Do You Need To Be Lucky To Freelance?
Genuine question — do you need to be “lucky” to land freelance clients?
(When I was starting out, it often felt this way at least)
Do you have the luck of the freelancer?
Whether you are sending out cold pitches on LinkedIn or applying for jobs on Upwork, it truly can feel like you are shouting into the void:
HELLOOOO?? ANYONE OUT THERE?? (Also, if you are, do you need high-quality medical content writing services????)
It totally sucks to feel like you are just twiddling your thumbs,
Waiting for your lucky break, when someone, ANYONE, gives you the time of day to shoot your shot and prove how great you are.
(Real outside of the window looking in kinda vibes 😭😭)
Even though we can all logically understand that this is a natural and normal part of starting up something new,
I know that, for me, this feeling of “waiting for my big break” made me constantly doubt my abilities as a writer.
Am I doing this right?
Is any of my work good enough to send to potential clients?
If I do land a client, how do I know it wasn’t just dumb luck?
Freelancing can play some real serious mind games, y’all — and it can be hard to get your head out of these negative thought spirals, no matter how much experience you have.
But, I have some goodish news:
It’s totally normal to feel these feelings and worry these worries — but it also is possible to conserve your energy and reduce your stress.
Remove luck from the equation with the rule of threes
To combat this sense of self-doubt and imposter syndrome, I use the rule of threes:
If something happens once, it could be purely based on luck
If it happens again, it could be a fluke
If it happens a third time, it is definitive proof that I am doing something right
I apply the rule of threes to all aspects of my business, especially when I am trying something new.
Got a response to an Upwork pitch I sent? After hearing back from three people using the same pitching format, I know that I have got something good working for me.
Did one of my LinkedIn posts get more engagement than usual? Once I get those numbers on three separate posts, I know I am on the right track.
Received some really kind feedback from a client? After three nice comments or emails, I can probably let myself believe that they actually like me.
(This might be just a me problem lol, please always assume your clients like you unless they tell you otherwise)
Basically, if you can get three repeat results on something you are trying out, you can pretty confidently assume that you are indeed resonating with your target audience and cutting through the noise, and your success has nothing to do with luck.
It’s all skills at that point, baby 😈
What if I have no clients or prospects??
OK, cool Claire, thx for the abridged self-inspiring TedX Talk… but what do I do if I have not received ANY positive feedback on my work or pitches?
If you find yourself in this position, it’s time to do a refresh on your approach with a set deadline to measure the results.
For example: If you have not received a single reply back on your current cold pitch strategy, change it for one month and monitor the responses.
If you get a few replies, great! You are on the right track. If you don’t get any replies, try it again and try for another month
(And continue this indefinitely until you get some interest and feedback)
Yes, I know this is tedious, and yes, it is slow — but this method also allows you to learn and adapt your technique so you can best target great clients and pitch your unique services.
So, what is your take on luck and freelancing? 🍀
I’d love to hear about it, and also hear how you manage the self-doubting feeling that new clients or new success is just coming from luck.