4 (Incredibly Simple) Ways to Gain the Confidence You Need to Go Out and Get Clients By Bob Bly

A student from our Selling Yourself teleconference program recently asked a basic – but very important – question:

"How do I get some confidence in my work so that I can go out and get clients? I am in the Masters and Guaranteed Success programs and feel that I have grabbed a tiger by the tail. Afraid to let go and afraid to hold on. I think I need some kind of a low-key way to get my foot in the door. I have tried volunteer work and have been rebuffed several times. I would like to do business-to-business writing and direct-mail writing. I am hoping that this course will enable me to do this."

BB: Well, I am the least self-confident person you would ever want to meet, so if I can do it, you can do it too.

Entire books have been written about gaining confidence and self-esteem, but here are my quick tips:

1. Work very hard to get good at your craft. Be a total student of direct response.
2. Do the best job you can on every assignment. Put twice as much effort into the work as you feel the client is paying for.
3. Be modest in your promises to the client. Don't tell him you will beat his control; tell him you will write the strongest package you can that you feel has the best chance of beating the control. Under-promise and then over-deliver.
4. Find another AWAI student or writer who can be your "copy buddy." To get a second opinion, you read each other's work before you send it to the client. This gives you greater confidence in the copy you submit. AWAI has created a great resource on their website forum to do just this. Simply go to their website forum (www.awaionline.com/forum ) and click on the "Peer Review" option. You can post your own copy or comment on ones that are already there.