The Secret to Winning Projects: Mastering the First Two Lines of Your Proposal

After carefully studying countless employer accounts and job posts, one thing became crystal clear: the first two lines of your proposal can make or break your chances of winning a project.

Think about it when an employer opens the proposals board, they don’t see your full cover letter. They only see the opening snippet. If you waste those lines, you’re already out of the game. Sadly, most freelancers throw away this golden opportunity by filling the space with long greetings or self-introductions. Let’s break down how you can turn those first two lines into your biggest weapon.

1. Keep the Greeting Short

You don’t need to overdo greetings. A simple “Hi there”, “Hello”, or even “Hey” is enough. I personally stick with “Hi there,” short, friendly, and straight to the point. Anything more takes up valuable space.

2. Don’t Start with Your Introduction

One of the most common mistakes is starting with, “I’m an experienced developer/designer/marketer with 10 years of experience…” Employers don’t care about you just yet. They care about their problem. So instead of focusing on yourself, jump straight into addressing their needs.

3. Write with Confidence and Precision

Your first lines should sound confident, sharp, and relevant. No fluff, no long backstory. Show them you understand what they’re asking for and that you can handle it.

4. The “Real Gem”: Show You Actually Read the Job Post

Here’s a clever trick. Many employers complain that freelancers don’t bother to read the full job description. To filter them out, they’ll sometimes add instructions like “Don’t use AI tools” or “Start your proposal with XYZ.”

You can prove you’re different by inserting a tiny intentional typo in the first lines. For example: instead of writing “I can help you,” write “I can helkp you.” Or instead of “I have vast experience,” write “I havee vast experience.”

This signals to the employer that you’re writing manually and paying attention because no AI tool would intentionally make such human-like typos. Just don’t overdo it one or two is enough.

5. Avoid AI-Like Phrasing

Employers are becoming smart at spotting AI-generated proposals. One giveaway? The over-polished use of contractions in the first line, like: “Hi there, I’d like to…”

It looks too robotic and too perfect. Real humans don’t usually write like that. Keep your language natural, as if you’re talking directly to someone.

6. Offer Something Free

Everyone loves free value. If it fits your service, offer something useful right at the start. For example:

• If it’s a website redesign project, mention a FREE website audit.

• If it’s content writing, you might offer a FREE outline or idea draft.

• If it’s design, you could promise FREE stock images.

The keyword “FREE” grabs attention and shows goodwill.

Final Thoughts

The first two lines of your proposal are the hook. If you waste them on long greetings or intros, you’re losing opportunities before the client even clicks to read more. Instead, keep it short, sharp, confident, and client-focused. Sprinkle in a human touch with a small typo, avoid AI-like phrasing, and if possible offer a little free value.

Do this consistently, and you’ll notice a huge difference in how many clients actually open and respond to your proposals.