I spend a lot of time writing about and talking about how to market oneself. I discuss targeting clients, how to craft the appropriate marketing materials and what are some of the best methods in which to pitch oneself.

This morning I woke up to two (not one, but two) rejection letters. The “we like your work, but we don’t have anything to hire you for” and “you have an impressive background and resume, but I don’t think we can use you right now.” If I am being honest, I had a third yesterday.

Anyone that has pitched themselves or what they do has received similar notices. Or (more often) they don’t get a response at all.

It can be deflating. It can be defeating. It can be destructive.

So how can someone navigate rejection?

1. Get used to the idea of the word “No”
It would be utopian if every time we did something, sent something out, applied for something, auditioned, etc that we were accepted. But it is just not possible. You can’t win everything. When I worked in professional service marketing we tried to get our win percentage for the proposal we sent out to between 30% an 40%. That is not even half. On a bad month, we sometimes dipped to 10%. Sometimes less. The bottom line – it will happen. And it may happen more often than not.

2. Try to figure out the why
Is it a “No” forever or a “No” for now? Usually it is the latter. It is not the right pitch for this specific project. It is not the right look for this one shoot. It is not the right price for this one budget. It was not the right approach for this one scope. However, was there something you could have done different or better on your end? How can you take this rejection, learn from it and improve your next submission (whether it was an application, audition, etc)? What lessons can you learn from it?

3. Stay in touch
Following up on the above comment; chances are it is just a “No for now.” So many projects are done based off relationships. You apply for something, a competitor has a better relationship with the client, who is going to get the job? Use it as an opportunity to build a new relationship. If you are very seriously about doing work with this client – it is your opportunity to show that commitment. I’ve written before about a magazine client I have that it took more than 5 years before they ever gave me a project. I didn’t bother them weekly. But I made sure to stay in touch. Another way to think about it (since we are now in baseball season) is that you let them know that you are still on deck or that you are staying warmed up in the bullpen. When they are ready to call you into the game – you’re ready to play!

4. Focus on the projects you do have
A few years ago I was feeling very deflated on a project which I did not win. Another photographer either had a better approach, a better price or a better relationship. Whatever the case; I did not get the project. I was venting about it over lunch with my mentor who then told me “years from now when you look back on your career, you will not remember the projects you did not get, you will remember and relish in the projects you did get, the things you did do, the opportunities you did have.” So I received three rejection letters in the past two days. However today I have a great opportunity to photograph this exciting magazine cover and spread. Guess where I will be putting my energy today?

A few resources to keep you inspired, informed and entertained

We just launched a new episode of TheProExposure is now available to listen to. In our 24th episode we answer a series of questions which listeners have sent us.

I just launched my fourth installment of Year of the Shot and am accepting applications for the upcoming creative shoots!

Thanks sincerely

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com

Suppose for a moment that you were seeking to hire someone for the exact same service that you personally provide.

You could be a model seeking to hire a model, a photographer looking to book a photographer, a graphic designer wanting to hire a graphic designer and so on. You get the point.

Now, I want you to take it a step further.

Put all personal bias aside. Knowing you, and how you run your business – would you hire yourself against the competition? If you were the one who was in charge of the hiring process – why would you choose yourself? Or would you even choose yourself?

Are there better service providers out there?

Looking at your business through the lens of those who are in charge of hiring can be quite revealing. (And yes I intended that photography pun!)

Where do you stand to improve to increase your probability of being hired?

I am curious if the habitual no-show model would book themselves knowing the risk that they might not show up. What about the slow photographer who would have to wait for months of excuses before they receive the images they paid for? How about the graphic designer who hired themselves and did not pay attention to their needs as a client?

The point of the exercise is this… if you are unable to hire yourself, who is?

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.com
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Not unlike most a-holes, the Passive Aggressive one is not terribly hard to spot. In fact, they will often call attention out themselves with snide comments and bitter public displays of disapproval executed in a way of mere self gratification. They casually, and without provocation, chime in with their disdained opinion that is shrouded in their own inadequacies.

Having no real perception or focus on their own journey, the Passive Aggressive A-hole (or PAA for short) simply enjoys attempting to derail others.

So what is one to do when they encounter a PAA?

One is to keep doing exactly what they were doing which incited the PAA. It is only aggravated when what you are doing attracts their attention. It reacts much like a zit, a boil, or a hive – often festering with pus-filled irritation.

Do not allow the PAA to deter you! Honestly; it is more often than not a sign that you are doing the right thing.

James Patrick
www.jamespatrick.om

It was just at the end of 2012 when Kim Miller and Shannon Doughtery came up with the original ideas for their new company Fit Mom Diet – which the website just went live last week.

By mid December they were already developing the ideas for what the branding could look and feel like. I recall after the three of us ran the Tucson Marathon together, being in line at a Starbucks and sketching out logo concepts with them on a paper napkin.

They created a Facebook Page shortly after the new year on January 6th. In just two very short months before their website went live, more than 2,000 people flocked to the page. As I write this, there are presently 2,421 Likes on the page and more importantly – more than 700 people interacting with it presently.

Their “fans” are commenting with questions, photos of recipes they saw on the page and cooked themselves, as well as a large bevy of supportive comments such as “Thank you for taking the time…” and “you both are so inspiring.”

Also you can even witness the interactions not only between the Fit Mom Diet Duo and their followers, but also between the followers themselves.

Now, with the website launched, they are selling t-shirts, e-books, wristbands and more. Profit has begun to come in.

So what can we learn from these two fit moms and what caused their business to tip in the right direction?

The first is that they told a true story. I’ve presented on this topic several times. When I say true, I don’t always mean factual (although in this case it is also that). What I mean is that it is true in the eyes of the user. It is authentic. Here you have two moms who care about being healthy, fit as well as being role models for their families. There is a complete genuine transparency of who they are and what they represent without a false facade. That attracts people and it attracts business.

Secondly, who is their primary audience? People who are like them. It is not called Fit Everyone Diet for a reason. Not that their entire audience is moms, but that is a significant majority. It is their demographic, their niche, their genre. Fit Mom Diet has a focus on who they are primarily targeting with their message. Moms who have similar ideas and goals with respects to health and fitness. Thus the messages that Kim and Shannon put out can truly resonate with their audience.

Thirdly, if you look at all the messages that Fit Mom Diet puts out through their social media channels – most of it is not selling anything at all. It is, for the most part, informational or inspirational. Content that people find value in and want to also share. Yes there are posts with sales messages, but they are few. People don’t mind being pitched to or sold to, just as long as it is not overdone and they see the value in the content as a whole. That is another reason their audience pool grew so fast.

Lastly, and something I recall both Shannon and Kim talking about as they were forming what Fit Mom Diet would be, they created a community. People love to be connected, especially when they have shared interests and values. Fit Mom Diet has created a community of people who can connect together and go somewhere as a whole. As Seth Godin put it in his TED Talk and in his book Tribes, there are groups of people out there already who are wanting to connect and be led.

Kim and Shannon have become this tribe’s leader. They stood up and said – this is important; follow us.

And people did.

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com