How to Bounce Back After Your Freelancing Pitch Gets Rejected

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

I’m a freelancing writer and editor, so I get a lot of feedback on my services and the work that I do.

I don’t know that I’ll ever develop the thick skin that’s supposed to come with years of rejection or criticism. I’m okay with being soft and accepting feedback that helps me grow: that’s how I’ve managed to navigate my decade of experience in marketing, anyway.

But something happened inside of me when I heard back from a pitch recently, and it shook me up. I reached out to a local agency and wanted to see if they had any writing needs. I welcomed the first response that I received: it was quick and the person was transparent.

Within another twenty minutes, though, the agency owner emailed me again (spelling errors are his):

“One more thing — I took a look at your price list and wanted to let you know that if you’re trying to get work from marketing agencies — especially those that work with local businesses like mine — your prices are too high…So, more power too you if you are getting the rates you advertise, but as an agency owner I can tell you that I wouldn’t hire you at those rates. There would be no margin for me to make any money from the client after I paid you.”