4 Things I Learned After Receiving My First Rejection

*Spoiler alert*

It was a blessing in disguise. 

1) Choose the right potential clients. 

I was hesitant when I sent out my proposal to the company who turned me down. I really wasn't sure if I should work with them. When starting a new business, it's SO tempting to want to take on anyone for some cash. But, I (and you) have chosen to take this leap because we want to do something interesting, something that makes an impact, and we value our time.  My time is not best served on a client who doesn't jive with my vision for my business.  If I wouldn't work with them a year from now, then it's for the best that I'm not working with them now.  Sometimes you get lucky, and they make the decision for you!

2) The proposal isn't a waste.

Launching hasn't allowed very much time for creating templates. Until now, I've landed clients through close friends and referrals, so I've mostly skipped the proposal step altogether or highly customized it for each business. However, in preparing for this particular client, who was essentially a stranger, I made a beautiful proposal template with my new business name and branding look. I can use this template for future clients, and I even have some copy worked up for a few of my offerings. One more thing checked off the launch list.

3) I learned a new skill.

As a secondary request, the client asked if I could do something that wasn't in my main wheelhouse. I was honest with them about my ability; however, in order to even put a proposal together for the work, I had to know some basics. The tight timeline gave me huge motivation to become more proficient in that particular skill - one that I had been meaning to learn for over a month.  Nothing like the dangling carrot of $$$ to kick your butt into gear. I could totally complain about the 5+ hours I spent that night pouring over training websites and videos, but I know I learned that skill for me, not for them. 

4) Don't devalue the work just to win.

In our introductory conversation, the client referenced a competitive company's pricing.  That company was going to charge them wayyy more than I would have. But, were they charging too much, or was I undercutting myself just to get some clients on board? When you offer a cheap cost, it cheapens the expected output quality, as well expectation of your knowledge.  If two people are offering the same services, and one of them is at a quarter of the price, then you're going to wonder why. That's not to say I'll ever charge the same as the first guy, because I still want to help people who need it most, but I'll more carefully consider my pricing in the future.