New freelancers, never, ever approach clients asking them to just give you a chance or telling them you’re just a beginner looking for a chance.

When you do this, you’re begging, and businesses don’t beg.

When you’re offering your skills in return for someone else’s money, you’re not someone looking for a chance.

You’re a business offering a service.

Embrace that mindset and present yourself accordingly.

Asking your clients for a chance is unprofessional. It’s unattractive. And it’s bound to hurt your prospects of getting hired.

Whether it’s Wifi, car insurance or a medical procedure, if someone tries to push a service then tells you they’re just looking for a chance, that’s going to shake your confidence.

And it should.

First off, professionals don’t approach their clients with a me-first attitude. And that’s what you’re doing when you ask someone to give you a chance or opportunity.

You’re saying, “look I will do this for you because I’m looking for a way to build something for myself.  That’s ugly.

As a professional, your focus is supposed to be what you can do for your clients.

Second, asking for a chance instead of offering a service weakens your position to negotiate rates and terms.

You’ve let the prospective client know that you don’t have a solid track record or protocol to base your requests on. Now, they’re more empowered to offer you what they want to give and take control of the relationship.

Third, if the prospective client takes your offer, he now feels as if he’s done you a favor.

From that point, it’s extremely difficult, if not impossible, to change the dynamics to a degree where that business views you as a professional running your own business.

Never sell your weaknesses!

If you lack experience, focus on your skills and the benefits they’ll bring. Always remember that the epitome of being a freelancer is being a service provider. Experienced or not, if you’re offering it for a fee, you’re a business.