Section 1.1: Leveraging Past Relationships

The two primary barriers to closing a deal often involve trust issues and competing offers. Prospective clients are unfamiliar with you—they don’t know you personally or how you operate. They must rely on the claims you make in your emails or presentations.

Additionally, other freelancers can easily overshadow you by presenting a more appealing offer. Luckily, there’s a way to transform these challenges: by reaching out to your former employers.

Why is this effective? Simply put, these individuals already know you. You’ve worked with them before, so they are familiar with your work ethic and can anticipate what they will receive from you. If your previous employment ended on good terms, a foundation of trust is already established, which you can build upon.

This connection offers a significant edge over potential competitors. While others may propose lower prices or have broader networks, they cannot replicate your insights into the company’s inner workings, the relationships you've developed, or your understanding of its culture and challenges. This advantage is incredibly powerful, yet few leverage it effectively.

Subsection 1.1.1: How to Approach Former Employers

In my experience, contacting past employers is a highly efficient strategy. You can bypass the initial research phase and move straight into acquisition mode. Offer to work with them on a freelance basis, either in your previous role or in a related area.

For instance, businesses often overlook marketing needs such as social media management, blogging, or public relations. Media agencies, for example, may require effective PR and social media strategies but lack the resources to implement them efficiently. IT firms may want to develop a blog for their clients yet lack qualified personnel to do so.

If you possess relevant skills and experience, this can be your entry point.

When reaching out, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach; it largely depends on the nature of your previous relationship and how long it has been since you parted ways.

In my case, I initially contacted a former employer while still working there. I explained my reasons for leaving (to focus on PR rather than marketing) and mentioned that I was starting my own company. I invited them to reach out whenever they needed assistance. A couple of months later, I successfully pitched their account, outperforming two competing PR agencies.

In another instance, I reached out to a former employer two years after leaving. We engaged in friendly conversation and arranged a meeting to discuss potential collaboration.

Sometimes, reconnecting with former employers can be a swift process, requiring only a phone call to ignite the conversation. However, for larger corporations, the process might be more formal and drawn out. If you have your unique selling proposition (USP) and portfolio ready, I recommend seizing the opportunity and adapting your approach as needed.

Summary: The Steps

1. Review your past employers and identify those with whom you maintained positive relationships.
2. Analyze their business to identify areas of potential growth or gaps in service that your skills could fill.
3. Craft a brief statement highlighting how you can assist them in achieving their goals.
4. Develop your USP and reach out via email or phone to introduce yourself and your ideas.

Why You Should Embrace This Strategy

Even if your outreach doesn't lead to a new account—perhaps due to budget constraints—you will still gain numerous benefits from the interaction:

• You’ll receive immediate feedback instead of waiting weeks to learn if the company needs your services.
• You’ll gain insights on how to enhance your offerings for future pitches.
• You’ll strengthen your relationship with a potential advocate.
• They will become aware of your services and may recommend you to others, knowing and trusting your capabilities.

Using this method, you stand to gain significantly. At best, you may secure a new client with minimal effort. At the very least, you’ll have engaged with a potential advocate, learned valuable lessons, and fostered important relationships.

I have achieved remarkable results by reaching out to former companies. You can extend this approach even further by contacting businesses whose services you personally utilize. For example, you could offer to write content for the blog of your favorite nail salon or golf club.

Whenever you have a personal connection with a business, your chances of success in client acquisition are considerably higher, and the process will likely be more straightforward.

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