Head for deeper water!
That’s my client acquisition advice for anyone trying to freelance in a meaningful way today.
Those job boards, content mills, and “I’m hiring!” listings are shallow water.
That’s where the sharks go after easy looking prey, writers who have talents and experience in a professional field but no idea what to charge or how to set boundaries in real life.
They smell blood in the water, and they pounce.
They’ll hire you, sure… and send you long hours, low pay, and a general sense of anxiety every time you open your inbox.
(I know it because I spent too much time in shallow water at first, too.)
You can’t stay in shallow water and train the sharks. They’ll just keep biting.
The only fix is to leave the shallows. Go where it’s deeper, cooler, a little harder to see where you’re headed…
Because that’s where you’re going to find the whale clients. The clients that are built a little different.
The work is bigger, they move a little slower, and they look for a little less flash in the writers they work with.
But they’re not here to rip you apart for a profit. They’re here to welcome you into their ecosystem so you can help them flourish.
It’s a much better way to run a business and run a life at the same time.
Where do you find them? Ah, that’s the rub, right! It’s so easy to wade into the water… but you need a lot more equipment and preparation to go deeper.
I tried to find a shorter resource for you, but all I have is this 90 minute training from inside the B2BWI membership.
If client acquisition is a big priority for you, it’s worth a watch!
Click here to watch the video (no log-in required)
To the deep blue,
Sarah G.