Q&A: Confidence Issues

I got this email from an email subscriber a few days ago:

Yahoo is making a muck of your opening series of emails, so I’ve subscribed using another email address. Wondering how many other emails I may have missed, ugh.

Ok so here’s a thought that’s been eating at me for a few days… that infamous email you sent when you were still slightly hung over got you new clients for something you were already doing…

My dilemma is that while I’ve gotten a few copywriting clients, I’m nowhere good enough to get a reply to one of your emails from a company and turn around the business or give them ideas that’ll 10x their business. I’m still learning a lot. So I’ve been thinking that I’m not even sure what I’d do if some company called/emailed me wanting to meet… imposter syndrome is rearing its head in a major way here…

I’m still the girl who doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up, I guess…

Thoughts/advice?

My response:

The only way is to go for it. Perhaps, start with a call rather than an in-person meeting.

The only way to get comfortable is to keep doing it.

The more work you do, and the more results you get, the more your confidence will increase. As when you’re selling, you can leverage this evidence, and you know your achievements are legitimate.

In my experience, other than a minority of sociopathic folks, most people, even important people, don’t like to be put on a pedestal. And further, most people, if they’re honest, are drenching in insecurity. Some are better at working with that, but that’s all it is. Knowing this helps.

If you’re nervous in a meeting, tell them. Be honest. In some ways, it’s a compliment. It shows you care. There are stakes in this for you. And such an honest admission will endear you further.

When you’ve done countless pitches on the phone or in person, you’ll stop overthinking or worrying or whatever it might be. Sure, you’ll be a little nervous for deals you really want to win, but it will be ambient noise, rather than a blaring speaker.

You don’t need to completely turnaround a clients business or 10* their revenue. You get to decide on those terms with each client.

I have always been honest about what I thought I could achieve for my clients. I’d say what was possible, what I thought was likely.

To recap:

• The more pitches you do, the more comfortable you’ll become.
• If you’re nervous starting out, don’t worry about admitting this. Tell them this opportunity is important to you.
• You don’t need every pitch to promise groundbreaking results – unless you are confident (built up through experience) think you can achieve them.
• Be honest about what you think you can achieve.

Cheers,

💞 Jon