Hi Reader,

Happy Friday!

I added a brand new module to Pitch & Prosper this week that's full of practical activities you can do to grow your warm pitching ecosystem.

If you don't know what that is, I highly recommend watching my free 30-minute training if you haven't already! Watch it here.

Ps. You can get £50 off Pitch & Prosper as a Friday Freelance Tips subscriber.

P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared my process for juggling 7-10 clients each month. See it here.

Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise:

👉 I wrote 4 pieces for clients (including NumeralHQ, Salsify, Klaviyo, and Whop)

👉 I refreshed 1 for Shopify

👉 I drafted copy for a landing page for a new client

👉 I signed one new client for December and beyond

⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~23

⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~3

💰 Total revenue this week: £5,300

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Check out my three practical courses that have helped 500+ people get more clients, earn more money, and create better content.

Friday Freelance Tip​​ ✨ ​

I know I bang on about it a lot, but cold pitching isn't getting the same results it used to.

In the past, I could build a list of potential prospects, send 20 cold pitches, and guarantee at least one response. It was time-consuming but it worked.

That's not true anymore.

Clients these days are stymied by tighter budgets. They won't risk spending on a freelancer they can't vouch for. Plus, the competition is fierce. It's SO hard to stand out, and your pitches will often get buried among tens of other pitches.

Which is why I'm a BIG advocate for warm pitching.

This method is all about building real, human connections before you even think about sending that email or DM.

The reality now is that the best pitches are backed by genuine interaction and a sense of familiarity. Clients want to know, like, and trust you before they commit their dwindling budget to you.

There are two main steps to this process:

Step 1: Warm up leads

When I say "warm-up leads" here, I mean warming up the people behind the brand. This isn't about liking their company's latest press release or sharing a product promo.

Instead, look for:

• Personal posts on LinkedIn or Twitter from employees who make decisions (like content managers, marketers, or founders).
• Conversations they’re engaging with online—whether it’s a thread about content trends or a webinar they hosted.
• Areas where you can authentically add value—without asking for anything yet.

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For example, if someone posts about struggling with a content backlog, you could chime in with a thoughtful comment or share a quick tip you’ve used yourself.

I think about warming up on a scale. Basically, any kind of "touchpoint" you can have with a lead counts as a warm-up - but some are more active than others.

Low-effort warm-ups include comment and sharing a content lead's posts on social media (I really recommend leaving genuine, valuable responses, not just a "great post").

Higher-effort warm-ups are things like engaging leads in Slack channels, referring other people to their brand and letting them know, or tagging them in a relevant comment or post.

Once you've warmed up a prospect, you can move onto your small ask.

Step 2: Send a "small ask"

A small ask is exactly that - it's not a full-blown pitch, there's no hard sell, and it's definitely not pushy in tone.

You're essentially asking for something simple, human, and easy to answer..

Here are a few examples:

• “Hey [Name], I noticed you’re working on [specific initiative]. Are you open to working with freelancers for content projects?”
• “I’ve been following your posts about [topic]. Do you know anyone looking for help with [specific service you offer]?”
• “I really admire what your team’s doing with [specific brand achievement]. If you’re ever looking for extra content support, I’d love to chat!”

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Small asks work because they feel natural—and they give your contact an easy way to either say yes or point you in the right direction.

The latest version of Pitch & Prosper handholds you through every step of this process. It shows you how to:
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✅ Build and expand your network of potential clients naturally.
✅ Warm up leads so they’re excited to work with you.
✅ Use strategic "small asks" to land work without feeling pushy or salesy.

Remember, you can get £50 off as a Friday Freelance Tips subscriber!

This week, we have a full-time cannabis writer from Canada.

Where are you based? Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada

How long have you been freelancing? Since 2016

What do you do? I’m a B2B and B2C writer, mostly in the cannabis space

What was your 2023 revenue? $170k (CAD)

This person freelances full time and this was not their highest earning year.

How much did you take as a salary?

$111K (CAD)

How much did you pay in taxes? $25k (CAD) income tax.

What are your business expenses? $28k (CAD).

Total expenses per month are ~$4.5K. That includes well over $3K a year in software subscriptions (woof), $3.5K a year for my bookkeeper, and $3K a year for my business coach.

My main expenses are freelancers, particularly my editor who works on everything I write, but also my small team of freelancers I hire within my micro agency.

Did you make any one-off purchases?

In 2023 I finally upgraded to a new Macbook, AKA my business' primary engine. Hot tip, I saved my old Macbook to use as my insurance policy. Because I live on a very small island, where the closest Apple store is a day's travel away, I have this second computer should anything ever blow up my new one. No lost work due to technical issues!

Do you rely on subcontractors?​
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My main expense is freelancers.

In 2023 I spent $28K on freelancers. This was down somewhat from 2022 where I spent $35K on freelancers. The majority of this goes to my esteemed right hand, my editor. She works on everything I work on. The rest are freelancers I hire for my micro agency. But with SEO blogging on the down this year, this service has become less valuable.

Do you contribute to a pension?

Beyond the minimal CPP contributions in Canada (5.25% of their earned income up to the designated maximum annual pensionable earnings), I also work with a wealth management company for my invesments.

I put away at least $1,200 a month towards investments in my Tax Free Savings Account as well as my Registered Retirement Savings Plan.

When I have extra cash at the end of the month, I throw it into a savings account. Then, at the end of the year, I work with my advisor to compare my income with the tax bracket. We invest this extra money in a way that brings down my total annual taxes.

Do you have any hot money-management tips?

I pull 25% of everything I make into a separate account for end of year taxes. I pull an additional %10 of what I make into a vacation fund. These add up quickly, and I never miss the money.

As always, happy freelancing :)

Lizzie ✨

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