We're always excited to celebrate wins from our amazing community! This week, a huge shoutout goes to Hadia, who recently landed a coveted gig with one of her dream clients after some seriously persistent and strategic outreach.
Here's what Hadia had to say about her experience:
"I had a few companies in mind that I wanted to work with. I checked out their LinkedIn pages and reviewed the profiles of their employees, such as content marketing managers, editors, and heads of digital. I sent a lot of connection requests each week, sometimes nearly maxing out my 100 requests. I didn't include a message; I just hit connect."
"For those who accepted, I sent a simple 'thanks for connecting, does [company] ever use freelance writers?' Sometimes they replied yes. If they did, I looked for their email addresses in their profiles and sent them an email about my expertise, along with a short and snappy cover letter and some samples of my work."
When talking about landing this particular gig, Hadia said, “They liked my samples and my clinical experience, so they offered me a paid trial article. That's how I got my foot in the door."
"My advice to new writers is to focus on building a strong portfolio of samples and working on their communication skills. These are everything when you're out there on a job hunt! Keep learning and improving your skills, and look for opportunities that match your goals."
"What I learnt from this experience is that when you're really passionate about something, your mind will create ways for it. Believe in your self-power and be confident in your skills. Keep on trying, and you will surely get there!"
Bravo Hadia! 👏 Wow, talk about inspiration!
Put yourself out there and never stop believing in yourself. Your dream client is out there waiting for you!
A word, please!
We all know the game of hustling for new business and clients isn't all rainbows and unicorns. Hadia’s story is proof, right?
And for every win, there will be some (many) losses. It's just part of it when you're grinding and putting yourself out there.
Ghosted emails are deflating.
Non-responses are an unavoidable part of the cold emailing process — even for seasoned freelancers. It doesn't necessarily mean you did anything wrong or that your email was bad. Sometimes you simply don't get a reply, and that's just how it goes, and that’s okay.
If you think every single cold email you send should get an enthusiastic positive response, you're mistaken. Getting new clients through outreach is tough, and those favorable replies are hard-earned!
I'm not trying to be a total buzzkill here, but I believe in telling it like it is.
So… you pour your heart into crafting the perfect cold email, hit send with bated breath, and then...crickets.
A measly 8.5% of cold emails actually receive a response.
But all is not lost! Here are some valuable insights that could help turn our cold outreach fortunes around:
Following up with a prospect multiple times can actually double your cold email response rates. Persistence pays off!
Yet, 70% of people don't even attempt any follow-ups at all on their cold emails. A missed opportunity.
Timing seems to be a major factor. Emails sent on weekends get the lowest open rates, while messages sent between 1 and 4 p.m. on weekdays tend to get the most replies.
Even if your first email falls on deaf ears, it’s not over.
A well-timed, well-written follow-up e-mail can sometimes be the difference between getting ghosted and landing your dream client.
How soon is too soon?
What do I actually sayyyy?
And how many times before I become annoying pest status?
Valid questions! Here’s what I do:
Don't take it personally
Before you get all worked up and let your ego run wild, take a step back and try walking a mile in the recipient's shoes.
It’s not personal! People are busy, and sometimes things just slip through the cracks.
It's also possible that your email just wasn't a good fit for their current needs or priorities.
Keep your head up and keep plugging away. The more you practice and refine your follow-up strategy, the better results you'll see over time.
Timing is everything
Give your potential client some breathing room after your initial email. A good rule of thumb is to wait about a week before sending your first follow-up.
I typically wait a full week. Some people recommend waiting 2 weeks after the initial email, which can also work.
If I don't hear back after that first follow-up, I’ll wait another 7-10 days before trying again with a second follow-up email.
I also make sure to switch up the send times between follow-ups. If my initial cold email went out first thing in the morning (which is my usual move), then I'll queue up the next follow-up for early afternoon, like right after the lunch rush. Hitting someone's inbox at different times of day can potentially improve my chances of catching their attention.
Varying the days is another smart move. Some people may be more actively checking and replying to emails on certain weekdays versus others.
How do you even keep track of that?
I'm handing you my Client Contact Tracker for FREE! All yours! I use it to analyze open rates and reply patterns to optimize not just the times but also the specific days I'm reaching out. A little experimentation goes a long way…
If I still don't get a response after the second follow-up, I’ll send another follow-up email 10-14 days later using the same tactics above. At this point, I add any remaining unresponsive leads to a longer cadence follow-up schedule — checking in every 3 weeks, then transitioning to once-a-month (and sometimes longer) touchpoints.
HINT:An email tracking tool can be invaluable here to see if/when your initial email was opened. This provides insight into timing your first follow-up more precisely. You can use popular email trackers like Mailtrack, Hunter.io’s MailTracker, and Streak.
Keep it short and sweet
Your follow-up emails should be brief and to the point. Remember, people are busy. No one wants to read a novel in their inbox.
Remind them who you are and why you're reaching out, but don't just repeat your initial email verbatim.
Add a bit of value or new information (if available and appropriate) to keep things fresh and interesting.
Something like this:
Hi [Prospect's Name],
I’m following up on the health writing opportunity I emailed you about last week. I have extensive experience creating high-quality, well-researched health content for audiences like yours.
I’d be glad to set up a quick call at your convenience.
You want to stay professional and persistent with your follow-up efforts but also have enough self-awareness to know when it's time to temporarily disengage.
With cold email outreach, it really is a numbers game.
You can craft the most thoughtful, personalized emails, but the reality is that a significant portion simply won't get responses, no matter how good your approach is.
That doesn't mean you should get demoralized or give up altogether. Prospects who don't bite now may return months (or a year or two!) later when their situation changes.
It just took me 3 months of following up with a prospect to finally hear back!
Persistence can pay off!
Your Turn!🤝
Don't take non-responses personally — it happens to everyone.
Experiment with sending follow-ups at different times and days of the week.
Expect some losses as part of the cold outreach process.
Stay persistent.
But hold up, have you given any thought to your personal brand?
See, you can craft the most amazing blogs. But a cohesive, well-defined brand helps you stand out from the vast pool of writers out there. I know it did for me!
If you don’t know what a personal brand is or how to get started, Rachel’s got you! She offers comprehensive personal brand strategy packages to ensure you attract your ideal clients and spotlight your unique expertise from the start.
So if you're feeling even an inkling of brand identity crisis, do yourself a favor and have a chat with the incredible Rachel! Not only is she a total branding genius, but she's also one of the coolest and most personable humans you'll ever meet.
And... 🥁🥁 just for being a subscriber to The Health Writer Newsletter, you get a whopping 33% off! 🤯
It's a deal you won't find anywhere else!
Oh, and did I mention her mugs? You’ve got to check them out.
What’s making waves in health writing? What’s the latest buzz?
Here are 2 pitch ideas editors want:
Breast Screening
Heard that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force updated its guidance, now recommending women at average breast cancer risk start annual mammogram screenings at age 40 rather than 50? This final recommendationaligns with advice from groups like the American Cancer Society that have already advocated for earlier screening in the 40s. There's certainly an interesting discussion to be had around the evidence that prompted this shift and what kind of real-world impact it could have. Lots of angles for you to explore with this.
You know it! Get those SME quotes!
Pollen... everywhere!
Ahh, spring has sprung! The warm weather has people flocking outside to soak up the sun and deal with… pollen. For those with seasonal allergies or asthma, pollen is basically public enemy #1 this time of year. With May being National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, it could be the perfect time to help readers better cope with their pollen woes.
Reach out to those SMEs!
Gigs & Opps
Your next paid gig might be hiding below. Take a look! 👀
Anya
Anya is a UK-based health and human services company. They’re looking for a mid-level freelance marketer to lend a hand with executing upcoming campaigns.
They're looking for freelance writers, namely experts with credentials in the healthcare space. Topics: Hair Loss, ED, Fertility Support, and At-Home testing (like at-home food sensitivity tests), but any expertise in the healthcare field will be considered.
Email Stephanie at stephanie.hope@pillarfour.com with your credentials, writing samples (if applicable), and rates.
Looking for stories about longevity (healthy lifestyle tips from older people in your family), among other super interesting topics. Open to writers of all levels, demographics, and locations. Send your pitch to Rosemary Donahue: rdonahue@businessinsider.com.
Pay: $225 for around 600 words.
If you have an engaging personal story related to health and parenting (like relationships, mental, or physical health), she wants to hear from you!
Wants submissions from Jewish writers under 30 for its "Gen Z Voices" series, focusing on the ongoing discussions within the Gen Z community and addressing the unique challenges young Jews encounter today. Topics range widely, including mental health.
Each accepted article earns $200 or more, depending on its length and content. Send your pitch email to content@jewishunpacked.com. Please include “Gen Z Voices Pitch” in the subject line.
💡Writer's guidelines can seem tedious, but sticking to those outlined submission instructions offers major returns on your pitch success rates! Editors are flooded with queries daily, so take the time to follow their stated processes to help your pitch stand out.
👉 What did you write for your own blog? Share it with me at hello@thewritern.com.
Use our Blog Booster challenge to grow your own blog. And... it's time for another blog booster! Are you ready?
Here’s the plan:
Over the next two weeks (by May 16), write one blog post. That’s it, just one blog post for your website in the next two weeks.
Suggested topic ideas: - How to improve on-page SEO - A health writer’s take on AI - Medical misinformation - It takes more than blogging to rank on Google - Beating writer’s block - Tracking your blog's impact
Post your challenge blog post on LinkedIn using the hashtag #THWNblogbooster. It helps me (and other writers participating in the challenge) find and support your blog post on LinkedIn.
Once you’ve published your post, send the link to me at hello@thewritern.com so I can easily collect submissions.
Posts from challenge participants will be featured in upcoming newsletter editions. This gives your writing bonus exposure!
One last thing! Make it a point to interact with and support the work of fellow health writers taking on the Blog Booster challenge. Remember, this is our community!
And that, my friends, is it for THWN Issue No. 11!
Au revoir, mes amis…
See ya in about 336 hours, aka 14 days!
PS: I'm seriously, absolutely, and honestly itching to know how I can make this newsletter the best for YOU and US. This is not a one-way street. You hear from me. But I want to also hear from you. Hit REPLY to share what works and what doesn’t, what you want to see more of, or just say hi! 👋
Loving the vibes? Share this newsletter with a friend. And if you received this e-mail from a friend, why not make it official? Stick around, treat yourself, and subscribe!
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