There are too many freelance writers out there who rarely ask anything, because they’re too afraid of the answers they’ll receive. Those who do have the courage to ask are two steps ahead in this game.

In the end, I said yes even though I think the twice a day trips are a bit much given my schedule. Meanwhile, my kids are asking why I have no problem telling them NO, but never do it with anyone else.

It’s hard to know what will make a potential client say yes, but my feeling is that you need to connect with them in some way. I was on a job interview once and I started giggling because I was nervous. The person doing the hiring was looking for someone with a good sense of humor, and that was part of the reason I got hired. My previous work experience also made me a good fit.

My very first client wanted me to write articles for the same rate as resumes. I asked him for a higher rate, he didnt budge, so I declined. This was a hard decision considering he was my first client/gig and I didn’t want to risk losing him. A week later he contacted me to do more work AT THE RATE I ASKED. I had an “I’m so happy to be freelancing” moment:)

If you can sell your own work the same way you would sell someone else’s, then you should have no fear of being too pushy. Most often, salespeople selling their own work undervalue and undersell their product. After all, we are our own worst critics.

I don’t consider cold calling a business to be as invasive or taboo as calling someone’s home. The key is to be polite, professional, and to get right to the point. Typical scripted pitches are worthless in my opinion. You are more likely to insult someone’s intelligence reading off a script than to have a natural conversation.

Anyway, cold calling is all about your comfort level. If it is something that you truly do not feel comfortable doing, you can hire someone else to do it for you or continue market your services more passively. It certainly isn’t for everyone.

Remember, objections and rejections are opportunities not failures. You might not meet your goal of landing a contract, but you can certainly learn from the experience and be better prepared the next time a similar situation presents itself.