We’ve all been there – you pour your precious time and energy into pitching a project for an IDEAL potential client, it looks like you’ve got it in the bag, and then…

The dreaded “we went in another direction” email pops into your inbox.

Or even worse, you never hear back from them. 

Getting that rejection is never easy, but what if I told you that there are huge benefits for your freelancing career when you hear “no”?

I know it sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out…

Every time you pitch a service and don’t land the gig is an opportunity to refine your offer, adjust your approach, and ultimately grow your business. 

Most freelancers fear getting that rejection and feeling like a failure, but the freelancers who have long-term success in their business do these 4 things when they get a “no”: 

#1 - Remove emotion & focus on the data.

It’s easy to take a “no” personally at first, but remember – it’s just feedback! 

That client didn’t reject YOU, they rejected something in your offer, approach, or timing. And while that may be tough, it’s also incredibly valuable information.

So you need to remove any emotions that you are feeling and focus on the facts and the data. 

With each client that you pitch, you should be taking detailed notes about WHAT you offered, HOW you presented it, your proposed TIMELINE, your PRICE – include everything that you presented that would go into their decision making process so you can review it. 

It’s also worth keeping track of information about the CLIENT – what’s their niche, problems you could help them solve, the person(s) you spoke with and their roles, etc. 

Over time you’ll start to see patterns and from there you can fine-tune (and experiment with) your pitch and services to better align with what your ideal clients are looking for (especially after you do step #2!).

#2 - Keep the door open. 

You know that there are a million reasons a potential client might go with someone else that have NOTHING to do with you or your offer. 

So instead of assuming the worst, do what you can to keep the door open for the future by getting an understanding of the challenges that lie ahead for them so you can get to work crafting your NEXT pitch to them that makes the most sense possible. 

When you respond to a “no” with (and I’m paraphrasing here): “totally understand if there’s a love connection elsewhere, let’s still be buddies”, then you keep the door open for future projects. 

#3 - Make adjustments as needed. 

Not every rejection means you need to overhaul your entire business. 

Sometimes, it’s just a case of bad timing, a budget/timeline constraint that’s out of your control, or a mismatch between client needs and your current offerings.

But when you notice commonalities and patterns, that’s your signal to make adjustments. 

Like if you repeatedly hear that your pricing is too high, you could explore other niches and industries that might have higher budgets. 

You might also put together some lower priced packages that could still solve the problem but with less time investment from you (ex: you simplify and remove bells and whistles like extra deliverables, unlimited edits, or extend the project timeline). 

Small changes can have a big impact, and when you use the information you learn from “failed pitches” you can fine tune your approach to start getting better and better results!

#4 - Try again.

Being told “no” isn’t always final! 

A client who says no today could be a client who says yes a few months from now. 

Maybe their budget will change, their needs will shift, or they’ll realize that you were the right fit after all.

Or maybe you study their business, find another problem you can offer a solution to, and are able to pitch them again in the future!

By following up politely, staying top of mind, and always testing and trying to improve, you keep the door open for future opportunities. 

Because getting a “no” doesn’t really mean anything… you’ve still got a new contact on your CRM that you can continue being valuable for and building new offers for. 

So don’t let your next rejection get you down – use it as fuel to keep growing and improving as a freelancer!

Best, 
Jamie

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