LOL Now you of all people know that's mild for me. 😉

There you go, Paula. Half the time, you're right (I'm a glass-half-full person)! You can't learn if you don't try. I think the successful freelancer is the one who finally does his/her own research into what marketing might fit with the type of client they're targeting. The minute you realize your marketing is a moving target (and YOURS to define), you start to see real results.

It's amazing to me how many people these days are either too scared or too lazy to do the research needed to make their own decisions. In life, in food, in business, and especially in politics. They skim the surface to see what other people think instead of thinking for themselves. I might be wrong half the time, but at least I do my own thinking.

I also now end my cold emails with a line I adapted from you, Lori: Can we set up a 10-minute call to discuss how I can help achieve your communications goal? I had someone email me right back and invite me to call then.

Thanks, Lori!

Agreed on all points. I'm working with two entrepreneurs right now — one-man shops — and they're paying my rate without question. Plus they're happy about it because they're getting what they want and they're investing in their business.

Just to add to your last point… I've noticed lately there's another reason newer freelancers cite for believing absolute BS. They're latching onto some "mentor" who spews misinformation.

Remember that your career is yours to build. Trying to emulate someone else exactly, or parroting everything they tell you, just makes you look incompetent.

The latest, as you know, was the notion that "entrepreneurs" aren't worth targeting because they supposedly don't pay professional rates (newsflash: they pay my "get out of bed" rate of $150 an hour every day; and most projects from them work out to significantly more, like $300+ an hour for typical press releases and even more for other types of copy, depending on the client). So to that I say "they don't pay professional rates only if you're incapable of targeting them properly."

Just because someone else failed miserably at something and spouted generalizations based on their failure, it doesn't mean you shouldn't try to target those markets if it's who you really want to work with. If any "mentor" tells you that huge market segments aren't worth pursuing (entrepreneurs, small businesses, trade publications, blogs, etc.), run. They don't know what the hell they're talking about, and you're being taken for a ride.