Freelancer Skills Series: From Pitch to Partnership

Freelancer Skills Series

Culture Sheffield and Fair Collective bring you a ten part training series which gives freelancers the chance to build new skills, grow their networks, and explore opportunities for income, collaboration and visibility within the city’s vibrant cultural and visitor economy.

Each session will be focused on a different topic relating to your creative freelance practice, based on the feedback and suggestions from Sheffields freelance community.

Workshop 3 - From Pitch to Partnership

Many talented creatives struggle with the "selling" side of freelancing - but what if it didn't have to feel pushy or uncomfortable? This practical session will help you reframe client development as relationship-building, giving you practical strategies to find and attract clients who truly value what you do. You’ll also explore how to use digital tools to raise your profile and keep the right opportunities coming your way.

This workshop will be led by Carla Gill, a freelance consultant, coach, founder of a play-based charity and Fair Collective associate. Carla helps freelancers define what they offer so they can connect with the right clients and opportunities. Drawing on her own experience of developing a client base, Carla shares practical strategies that cut through the overwhelm and help you thrive.

In this session we’ll cover:

• Your offer: Define your ideal client (beyond just "anyone with a budget") and what success looks like for you.
• Finding your people: Raise your profile, build your network and find clients who align with your values and creative vision
• Pitching with confidence: Translate your strengths into a clear story that resonates with clients, writing proposals that win work (without underselling yourself). Building your online presence, using social media and networking authentically as a creative.
• Building work from work: Turn existing projects into new opportunities, prepare for rejection, and build on your successes. Turning one-off projects into ongoing partnerships

Whether you're looking to attract your first clients or upgrade to better-aligned partnerships, you'll leave this session with practical tools, renewed confidence, and a clearer strategy for building the client relationships that will sustain your creative career.

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By registering for this event, you agree that your registration information (name and email) will be shared with Fair Collective, who will use it solely for the purpose of managing this event, including sending you joining details.

This series of workshops is funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Photo credit: Megan Russell (Lick of Paint)