Satyajit Baidya
Content Writer | Helping Founders Build Strong Positioning
New to Contra
Satyajit is ready for their next project!
"Where do I get my clients from?"
Time to reveal the truth.
I've been asked this question so many times that I thought it deserved a post.
Most people expect me to reveal a secret platform where clients hang like ripe mangoes-
just create an account, pick a few, & start working. ๐
I wish freelancing worked that way.
Around 3/4 of clients didn't come from pitching. They came through referrals, repeat clients, or people who had already seen work.
Clients follow trust.
One of the biggest mistakes I see freelancers make is sending generic msgs like:
"Hi, do you need a content writer?"
"Can I offer my SEO services?"
"Are you looking for a video editor?"
By the time your message reaches a client's inbox, you're probably the 11th person saying the exact same thing.
So why should they reply to you?
.
.
.
Before pitching, understand their business.
Read their profile.
Visit their website.
Find one genuine opportunity where you can add value.
Then send a message that couldn't be copied & pasted to anyone else.
.
.
Most freelancers think,
"If I pitch 10 people, I'll probably get 1 client."
I prefer a different mindset.
Treat every pitch as if it's the one that should win the client.
.
.
But that's only half the battle.
Cold outreach is a great way to start.
It just shouldn't be your only strategy.
Build enough credibility that clients start reaching out to you.
Start posting about your profession.
Whether you're a content writer, designer, video editor, developer, or SEO expert, let people see what you're working on and what you're learning.
And this is where many beginners hold themselves back.
"I'm new."
"I don't have enough experience."
"What if nobody likes/comments my post?"
Remember this:
Every expert was once a beginner.
People aren't looking for perfection-
They're looking for consistency, curiosity, and proof that you're improving.
Consistency builds familiarity.
Familiarity builds trust.
And trust brings clients.
If one of my posts gets little or no engagement, I don't get disappointed.
I get curious.
I ask why it didn't resonate, learn from it, and make the next post better.
Every low-performing post becomes research.
One last thing...
Freelance platforms can definitely help, especially if you're just starting.
But don't expect instant results.
Upwork can be tough for beginners because of the investment & competition.
Fiverr usually takes time to gain traction.
Freelancer can work, but don't be surprised if you send 100 personalized proposals before landing your first project.
That's completely normal.
The goal isn't to send more DMs.
It's to become so visible and trustworthy that when someone asks,
"Do you know someone who can help us with this?"
...your name comes up before you even send a pitch.
0
2
๐ณ.๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ - Especially now, when everyone is looking for shortcuts....
Some founders with a few hundred followers write remarkably well and occasionally go viral.
At the same time, I've seen CEOs, founders, and industry leaders publish fairly average posts and still get solid engagement.
Not because the writing is exceptional.
Because the positioning is.
Well positioned people can get away with average writing.
Unknown people usually can't.
Maybe that's an unfair observation.
Maybe not.
The more people talk about AI writing, the more I find myself revisiting old writing advice.
Different era.
Same problem.
Most content doesn't fail because of grammar.
It fails because it sounds like everyone else.
A few lessons I keep coming back to:
[1] Ernest Hemingway - USA
Write one true sentence.
[2] Kurt Vonnegut - USA
Respect the reader's time.
Give readers someone to care about.
[3] Elmore Leonard - USA
If it sounds like writing, rewrite it.
Leave out the parts readers skip.
[4] George Orwell - UK
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
[5] Stephen King - USA
Kill your darlings. (Remove your favorite line if it weakens the writing.)
[6] Ursula K. Le Guin - USA
The story is not in the plot but in the telling.
[7] Margaret Atwood - Canada
A word after a word after a word is power.
[7.5] Satyajit - India
Stop trying to keep everyone happy.
Add something slightly controversial or incorrect. (Renowned โ Notorious โ
)
Then sit back and watch the engagement arrive on its own.
๐
.
.
.
.
.
None of these writers cared about AI scores, engagement rates, or content frameworks.
Yet people are still reading them decades later.
Technology keeps changing.
Design tools change.
Video editing tools change.
AI tools change.
But many writing lessons from decades ago still feel relevant.
Because tools can help you write.
They can't do your thinking
and
and
They can't do your observation...
#Writing #Storytelling #PersonalBranding #ContentMarketing
0
8
People often say AI has an answer for everything.
Maybe.
But these questions aren't really about answers.
They're about judgment.
Try answering them yourself - or ask AI.
Then decide whether the final decision should belong to AI or a human.
๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป 1
You're the CEO of a company facing a financial crisis.
To keep the business alive, you must choose one:
Lay off 100 employees
Reduce everyone's salary by 20%
What would you do, and why?
๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป 2
You're a doctor with only one ICU bed available.
Two patients need it:
A 25-year-old with a 60% chance of recovery
A 70-year-old with an 80% chance of recovery
Who gets the bed, and why?
๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป 3
You're a startup founder.
A major investor offers enough funding to save your company.
The condition: your company must sell some customer data.
Do you accept the deal?
Why?
๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป 4
You're the editor of a news organization.
A story is completely true.
However, publishing it immediately could trigger violence in the city.
Do you publish it now, delay it, or not publish it?
Why?
๐ค๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป 5
You're the manager of a hospital.
The budget has been cut by 20%.
You must reduce funding for one of these services:
Emergency Care
Cancer Treatment
Children's Healthcare
Mental Health Services
Preventive Healthcare Programs
Which service do you cut, and why?
0
17
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐
๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ?
Ever looked at a project and thought:
"Good work... wrong budget."
Or a job posting and thought:
"They want all this for that salary?"
Or maybe a customer spent 20 minutes negotiating over a small discount.
Same story.
Different platform.
Different person.
And somewhere in your mind, you're probably wondering:
"Do low-budget clients have a secret WhatsApp group where they keep sharing my profile?"
A few rounds of this and you start blaming the market.
Too much competition.
Too many freelancers.
Not enough serious clients.
Not enough good employers.
Not enough quality buyers.
I've heard this complaint countless times.
But here's the uncomfortable question:
What if cheap clients aren't finding you by accident?
What if they're responding to the signals you're sending?
Sounds harsh.
But think about it.
Be careful what you offer for free.
Clients often remember it longer than you expect.
Most low-budget buyers, employers, and clients aren't specifically searching for you.
They're responding to your positioning.
ยซCheap clients don't create cheap positioning.
Cheap positioning attracts cheap clients.ยป
What's interesting is that the same pattern shows up everywhere.
For freelancers:
Unlimited revisions
Available anytime
Can work in any niche
Lowest rates
The intention is good.
The signal isn't.
Some clients read that and think:
"Great. I can keep asking for more."
For businesses:
Biggest Discount
Lowest Price
Massive Offers
Buy 1, Get 1 Free
Then wonder why every customer conversation turns into a negotiation.
Because that's exactly what their marketing is attracting.
For job seekers:
Many try to become the perfect candidate for every employer.
A little marketing.
A little sales.
A little operations.
A little customer support.
A little everything.
The result?
They often look replaceable instead of valuable.
Different audience.
Same mistake.
Everyone is trying to appeal to everyone.
And often ends up attracting the people they don't want.
A โน5,000 client often wants โน50,000 worth of work.
A low-paying employer often wants the skills of 3 people in 1 role.
And a discount-focused buyer often expects premium service at budget pricing.
That's not a coincidence.
It's usually a positioning problem.
If you want better opportunities:
Stop selling tasks. Start communicating outcomes.
Show proof, not promises.
Be known for something instead of everything.
Because in freelancing, business, and job hunting...
You don't attract what you want.
You attract what your positioning suggests.
A small reminder:
If you're trying to be everything for everyone...
don't be surprised if, in the end, you achieve the same thing Aryabhata made famous:0๏ธโฃ.
#ContentWriting #freelunching #johunting #ClientHunting #marketingtips
2
2
41
๐๐% ๐จ๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ .
Writing is not about writing.
Itโs about controlโฆ
Control over tone, control over words, control over sentence flowโฆ and what to remove.
Most writers keep adding more.
But legends trim more.
The real job of a writer is simple:
choose precise words (not fancy ones)
tweak sentences until they feel natural
trim paragraphs until only value remains
And one more difference most people ignore:
Real writers take more timeโฆ and write less.
Others write more.
Once this foundation is strong, writing becomes structure.
> A hook title that stops the scrollโฆ
> An opening that creates curiosityโฆ
> A body that doesnโt feel flatโฆ
> An ending that gives direction or leaves a clear next step.
Good writing doesnโt stay in one tone.
It moves - sometimes logical, sometimes emotional, sometimes sharp.
Subheadings (H2, H3) also matter.
For SEO, subheadings help both readers & search engines understand your content better, so keep the intent obvious.
Also, control your keywords.
Keep the primary around 1-2%, and use secondary ones naturally.
If it feels stuffed, it is stuffed.
In authority style blogs, flow matters more.Too many breaks reduce depth - fewer, stronger sections perform better.
For LinkedIn posts, simplicity wins.
Short paragraphs, strong first 2 lines, and easy to scan formatting matter more than perfect grammar.
The goal is to hold attention, not sound perfect.
Formatting matters.
Too much emphasis or emoji makes content noisy.
Use quotes, dashes & symbols with control.
Paragraph structure matters even more.
Use a mix of short, medium, and longer paragraphs to keep the flow natural.
A simple rule for long-form articles:
Break paragraphs every 50-70 words, and sections every 150-200 words to keep content readable & scannable.
In short-form content, break paragraphs more frequently - like in this post.
Sometimes, you can also use a run-in subheading to guide the reader without breaking the flow.
Numbers add clarity.
But overusing them feels forced.
Use them where they simplify the message, not decorate it.
Bullet points help when you want to simplify or highlight key ideas.
Use them for clarity, not for every section.
Too many bullets break the flow.
(As a rule: 2-3 bullet blocks & 2-5 points per block in a 1000 word article is enough.)
Structure should guide the readerโฆnot interrupt the experience.
Before action, you need attention.
If the content is long, use matching visuals.
(You can also use visuals in short-form content.)
A relevant image or simple graphic breaks monotony, keeps the reader engaged, and makes your point easier to remember.
Because writing is not just language.
Itโs attention management.
If you canโt hold attention, even good words wonโt work.
Now comes the part most people confuse:
Content writing & copywriting are not the same.
They overlap, but the intent is different.
"Content builds trust"
"Copy drives action"
A good writer can work in one or both - thatโs not the issue.
The real difference is understanding what the piece is supposed to do.
Thatโs why writing isnโt built in classrooms.
Writing is not just a skillโฆ itโs an art.
You learn it by reading what works, observing patterns, and rewriting in your own way.
AI can help, but only if you use it right.
Use it for research and exploring ideas, not for dumping content.
For example, even this post is AI-assisted. The idea is mine. The execution is assisted.
(It took around 2 days to shape this piece.)
And how you end matters just as much.
Becauseโฆ
Real readers donโt read.
They scan.
In the end, writing is not about writing.
Itโs about control...
#ContentWriting #Copywriting #ContentStrategy #SEOContent #BlogWriting #ContentMarketing
0
40
Unemployment is so high right now, Iโve started gossiping just to pass time
#UnemploymentDiaries
#TimepassMode
#AIGossip
#GPTvsClaude
#NothingToDo
#JustForFun
0
33
๐ก๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐.
In many cases, the process feels more like a scripted filter than a real evaluation
> Pre-defined questions
> Keyword matching
> Minimal context or deeper discussion
From the outside, it looks structured.
But in reality, it often misses one key thing - actual thinking ability.
Iโve personally experienced multiple rounds where:
- The flow felt identical
- Conversations stayed surface-level
- And decisions didnโt reflect real capability
It made me curious enough to look deeper into how some of these processes are run.
And the insight was simple:
When evaluation becomes scripted, it starts rewarding answersโฆ not understanding.
The gap?
Strong candidates donโt struggle with answers.
They think, question, and go off-script when needed.
But a rigid process often canโt capture that.
What this means (especially in content & tech roles):
> Real skill isnโt in repeating information
> Itโs in interpreting, adapting & communicating clearly
Thatโs exactly why in my work, I focus on:
- Practical thinking over templates
- Clarity over filler
- And communication that actually reflects understanding
Because in the end,
whether itโs hiring or contentโฆ
scripted outputs can look right, but they rarely perform right.
#ContentWriting #FreelanceWriter #SaaSContent #TechContent #HiringInsights #RemoteWork #Startups #ContentStrategy #WritingMatters #DigitalBusiness
0
33
๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ?
This one mistake could be the reason.
Youโre not alone.
you find Clients or Job
you send a DM/ Email (Proposal /Cover Latter/ Email script)
and thenโฆ silence
No reply. No response.
Many times, it feels like the platform is the problem.
You switch from one social media platform to anotherโฆ
or try different freelance platformsโฆ
but the result stays the same.
Most people then start thinking their product or service isnโt good enough.
But honestlyโฆ
the problem is often not your product or service...
Itโs your proposal.
A normal proposal sounds like:
โI can do this work, I have 2โ3 years of experience,
Iโve worked with many clients before,
I can deliver this on time,
please consider me for this projectโฆโ
or
โHi, this is my product, itโs very high quality,
we offer the best price in the market,
you can check it out,
let me know if youโre interestedโฆโ
But a good proposal works differently.
Instead of talking about yourself, it sounds more like:
โHey [Name] (avoid Sir / Mem word),
I saw your requirement and I think the main issue here is [problem].
If this isnโt handled properly, it can affect [result/impact].
Iโve worked on similar cases where we improved [specific result].
For your case, Iโd suggest starting with [clear idea/approach].
If youโre open, I can share a quick sample or direction based on your exact requirement.โ
It talks about the client.
It shows you understand their problem.
It builds trust before the work even starts.
Over time, Iโve written proposals for 100+ clients,
and one thing became very clear:
A well-written proposal can increase response rate 3โ4x
and significantly improve lead-to-conversation conversion.
Same product. Same service. Same skill. Same person.
Different proposal = different results.
If youโre facing:
no replies
low response
getting ignored after sending proposals
Then maybe itโs time to fix your proposal.
Whether youโre a freelancer, Job seeker,
or a small to mid business owner selling a product / serviceโฆ
a ๐ช๐ช๐ช proposal can change everything.
#ClientHunting
#ProposalWriting
#ClientAcquisition
#LeadGeneration
#SalesStrategy
#PersonalBranding
#SocialMediaMarketing
#BusinessGrowth
#SmallBusiness
#B2BMarketing
2
4
117
People donโt read content. They scan.
If your first few lines donโt connect,
the reader is already gone.
Itโs not the idea that fails,
itโs how itโs presented.
Simple, clear & human content always works better.
If your content feels robotic,
it probably needs a rewrite, not more words.
Curious - when was the last time you actually read something fully?
#contentwriting #copywriting #freelancewriting #contentmarketing #writers #digitalwriting
0
26
This piece transforms a rough draft into natural, human like content with better clarity, tone, and flow.
0
27
Created content that is simple, engaging, and designed to communicate ideas clearly while keeping the reader hooked
0
27
This work focuses on creating clear, engaging content that is easy to read and connects naturally with the audience
0
28