Should you try the ABG marketing strategy?

It's how I secure high-paying clients

Author

Diana Kelly Levey
February 02, 2025

In partnership with

Hi freelance friend!

I hope you had a good weekend.

Our household is recovering from the flu so… it’s been a long week/weekend/winter?

Either way, I still managed to do some freelance marketing last week because apparently some people get a surge of feeling better in the middle of this illness and that’s what happened.

Keep reading about ABG in business below.

In partnership with…

Insider Marketing Newsletter Delivered to Your Inbox

Unlock expert marketing insights with Masters in Marketing by HubSpot!

This weekly newsletter brings you:

  • Strategies straight from industry leaders like the NBA, Liquid Death & Oatly.

  • Behind-the-scenes stories of campaigns that crushed it.

  • Actionable tips to boost your results today.

Stay ahead in the ever-changing marketing world. Don’t miss out—subscribe now and level up your skills!

No, that’s not a typo. I borrowed it from podcaster Jordan Harbinger.

Instead of the sales tool “Always Be Closing,” ABG represents “Always Be Giving” or “Always Be Generous.”

I try to apply it when I connect with a potential new client or follow up with an old client.

I’ll even tag editors in a LinkedIn post I read that I thought would be interesting for them.

Some ways I did this recently?

I emailed an editor who recently moved to a new magazine. I read his byline in a different publication and pointed out some of the tips in his article that were helpful to me. (I got an assignment from him within a few weeks that was $1,000!)

How to steal it: Before you email an editor or manager, look up something about them or their company. Congratulate them on a recent award (and link to the article). Or, tell them that you read an article they wrote (link to it again) and let them know which pieces resonated with you.

I reached out to an editor I haven’t worked with in over a year to see how her new role at the company was going. That’s it. I didn’t ask for work.

How to steal it: The next time you see an editor or manager you’ve worked with and followed get promoted via a LinkedIn update, congratulate them on that platform publicly. Then, email them to say congrats again and ask how they like their new position.

When I sent an email after a weekend, I asked a client how their child (by name or gender) or pet is doing. Sometimes this takes another 30 seconds to go back to an earlier email to get that info. I think it’s worth it.

How to steal it: Try to weave in some personal information or gather details from clients when you correspond via email. Are they going on vacation or holiday? Ask where? Did they recently attend a conference? Ask how it was. These small gestures help you stand out from the crowd and will build relationships that are ongoing.

Why do these tips work and help you get higher-paying clients?

You’re building relationships.

You’re creating your freelance brand as someone who cares.

You’re someone that the editor thinks of as more than a generic freelancer.

You’re Joe who runs marathons, has a cat, and who asks about an editor’s recent travels.

Being memorable is how you’ll keep your pipeline full of assignments.

partnered with….

Get Your Team Booked on 3.8 Million Podcasts Automatically

It's 2025. Want to finally be a regular podcast guest in your industry? PodPitch will make it happen. Even the beehiiv team uses it!

The best way to advertise isn't Meta or Google – it's appearing on podcasts your customers love.

PodPitch.com automates thousands of weekly emails for you, pitching your team as ideal guests.

Big brands like Feastables use PodPitch.com instead of expensive PR agencies.

Thanks for reading!

Diana

P.S. Missed last week’s newsletter or a recent post? Check them out here.

Liking What You Read?

I try to add value to every reader with each newsletter I send.

If you don’t click on a link at all, no biggie. Hopefully, you learned something by opening this newsletter and reading it.

If you want to support the work I put into this newsletter, you can “buy me a coffee” over at Buy Me a Coffee. ☕️ (Think of it as a monetary tip.💰) Every little bit helps me pay for platforms and tools I used to run my business.

Rachel L. recently shared some love and said:

So much value in what you produce plus it's relevant and to the point! Seriously, you are appreciated 🎉

Every little bit means the world—thank you! 💖

📧Receive this email from a friend?

(Thanks, friend!)

Subscribe to the weekly freelance writing tips email here. You’ll get a freelance “pitching tips” PDF resource as a thank you for subscribing.