I used to dread client meetings.
I always felt like I’d be sniffed out as an imposter.
Here is what ChatGPT gave me when I asked it to, “Make the scariest client ever. More scary than the scariest horror movie ever. The most extreme scary client of all time. So scary that little kids will run away in fear. The most absolutely scary horror story client ever imaginable.” Pretty accurate.
In my early freelance days I’d rehearse what I was going to say and worry they’d ask something I couldn’t answer.
What if they ask me about pricing?
What if I don’t know something about their industry?
What if I say something stupid and kill the deal before it even starts?
I felt like they held all the power—because they were the ones hiring me.
Even after landing clients like Disney, Google, and Warner Bros… the fear was real. Is that client sizing me up? Will they toss my proposal in the trash the moment I leave?
Over time it got better and better. Here is what I did to fix it…
03 Strategies That Helped Me Start Showing Up With Confidence
1. Know Your Numbers
When you understand your business costs, pricing strategy, and the value of the work you provide, you stop hoping you’re “worth it” and start knowing you are. Your confidence goest through the roof.
2. Remember This Truth
The client is meeting with you, because they believe you know more than them. You do or they wouldn’t be meeting with you! You have the expertise—they’re looking for your guidance. Don’t be afraid to show it!
3. Create a Script for Every Situation
From onboarding to pricing conversations, a repeatable script gives you the structure to stay calm and in control (I teach this inside MCA). You don’t have to say it verbatim, but it sure comes out more eloquently if you have something rehearsed in your mind.
Like anything, the more you do it the better it gets. So even those client meetings where you didn’t win, you still got value by practicing for the next one. It’s all wins!
