Note from Jennifer: After I wrote a post recently about customizing your Letters of Introduction (LOIs) for multiple niches, I received a number of comments from my readers. One was from Gary Wollenhaupt, and he said my five(ish) sentence LOI was really working well for him. Then he put my advice for customized LOIs into practice and noticed even more of an improvement. Read about his experience below and then check out his website, too. 

by Gary Wollenhaupt

2017 was my best year ever as a freelancer since I first went out on my own in 2003. I had 17 clients, inclusive of relationships via platforms such as Skyword and Contently.

Some of those relationships were the result of networking and referrals, including one from Jennifer that has turned into a steady client.

However, through the first quarter of 2018, I knew I needed to make a marketing push. Changes are happening at my primary anchor client that I’ve worked with since 2013. My gut was telling me this might be the year that this relationship could come to an end.

So I say all that to say this: I didn’t have a ton of confidence in launching a cold-email marketing push. But that’s the most time-efficient way to generate new business. My goal was to increase my stable of direct content marketing clients. But like a lot of writers, I have multiple niches. So I sometimes have difficulty in succinctly portraying my expertise.

So I was thrilled to read Jennifer’s post, Customizing Your LOI for Multiple Niches that includes her model for a “Five(ish) Sentence LOI.”

Jennifer’s model was shorter and more focused than what I had done in the past. Here’s a letter of introduction that I wrote in response to a posting for content writers before I knew of Jennifer’s model:

Hello [Client] Team,

I’m an enthusiastic researcher and writer tracking innovations and insights in a number of sectors that mesh with [Client]’s portfolio. Strong analysis and writing skills are essential to what I do for clients, and I enjoy seeing new connection and patterns between industries.

Recently I’ve written about consumer adoption of BYOD connectivity in transportation; consumer preferences for self-service in transportation and retail; adoption of smart devices in homes; digital impacts in retail customer experiences; consumer acceptance of digital security such as two-factor authentication; and augmented reality in consumer and enterprise applications.

In the past, I have supplied content for companies such as GM, Ford, Bosch, NCR, PTC, Saab, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and ExxonMobil. I’m comfortable interviewing occupants of the C-suite as well technical subject matter experts and translating their thoughts into copy that informs and inspires actions.

I’m comfortable starting with a small project to build a relationship that’s beneficial for everyone.

Attached are my resume and some links to recent work. I have more to share if you’d like to see it.

I look forward to working with you and delivering the insights and analysis that your clients have come to value.

I didn’t receive a reply to this LOI.

Jennifer’s “Five(ish) Sentence LOI” model laid out a useful roadmap for me to get started. When I give directions, I like to tell people a few landmarks along the way, so they’ll know they’re going in the right direction. That’s the value I saw in Jennifer’s approach.

Here’s the LOI that I created for a transportation software company using Jennifer’s guidelines:

Hi [Name],

Does [Client Name] use freelance writers?

I am a freelance transportation content marketing writer specializing in supply chain and logistics technology, IoT (Internet of things) and fleet telematics.

My clients include Samsung, Omnitracs, UPS, DHL, Seal-Land/Maersk and PTC, as well as 3PLs and industry publications.

My background includes 13 years in the freight transportation industry, including rail, intermodal and ocean freight, working with U.S. and international audiences.

You can see what my clients and editors have said about me on my LinkedIn profile, and you can look at some samples of my work on my portfolio site here. [Link]

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully working with you in the near future.

I sent the LOI on 1:32 pm PST on March 28. I received a reply at 1:58 p.m. Only 26 minutes elapsed! That’s a new record for me.

I know this LOI isn’t all that compelling. The marketing person said I connected at just the right time because they’re starting a major rebranding and content marketing initiative. I’m doing a test project for them this week.

Keep in mind that I sent five other LOIs that day, and haven’t heard from any of those so far.

This is one of the other LOIs I sent that day, customized for a marketing agency that specializes in the aerospace industry:

Hi [Name]

Do you use freelance writers at [Agency Name]?

I am a freelance marketing writer specializing in transportation and aerospace, IoT (Internet of things) and mobile technology. My clients include Samsung, Northrop Grumman, GM, Ford, Panasonic, UPS, as well as manufacturer and industry publications, including Forbes.com and Plane & Pilot.

My background includes 13 years in the freight transportation industry, including rail, intermodal and ocean freight, working with U.S. and international audiences. I’ve also worked in agency and corporate marketing roles for B2B clients, including government agencies.

You can see what my clients and editors have said about me on my LinkedIn profile, and you can see some samples of my work on my portfolio site here.

I look forward to hearing from you and hopefully working with you in the near future.

This is a boutique agency located on the other side of town, so I’d love to work with them.

From my experience, the Five-ish Sentence model works. The client who responded in 26 minutes asked me how many LOIs I had sent out. He said he receives more than a 100 solicitation emails every day, but not from writers, fortunately. I think the recipients value the brevity of the LOI, and, frankly, the lack of salesmanship.

One of the things that troubles me as a writer is the letter puts the onus for a response on the recipient. That’s not a great call to action.

For those targets that didn’t respond, I will follow up in about two weeks.

This is a high percentage format. It may not be perfect for every writer in every case. But it’s a solid foundation for building your own approach.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on a better call to action or any other improvements you can see.

Have you tried using customized LOIs to market your writing services to potential clients? If so, has it increased your responses rates? If not, what concerns do you have about trying this approach?