How to Write a Winning Pitch 🏆



On Contra, there are two main ways to find work as an Independent:

1. The Client finds you and sends you an inquiry through your “Get In Touch” button
2. You apply to an Opportunity on your feed, through our matching emails, or our weekly Contra Approved Opportunities list

When applying to an opportunity, it is crucial to have a well-written pitch. This is the first thing the Client sees from you! But don’t worry — we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to write a winning pitch 🏆



What is a pitch?💬

A pitch is a concise overview of you and the type of work you do! You can customize your pitch for different situations. For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the pitch you’ll use while applying to opportunities on Contra. You can think of this pitch as a condensed, personalized version of a cover letter.

Why are pitches important?🤔

Clients often get multiple applicants for the same position, so a good pitch can be the difference between an intro call, or the rejection pile.

What should I include in my pitch?📝

The things to include vary based on the kind of work you do, but all pitches should include these elements:

• A greeting with the hiring contact’s name
• An introduction to you and your work
• An example of a relevant past project
• How your experience makes you a great fit for the position
• How you can help the Client reach their goals for this specific project
• The tools you use that are relevant to the opportunity (i.e. social platforms for a social media marketer, SEO for a writer, coding languages for an engineer)
• A call-to-action and a sign-off with your name



💡 Make sure to check your pitch for typos and that all your links work correctly! Even a small typo can indicate carelessness to a potential client, so triple-check your application before submitting it.

As a bonus, include a Loom video with your introduction! This is a great way to stand out from the crowd and showcase your personality from the beginning. Not sure what to include in a video pitch? Barbiana has a great one on her profile!

What happens if my pitch gets rejected?✖️

Rejection is a natural part of the application process. If your pitch gets rejected, or you don’t hear back — don’t fear!

If you don’t hear back from one opportunity, someone else might have gotten their application in first, or been a better fit for the position. That doesn’t mean you’re any less qualified or capable; it just means it’s time to try again 💛

If you have applied to many opportunities and haven’t heard back, it’s time to revisit your pitch and portfolio.

Make sure you are applying to opportunities you are qualified for, and that your portfolio reflects the type of work that aligns with your applications. Share your pitch and profile with a friend (or in the Contra community) for feedback to make sure it shows you in your best light!

Happy applying! We are rooting for you 💪 While you’re here, check out our guide to Optimizing Your Profile to make sure your profile is in tip-top shape!