If you’re new to the world of dental content writing and are just launching your business, it won’t be long before you come across the terms’ bidding” vs “pitching”. Often (and I’ll hold my hand up here), these terms are used interchangeably, but this is incorrect.
Essentially, you should bid and pitch regularly as part of your marketing efforts, but they are fundamentally contrasting processes. In this post, I’m going to dive into the key aspects of each, so you can see how and when they are used and, most importantly, what those differences are.
So let’s get started.
Firstly, pitching
As a content-writing business owner, you need a steady stream of clients. The best way to do this is through pitching. Essentially, pitching is when you tentatively approach a business or an individual and ask them if they have any content needs you can help with.
It can be successful if:
- You know how to do it, and
- You do it regularly
If you’re unsure how to send a pitch, don’t worry because I have you covered.
Recently, I wrote a detailed blog on how to send a cold pitch that gets dental clients. So, feel free to check it out in the link above.
Anyway, let’s get back to pitching.
Essentially, when it comes to bidding vs pitching, there are two types of pitches known as:
- Cold pitches, and
- Warm pitches
Cold pitches are so-called because you don’t know the individual you are contacting. You may have been following them on social media for a while, but essentially, you haven’t had dealings with this person before.
In truth, contacting strangers isn’t in our comfort zone. So, it’s typically done via a carefully crafted and personalised email. However, if you’re feeling courageous, a pitch can also be conducted over the phone (yikes!) and is referred to as a cold call. It might go something like this:
“Hi, my name is (insert name), and I’m calling from (insert business). I’ve been doing some research and see you have some content gaps I can help with. Would you be open to a discussion about how I can help? I’d love to send you a follow-up email that you can look at in your own time, then maybe catch up with you in a couple of days. Would that be possible?”
However you decide to do it, cold pitching is a popular tactic that works, but be prepared to do it regularly. It’s estimated that it takes around 50 pitches to land a new client. So your first job is to build a list of potential contactables.
If you don’t know how to do this, start by going to Google and typing in “dental practices in (your area) or dental businesses in (your area)”.
Oh, and don’t forget to follow up also. Not everyone will open your email or respond to your call immediately, so patience and regularity are key.
So that’s cold pitching; what about warm pitching?
Warm pitching
Essentially, warn pitching is where you are contacting someone you know, have previously corresponded with, or have been recommended to by a third party. This is the holy grail of pitching because you already know the person, and they should be familiar with you.
Ultimately, this makes warm pitching easier.
Why?
Because people are more inclined to work with people they know or trust.
They may already have a content need you know about and are emailing them to throw your name into the hat. Alternatively, you are re-contacting them to see if they need content help.
Either way, knowing the person you’re talking to, and vice versa, helps in your quest for work.
Now we’ve spoken about the pitching part of bidding vs pitching, we need to talk about the former, so let’s do exactly that.
Bidding
Another way that freelancers can land dental clients is by using platforms like Upwork. In essence, Upwork (and others like it) are job boards that connect clients looking for projects to be done with freelancers seeking writing gigs.
The thing to remember here is that because platforms like this are well-known and well-frequented, there is a lot of competition. However, they can be a great place to get started.
Why?
Because they usually cost very little or nothing to join, and once you’ve filled in your profile and uploaded your portfolio, you’re good to go.
Unlike cold pitching, bidding proposals are the preferred way to land clients on platforms like Upwork or other job boards.
Essentially, the key difference here is that you already know that the client is looking for a freelancer to complete a task; therefore, the bidding proposal should reflect that.
So where a pitch is more
“Hey, this is what I can do. Do you need help?”
A bidding proposal is more:
“Hi, I understand you’re looking for (such and such). Here’s why I’m qualified to provide you with (such and such) and how I can help you achieve it.“
So, you see, there are subtle differences.
Typically, on popular platforms like Upwork, clients will receive anywhere from 20 to 50+ proposals, so yours needs to stand out.
Whereas, when you send a pitch, it’s just you selling…well…you!
So why is it called bidding?
Because you are, in effect, bidding for the project’s tender.
You are competing (bidding) against others who may or may not be as similarly suited as you.
Oh, and if you aren’t sure how to write a proposal-type pitch – Here’s a great post on how to write a killer proposal.
Bidding vs pitching – A key summary
Although pitching and bidding can (and should) be used as proven ways to land freelancing clients, they involve different approaches. For this reason, they should never be used interchangeably.
If you are unsure whether the intended person has specific content needs and you are making enquiries, then send them a pitch. Alternatively, if a company has a project need that is clearly defined and is actively looking for a freelancer, a bidding proposal is the way to go.
Either way, it pays for new dental content writers to familiarise themselves with both bidding and pitching because when used in conjunction with each other as part of a regular marketing strategy, it increases your chances of landing that all-important first client.
If you haven’t already done so, why not download my free guide on how to become a well-paid dental writer. It talks you through the process of getting started to landing your first paying client in detail.
So what are you waiting for? Visit my website at www.dentalwritersclub.com, and let’s get started.