Episode 28: Being Really Ridiculously Good At Sales With Jacob McMillen
Sep 21, 2022
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Jacob McMillen, a savvy copywriter and freelance writing coach, dives into the art of sales for freelancers. He shares his door-to-door sales journey, emphasizing resilience and the power of cold pitching. McMillen also discusses the importance of adopting a consultant mindset and leveraging AI to boost productivity. He critiques conventional wisdom about pricing, urging a focus on value and effective positioning instead. With insights on maintaining a positive attitude, he provides freelancers with tools to enhance client relationships and navigate their careers successfully.
Mastering sales skills through direct experience is crucial for freelancers to build resilience and effectively meet client needs.
Adopting a consultant mindset allows freelancers to identify upsell opportunities, enhancing client relationships and increasing overall income.
Deep dives
The Importance of Sales Skills in Freelancing
Success as a freelancer heavily relies on mastering sales skills, as highlighted by the guest's experience in direct sales before transitioning to copywriting. His summer spent selling educational materials door-to-door taught him not only how to pitch but also how to truly listen to clients' needs. This experience ingrained in him the understanding that if he persistently sends enough pitches, he is statistically guaranteed to land work. The psychological resilience gained from pushing through challenging situations became a foundational aspect of his professional identity.
Cold Pitching as a Key to Success
Cold pitching is emphasized as a critical component for growing a freelance business, with the guest sharing his own routine of sending multiple pitches weekly. The challenge many face is the immediate discouragement from low response rates, which may stem from ingrained beliefs about success rates in other areas of life. The realization that success in pitches often requires persistence and a numbers game mindset can significantly shift a freelancer's ability to secure clients. Emphasizing that breaking through initial failures is essential, the guest encourages freelancers to focus on consistently pitching to reach their first win.
The Philosophy Behind Upselling
Upselling is presented as a significant way to expand service offerings and deepen client relationships. The guest advocates for a consultant mindset, where the freelancer acts as a problem solver, identifying gaps in the client's needs and suggesting additional services. By recognizing that many clients lack awareness of how to maximize the value of the services already being received, freelancers can pitch valuable upsell opportunities. This proactive approach not only increases income but also enhances the client’s overall experience and outcomes with the freelancer's work.
Challenging Conventional Advice in Freelancing
The podcast challenges commonly accepted advice about charging what one is worth, arguing that market value is defined by what someone is willing to pay. Emphasizing a proactive approach, the guest explains that focusing solely on perceived worth can lead to frustration and missed opportunities. Instead, he advocates for understanding market demands and positioning oneself to meet those needs effectively. This perspective encourages freelancers to take control of their business outcomes, viewing their agency in client selection as a means to long-term success.