Comments on: That Freelance Career

By: Angie Ledbetter

Angie Ledbetter — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:51:00 +0000

Thems who can, does. Thems who’s too lazy to, don’t. 🙂

By: Kimberly Ben

Kimberly Ben — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:20:00 +0000

I agree, there is just too much information by way of blogs (like this one) and forums. Like Lori said, you just have to read it and follow all of the instruction. That is literally what I did a little over a year ago.

Some people are afraid to take a chance. You can't let fear hold yu back.I think if you want something badly enough, you will exhaust every opportunity to find out what you can, then you'll do it!

@Eileen: I do believe you when you say someone asked you to share YOU list. Some people have NO shame.

By: Amanda Nicole

Amanda Nicole — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:21:00 +0000

I get the "My elementary school teacher said I was a good writer and I was wondering if you could tell how to get started" email all the time.

Like you, I really have no problem directing newbies to the right sources of information. I'll often give them a long list of links, only to get either nothing in reply (extremely rude and unprofessional), or a kind of dry, "Uh...thanks."

No one held my hand or gave me the nonexistent magical answers. It burns me up!

By: Carrie Wilson Link

Carrie Wilson Link — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:56:00 +0000

I don’t have this exact problem, but so often people ask me questions they could so easily Google in 2 seconds and have a much BETTER answer! Maybe we need to just say to people, “I’ll tell you, but it’s going to cost you $1,000.” What do you think?

By: Eileen Coale

Eileen Coale — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:20:00 +0000

I’ve always compiled my own lists, because that’s what gets me great clients. But they’re very labor intensive. I finally got smart (and had enough cash flow) with my most recent list and hired my niece to help me. I estimate my lists represent several thousand dollars worth of labor on my part, and they’ve cumulatively brought in 6 figures worth of income. The person who had the cajones to ask was very young and inexperienced, and probably didn’t have clue what she was asking. Nonetheless, her mama shoulda taught her some manners.

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:54:00 +0000

Eileen, you must be joking! Who would have the kahonas to ask for that sort of thing? My word! That’s just like robbing someone without a gun!

I was once handed a rather large, valuable client list by a colleague who swore me to secrecy. But I never asked him for it. I wouldn’t. I know his company paid close to $3K for that list. It’s like walking into a friend’s house and saying “You can go ahead and pay the mortgage. I’ll just live in the room off the kitchen.”

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:06:00 +0000

Thanks for this. I’m posting it on some of the boards I frequent.

By: Eileen Coale

Eileen Coale — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:46:00 +0000

Applause! Applause! Great post, Lori. When people ask me these kinds of questions, the first thing I think is that they really aren’t serious – because if they were, they would have taken 10 seconds to enter a phrase into a search engine. I point people towards Bob Bly’s and Peter Bowerman’s books, and hope they get the message.

I often hear from aspiring writers who want to break into the same niche I’m in (alternative health). I get a lot of questions about how to identify prospects, how to market to them, etc. I’ve had a few wanna-be’s want me to practically walk them through the process of client acquisition. Like you, I don’t mind answering specific questions that show you’ve already done your homework. But sheesh, if I wanted to be a coach, I’d be one. One writer a couple years ago actually asked me if I’d share the targeted mailing list I’d spent months compiling! (Um … no.)