Morgan:
Q: I’m new to freelancing, although I have a few years experience in design already. How soon should I start approaching the top, highest paying clients?
I’m concerned that I’m not in their league yet. They may see me as a hopeless newbie, which would ruin my chances down the road. How do you know when to pursue the big guys?
A:
Easy. Pursue them from day one.
Even if you think you suck, even if you think you’re not ready.
If you can identify the A-listers in your field, start approaching them right away. We’re talking about the high-paying ones, the heavy users, the clients for whom your type of work really matters, the most demanding buyers.
If you know who they are, chase them. The top publications, the fast-rising agencies, the elite tech firms, the big names. The ones you are too scared to think about right now.
I know, I know. The usual advice is to start smaller, with the C- an D-listers. Gain some experience, build a portfolio, build your confidence. Work up slowly. Be patient.
I did that. And I was wrong. Wasted a lot of energy and time, mostly because I was just plain chicken.
For one, working with smaller, less-desirable clients doesn’t teach you much about working with the top guys. The top clients are different. What you want is practice talking to them, trying to get work from them, hearing how they think, what they want.
Yes, the high-flyers are hard to impress. They will often ignore you. Or flat-out tell you no. (But, in truth, so will some of the less desirable, small-paying, pain-in-the-ass clients.) If you’re going to hear a ‘no’, might as well hear it from someone who really counts.
So keep at it. You’ll get better the more you try. You learn to catch the attention of lush clients by trying to catch their attention. Querying Bumptown News won’t teach you how to query Harper’s.
And no, going in too early will not get you branded forever as a no-talent hack. (I had this vision of my mug shot pinned to every Creative Director’s office wall: ”If this moron calls, don’t answer.” As if I were that important.)
Fact is, you are off the radar six minutes after they delete your email. Which is your saving grace.
You can go back fresh in a couple of weeks with a little different approach, maybe a new idea, an interesting portfolio piece. A brand new day.
If they do happen to remember you, that’s good. It means you are in some small way ‘rememberable’. Which no easy thing. Plus, they may see you as persistent, as interested. You’re getting better, smarter.
If you get lucky and land an assignment from a biggie, it will raise your game in a hurry. Way faster than doing low-budget grunt work for client who doesn’t get it.
Start with the A-List. Take some B- and C-list work if you have to. But only when the A’s say no.
Start high. Work from there.
Phew!!!! Thank you for this post – I was beginning to think that shooting for the stars wasn’t the best plan!
Very good advice! Freelancers always think they should wait, build a solid portfolio, and then dare to approach the top influencers, but your advice is really helpful. It makes sence to contact the people you admire most, and aspire to be. Thanks!
Just so you know, every single time you add a new post here, I share it everywhere, and preface it with: “If you are a freelancer (independent contractor) of any sort, and are not reading this blog, you are a doofus!”
THAT, Oh, Great and Powerful Wizard of Freelancery, is how highly I think of your advice.
Seriously.
Why didn’t I think of that? Such great advice!
Here we say: “È meglio affogare nel mare grande” more or less: “it’s better to drown in the big sea.”
I think people feel that they can’t go for clients/customers who are “too high” for them due to their own comfort zone — that is that they only feel worthy of a certain status themselves and don’t want to go over their own bar. There’s also the challenge factor: this is a direct question asking a freelancer if they feel their work is “good enough” to get those top jobs. Some people want to avoid that failure. This is where confidence kicks in. If you go out and approach 100 potential clients and only 1 decides to hire or buy from you it may feel like a failure, but if you approach no one then your answer will always be zero. If you’re looking at a starting point for growth, 1% is always better than 0%.
Thanks, Walt, for reminding me to raise my own bar and to keep trying to get over it.
I love this advice, but approaching the clients you want is the tricky part. If you don’t know somebody there, how do you approach them? What works and what does work?
I have read through many blog posts and your book, but I still haven’t found an answer.
See tomorrow’s post.
I have another challenge for you, Walt, in this same vein. What do you do if you do get in contact with a client that’s top-tier, provide them a quote and never hear back? This has happened to me more than once. Everything seems to be going great, and then nothing happens.
I needed to read this!! Thank you for the encouragement & motivation.
Am eagerly waiting “tomorrow’s” post.