold Email
Subject: Helping African Freelancers Improve Website
Hi Olajumoke,
I came across African Freelancer and love what you’re doing with helping African Freelancers. I noticed that your website lacks XYZ, and I believe my expertise in web development could help.
I’ve worked with other websites to achieve XYZ similar to what I think your website needs. Would you be open to a quick call to discuss how I can help African Freelancers with XYZ?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Website/Portfolio]
Mastering LinkedIn Cold Outreach
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful platforms for freelancers looking to attract high-quality clients. Unlike Upwork or Fiverr, where competition is fierce and freelancers often have to bid for jobs, LinkedIn allows you to connect directly with decision-makers, positioning yourself as a professional rather than just another service provider. The platform is designed for business networking, which means potential clients are more open to discussing work opportunities compared to other social media platforms or cold email outreach.
One of the biggest advantages of using LinkedIn for client outreach is the ability to reach key figures in a company without dealing with gatekeepers. Many businesses list their team members, making it easy to find and connect with CEOs, marketing managers, editors, and other decision-makers who can hire you. Additionally, LinkedIn messages often have higher response rates than cold emails because they land directly in a prospect’s notifications. Since people are already in a professional mindset when using the platform, they are more likely to engage in business-related conversations.
The first step in cold pitching on LinkedIn is sending a connection request. Since people are more likely to accept requests from those they perceive as relevant or valuable to their industry, it’s important to personalize your message rather than using LinkedIn’s default request. A good connection request should be short, professional, and provide a reason for reaching out.
Send a message that shows that you’ve taken the time to research their work and establish relevance, making it more likely that they’ll accept your request. Once they do, you can gradually move the conversation toward a pitch.
Example of an Effective LinkedIn Pitch
Once a connection request has been accepted, the next step is crafting a compelling pitch that clearly communicates how you can help. Instead of immediately asking if they have work for you, focus on their business needs and highlight how your skills can provide value.
A well-structured LinkedIn pitch should be short, personalized, and outcome-driven. Here’s an example of a pitch for a freelance graphic designer reaching out to a startup founder:
“Hi [Name], I really admire what you’re building with [Company Name]—your recent product launch caught my attention! I specialize in designing high-converting visuals for startups and have helped brands like [similar company] create engaging graphics that boost customer engagement. If you’re open to it, I’d love to discuss how I can help enhance [Company Name]’s visual branding. Let me know if you’d be interested in a quick chat!”
LinkedIn Tools: Finding the Right People to Pitch
LinkedIn is a goldmine for freelancers looking to connect with high-value clients, but manually searching for the right people can be time-consuming. That’s where LinkedIn Sales Navigator and LinkedIn search filters come in.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a premium tool that helps freelancers find potential clients more easily. It allows you to search for leads using advanced filters, such as company size, job title, industry, and location. You can also save leads and track updates so you can stay informed about any changes in their company or job role. Additionally, send InMails, which lets you message people outside your immediate LinkedIn network.
While Sales Navigator is a paid tool, it offers a free trial, which can be useful if you want to test it before committing. For freelancers who prefer free options, LinkedIn’s built-in search filters are still very effective. You can use them to:
Find decision-makers by searching for job titles like “CEO,” “Marketing Manager,” or “Head of Content”, narrow down by industry to target businesses that are more likely to need your services, and filter by location if you want to focus on clients in specific regions.
End Note
Send that pitch in today! Explore our other blog articles for more insights on freelancing, consulting, pricing strategies, and business growth. Want to connect with like-minded professionals? Join our community of African freelancers, where we share tips, opportunities, and strategies to help you with your freelancing career.
Ekene Eziagulu
Paul Jattau
Olajumoke Okunade
