If I’ve learned anything over the past couple of weeks watching
the issue with
Ebony Magazine not paying its writers unfold, it’s that a lot of us don’t believe we deserve good clients.
Sure, we want clients who pay well and who we enjoy working with, but compared to other freelancers? I think that
most of us have a hard time seeing ourselves as no less deserving than any other freelancer out there who’s established and getting paid well for their work.
About a year ago, I sat in on a webinar on six-figure freelancing. It featured a poet who was making over $100K per year. I was REALLY interested in finding out how someone managed to turn poetry, a highly creative art that isn’t generally paid well, into an income that most people would find
impressive.
Well, come to find out that she wasn’t making her money as a poet…she was making it cranking out gossip articles.
Do I believe that everyone has the same opportunity these two
people have? No. Do I believe that both of them are an indication that there’s MUCH more opportunity for us out there? Yes!
That’s why I want to share a couple of facts about freelancing that I think will help you start to focus on getting better, higher-paying clients…
- The people out here making the most money? Aren’t necessarily the most skilled, hardest working, or most
technical…at all.
- Your niche matters when it comes to getting paid, and it matters a lot.
- There are plenty of potential clients out here who need simple work done well.
- Making more isn’t all about knowing
more or doing harder work. It’s about maximizing your pay for your labor and finding your best clients.
I also want to ask you to start tuning out voices who tell you that freelancers don’t deserve stable income or decent pay for their work. Start looking for people both in your online and offline lives who won’t defend you being underpaid or lied to by clients because you choose to work independent of an employer…that’s because this month,
we’re going to be working on connecting with the kind of clients that can change your freelance career, and your mindset matters.
I also want to suggest
reading this post on focusing on who pays you vs. what you do (it’s an important one, so at least check out the highlights.)
Talk to you soon!
Megan
P.S. Here are the Academy resources that
you’ll want to check out this month…