Building a freelancing mindset

- Whether you like it or not, freelancing means that you are running a business, and that is a totally different skill set than photography, design, development, or illustration. If you're going to freelance, you'll need to quickly get comfortable with learning to be a business owner. The biggest mental block for a lot of freelancers is feeling comfortable selling. We seem to be programmed to think that selling means there's a winner and a loser, and we don't want to feel like we're tricking someone. But let's think about the last item you purchased. Maybe it was a new laptop, a cup of coffee, or a sandwich. Before you traded your money for that item, you told yourself a story. When I buy a cup of coffee, I tell myself that the coffee will give me energy, or help my focus. And when I swipe my credit card, it's because I have decided that the benefit of having that coffee is worth more than the cash I'm trading for it. I don't feel like I'm losing in this transaction, I'm just trading cash for the benefit that I want. The same is true for freelance clients. They're coming to you for help. Clients are looking for the benefit you provide, and they will happily trade money for it. And since your clients would rather trade their cash for having their problem solved, you don't have to think you're selling your work. The client is telling themselves a story that you can help them, and you should have that same story. You're not selling, you're offering your help. You can't force anyone to work with you. You're just showing up and saying, "I can help you "solve your problem, and it will cost this much. "Do you want to make that trade?" Some people will say no, and that's okay. Rejection is part of the reality of freelancing. You shouldn't expect that everyone will want to trade cash for the service you provide. They may not need your help, or it may just be bad timing. If someone offered to sell me a cup of coffee right after I finished another one, I would say no. That doesn't mean I'll never want that offer, but the timing is just off. Or maybe someone offers to help run my social media, but I enjoy running my own Twitter. I'm just not willing to pay for that service. Don't take it personally, just move on to looking for the next person who genuinely wants your help. Rejection gets a little easier every time. Remember, there are plenty of clients out there who need the service you offer, and will gladly pay the price you ask. You just need to find the right clients at the right time, and show them that you can provide the outcome they're looking for.