How do you bounce back?

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Have had a horrendous two weeks.

Sent in some really substandard copy - and I mean, it really was and there's no excuse for it.

Corrected grammar on a proposal - but made a mistake in my correction which then went a bit public.

Just found out that a proposal I was leading for a partner hasn't made it to the pitch stage, despite a lot of investment.

I know the careless errors are about being sloppy, just not giving every piece of work the care it needs - which I'm taking steps to address. But how do I get over that 'Urgh' feeling in the pit of my stomach?

It's times like this you need colleagues...

Oh Wilson. You are human. I know it feels rubbish and terrible at the mo, but it will feel better by Monday.

Chances are it feels much worse than it is....

It sounds like you are putting steps in place to avoid similar senarios which is a good practical approach.

I burst into tears (luckily in my home office) when a client 'edited' my report picking up typos including their surname.

Was there any feedback on the proposal that wasn't shortlisted?

You can never really know what is going on in the potential client's office. They could already have a supplier in mind or they can only pay £100 a day etc.

I have had 2 terrible pitch meetings recently. One where they didn't seem to like our suggested approach (depsite including us in the final 5) and the other where they got a bit angry at points!!

Are you able to have any time off over Easter? A break might help.

Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks Margo. The proposal was blind but my client reckons it would have gone to a big London agency with more direct experience, or conversely that we were too bold in our approach. They are 'meh' about it, but it was a potential new way of working for them for me, and I'd put a lot into it. I'm out of the pitching loop I guess so have lost that thick skin which helps you bounce back.

I'm taking DS to London at Easter so having some time off to recharge then. And got enough wee frights to keep me honest for a while I guess...

Oh dear, hope you bounce back soon!!
I hAve secured a brilliant contract which ticks all the boxes and will be REALLY lucrative but the fact is that I hate it and I'm afraid it's showing.
I know I need to suck it up as a lot of people would kill for this opportunity but I keep thinking about my previous contract that I loved .
To be honest I feel like a bit of a fake and a whore but the money is just so good.
On the plus side I enjoy weekends more now because I don't have to so ths work that I hate!!!

That sounds tough Hopping. So hard to turn down the money though!

I got feedback from the pitch today, the end-client dropped a couple of names that had been asked to go forward. I googled and this project is a MUCH better fit for them - basically their bread and butter, as opposed to our slight departure. So I feel a bit more positive and also have two new names to tout my own services to!

Looks like you've had a positive result in the end!

If it makes you feel any better, I just lost a regular bit of work that I really enjoyed doing and am feeling really down about it. It's because they're cost cutting and basically giving this piece of work to someone in-house but it's made me feel wretched.

Sorry to hear that Fucking - it's all part of the game I guess but it can really hurt to lose a regular piece of work

That happened with my last contract fucking and I was gutted.
Oh well, onwards and upwards Freelancers!!!!

Thanks both. Sorry, I'm a bit teary about today but I'll get over it.

Side note: this is one of those situations where my user name isn't quite right!

I'm vicariously stealing your support here. I'm having a right shocker. I knew I was coming to the end of some contracted work, but it's all sort of compressed on me which means I've had to book extra, expensive childcare, won't be able to charge for all the hours worked, and in about a week's time will, for the first time ever since going freelance 7 years ago, have absolutely nothing in the diary.

Anyone got any flowers left? I'm applying for jobs, but if I got them I don't know if I could do them.

How is it possible to go from superhumanly busy and overbooked to MyBusinessIsFailing in an afternoon?!

Yes, but you will bounce back to super humanly busy pdq, promise, if you put yourself back out there. My diary runs week to week. I quite often have empty weeks ahead but they manage to get filled. It's just about finding a different rhythm sometimes.

Tis a shocker!

I felt I was doing everything I could until I realised I sent 1 biz dev email in Feb and 0 in March! I got a little busy and then it was all forgotten. April approach is 1 a day!

As wilson says - can you get 'out there'? I have a meeting following a networking do last week....

Thank you Wilson. Everyone keeps telling me that, I just can't see where the work will come from. In my industry it tends to come from connections, a.k.a. the pub, and I'm too long in the tooth for that now!

Deep breaths.

1 pitch a day sounds awesome. I have a list of half a dozen agencies I want to approach/poke/pester, so I shall try them first.

Pondering a local Chamber of COmmerce networking breakfast, but not sure if it would be of any value. BUt sometimes 'out there' is valuable as a confidence boost isn't it, even if it doesn't actually generate income?

Ok so half a dozen agencies is a great start.

Then spend a day sorting out your clips/portfolio/website.

Then approach another half dozen agencies.

And go to the C of C thing - I've done a couple of local jobs this year for a reduced rate but it's all been simple start-up stuff so no biggie, and it led to another better paying client.

I also got two jobs from people I vauguely knew who only vaguely knew what I did .

It's worth making sure everyone you know knows what you can do and that you're looking out for work. I've had two jobs from a friend's SIL. Ive met her a few times and am on fb with her, she posted struggling looking for a copywriter and mutual friend posted 'Erm, Wilson?' And that was that.

Chamber of Commerce is a good idea. I had a meeting with my accountant today who told me exactly how much less I billed last year than the year before (a lot). I knew I'd worked a lot less but it was a bit ouchy to hear him tell me that.

But new clients are really scary in case they use me and hate me! Or worse - that they don't want to work with me at all!

I love the freedom of working freelance but I'm not sure I've got the self-confidence for it

Dusting I have rarely found networking a waste of time. Last week as well as securing a potential client meeting (as mentioned above), somebody also told me that Google Campus (in London) will let you host events for free, which I didn't know and might be of use for an event I am planning.

You can probably attend without joining to see what it is like. Depends where you are, but for other gatherings of 'your people' check out meetup.com and eventbrite.com, you'll be amazed at who is meeting up. Many are free. There is a digital one in London which is free, has drinks and is on a boat!

I haven't been but I do think CoC will probably have a better prospect pool than a local women's network which in my experience tended to be full of sole trader life coaches who haven't really any money to spend...

Odd I feel the same. I really take rejection personally. I also don't even feel comfortable with the term consultant! I feel it is money grabbing, but rationally I know I do a great job! But in the dark moments I hang on to the idea that I can do things like going to see the SpongeBob movie on Tues with DS after school etc, so the flex is just about worth the pains!

Do you also keep an eye on the jobs board on here? There are sometimes opps that could be delivered freelance? I have secured a well paid contract doing that.

There is also www.peopleperhour.com too if you are willing to pitch for some low paid work.

Dusting & Odd what do you do?

oddfod do you need some coaching/mentoring?
I usually charge but would be happy to chuck a Mumsnet Freebie your way. I specialise in Sales strategies for people not entirely comfortable with Sales.
Anyway, the offer is there if you think it might help

I do niche consultancy work (sorry I know that's a bit vague but it's very specific otherwise!).

Thanks so much for the offer hoppinggreen - that's really kind of you. I would love to take you up on it. I'm going on holiday tomorrow so could we have a PM chat or something when I'm back? I'm a terrible procrastinator

I'm away from Sunday until 20th so drop me a line after that.
I will PM my email, you can email me while I'm away as I will be picking up emails ( joy of being self employed) but can't promise to reply until 20th
Happy to help x

You're an angel Hopping :) Thanks so much

This is a lovely thread, I keep popping back to it for a little read and a boost. Will admit to getting a bit teary last night though over the uncertainty, that's a bit of a new one for me.

I am going to take 3 days off to spend with the kids, and then I'm going to hit up my agency list.

I have also ordered some books from Amazon on skills and strategy relevant to my work, so if I have a work free day I shall sit in the sunshine and read those for an hour rather than faffing about panicking about bankruptcy and doing housework.

Margo I have been working as a journalist/editor for many years, but my work is becoming increasingly about copywriting and marketing, and that suits me just fine. I think as Wilson said I just need to get the message out to people I already know about what I do, and the fact that I'm available.

Time off sounds good Dusting as does you plan for brushing up on skills.

I often book myself onto free seminars (I work for charities, and lawyers etc tend to put on learning seminars) as a potential networking opp but also so I have something in the diary, should things be light that week. A week stuck in is difficult!

It is will be ok....

I came on here to post exactly the same thing.

I've had a rubbish few weeks.

I'm lonely, a bit frightened and it all feels like such hard work

??

Just revisiting this thread. How's everyone doing?

All the things I said I would do in April I haven't done because I got busy (as DH pointed out I would!)

I've just found out that, not entirely unexpectedly, an annual job I do most autumns won't be using me this year, so that's a big chunk of my normal income gone, and I'm feeling the fear again.

DH thinks it will all be fine, but it is still worrying, and a bit depressing that although I know I'm really good at what I do I have to keep scrabbling around for bits and pieces.

Ooh nice to hear from you Dynasty.

Sorry to hear about the loss of a contract. It will be ok, as it has been ok since you last posted (and maybe more than ok?)....but I appreciate the fear is real.

What can you do? Tap up some contacts?

Funnily enough I have sent a mere 1 more biz dev email since this thread!!

I have been busy too. I have taken on a person for some regular freelance support which is good but scary too as I have to pay her.

Even when I am busy I am still worried about the next project and I spend too long on worrying about my competitors...