Say just the right thing to freelance prospects . . . or else

It’s easy to fear that you may be saying the wrong thing when you phone a potential freelance client. You may be courting disaster.

Yes, disaster, I tell you!

It’s easy to fear disaster because we read sales advice all the time warning of us that we may be killing the sale without knowing it . . . and by the way, if we invest in their training, we will find out how we have been ruining our lives.

True story . . .

Years ago I read an article somewhere that warned against using the word “just.”

OH NO! I used the word “just” all the time when I was phoning businesses for freelance assignments.

Specifically, I would say in a relaxed, conversational tone, “Hi, Jim, I’m just touching base to see if you have any projects coming up that you could use some writing help on.”

But now I found out I was wrong, wrong, WRONG.

No wonder I wasn’t earning in the six figures and confidently forging ahead to seven.

I kept making my very warm style of “cold calls” but now with trepidation. Was I accidentally saying “just”? I would attempt to monitor my side of the conversation more carefully lest I inadvertently utter that horrible, destructive term.

Could I be self-sabotaging? Should I séance with Freud to understand why?

I pondered. I worried. I suffered.

Months later I discussed this problem with a marketer friend.

She suggested that maybe the article really meant that I should not say, “I am just a freelance writer,” demonstrating a lack of confidence in my value.

Could it be?

Was I screwed up but in a different way?

I still pondered. I still worried. I still suffered.

And I still don’t know to this day.

But this I do know: Making phone calls (or taking other serious outbound marketing action) consistently does work.

Avoiding action because you may be saying something slightly wrong does not bring in more business.

So let’s not over-think it.

Want a simple, feel-right phone script for your freelance services? Check out Real Skills, Real Income: A Proven Marketing System to Land Well-Paid Freelance and Consulting Work in 30 Days or Less, by Diana Schneidman and available on Amazon. I’ve been a freelance writer for over two decades.