As freelancers we work alone, and sometimes we have bad days, weeks and even months.
When things aren’t going well, we sit at our desks, our heads in our hands, and wonder how we are going to make things better.
We are at a fork in the road here…we can lead our thoughts in one of two directions.
The first direction takes us to a place where we feel powerless and want someone to rescue us. Maybe an old client can give us a project to help fill the coffers this month. Maybe a mentor can miraculously introduce us to a new client. Maybe that new e-book by this month’s hot guru can instantly result in a flood of new prospects.
We are passive. We feel we are the victim of circumstances. We want to be rescued.
This is not a good path to follow.
Now for the other direction we can choose to take. (And it is your choice.)
We can rescue ourselves.
To do this you need to push back from your desk, take some deep breaths and take a long hard look at the challenge of finding new clients, preferably great clients.
Take an audit of the last 12 months. Who were your best clients? Make a list of them, even if there are just one or two. Then ask yourself how you managed to get those clients.
If finding those clients was the result of a particular action or sequence of actions you took, do more of the same. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
If those clients came out of the blue, and there is no series of steps to replicate, it’s time to rethink your approach to marketing. You can’t build a freelance business based on crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
Every successful freelancer has developed a marketing process by which they bring prospective customers to their door. You need to do the same.
If you sit there waiting to be rescued you are condemning yourself to a future of freelance misery.
If you get in the driver’s seat, and take personal responsibility for attracting a stream of great new clients, you’re on the path to success.
About the author: Nick Usborne is an online writer, copywriter, author and coach. Read more…
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Hi Nick, just got finished reading the article Cindy Cyr’s posted on this subject, then yours jumps out at me. What’s this…the double barreled shotgun approach! Guess I’m not used to getting booted on both cheeks at once. Actually, your Monday Morning Spark was just what I needed.
The Germans have a great saying:
“Vom nichts kommt nichts.” From nothing comes nothing.
Nothing happens until something moves. It is our responsibility
to create business opportunities. No one else. Everything
starts and stops with us.
In my experience, one of the best ways to market yourself and
drum up new business is to contact former clients who were happy
with your work. If they hired you once, chances are they’ll do it again.
If nothing is available, then ask for a referral or a testimonial. A person
in their position can open doors that are currently beyond your reach.
Here’s an even better approach: the next time you turn in a project,
immediately pitch your client with a new one. You’ll be handing them
a fresh idea on a silver platter. And if they like it, you get continued
cash flow. A win-win for both parties involved…
Thanks for the great article, Nick. Informative and insightful as always!
Michael, hi
Good feedback, and ideas. My own pet phrase – not yet translated into German! – is “Always in motion”. If I feel I’m not in motion, I’m losing ground.
Nick