A major marketing mistake freelancers make
And the power of the word "yet"
One mistake I see many new (and potential) freelancers make is waiting too long to start marketing themselves. They hold off until their website is perfect, their business is fully set up, or they feel completely confident before putting themselves out there.
But here’s the truth: Most marketing takes time to work. If you wait until everything is in place, you’re setting yourself up for months of frustration. Social media traction, networking, and outreach don’t bring instant results—they take consistent effort over time.
There are all sorts of studies that show it takes numerous touchpoints for a person to feel comfortable buying a product or service. It’s very rare we see someone new for the first time and think, “I have to buy from them immediately.” And since your clients are human (just like you), it’s probably rare for them to buy from someone new immediately, too.
I’ve seen freelancers delay marketing until they “feel ready,” only to find themselves months into freelancing with no clients, no income, and rising stress levels. Suddenly, they’re scrambling, sending desperate pitches, and feeling disheartened when things don’t click right away. Some even give up.
This doesn’t just apply to new freelancers—it happens with experienced freelancers who want to introduce new services, too. Maybe you want to shift from general content writing to white papers, start offering strategy alongside execution, or break into a new industry. If you wait until you’ve mastered every detail before talking about your new service, you’re delaying your ability to land clients who might be interested right now, but who may need a little time before they make a decision.
What to do instead
If you’re within six months of launching your business—or introducing a new service—start now:
✅ Talking about your new business or service on social media.
✅ Building your website or changing content on your website—done is better than perfect.
✅ Talking with people about what you do as a freelancer (or the new service you’re offering).
✅ Reaching out to your network and letting them know your plans.
How optimism can hold us back
One surprising way optimism can hold you back is by making you think that the moment you put yourself out there, you’ll be flooded with clients before you’re ready. So, you wait—just in case. You don’t want to be overwhelmed, right?
But the reality is, when you start marketing yourself, it’s more likely that a few people will reach out, not a tidal wave. And that’s actually a good thing. Those first few inquiries give you a chance to refine your messaging, figure out your processes, and gain confidence in working with clients—without the pressure of being overloaded all at once. Waiting until you feel “ready” doesn’t prevent overwhelm; it just delays your ability to get comfortable in the first place.
The power of yet
And if you don’t feel fully ready? Shift your mindset. Instead of saying, I don’t know how to do that, say, I don’t know how to do that yet.
That one little word—yet—is powerful. It reminds you that you’re capable of learning, growing, and figuring things out. Many experienced freelancers started where you are now, taking on projects they weren’t 100% sure how to handle. The difference is they believed in their ability to learn along the way.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Confidence doesn’t come from believing everything will go perfectly all the time. It comes from knowing that whatever happens, you can handle it. And I believe in your ability to handle things.
Don’t think of yourself as a future freelancer (or a future expert in your new service). Start acting like it today. Believe in your ability to figure some things out. It doesn’t make you a fraud if you don’t have all the answers right now, it makes you human.
If you don’t know where to begin, my Freelance Success Toolkit can help. It walks you through key steps like marketing yourself, finding clients, and building a business that actually works (and it’s totally free).
You don’t have to have all the answers before you start. You just need to be about 70% ready. The rest? You’ll figure it out along the way.
Start now. Future you will thank you.
—Heidi
P.S. Grab the Freelance Success Toolkit to get a head start on marketing yourself, pricing your services, and landing clients.