I have a confession…

I used to make scenes often at the airport.

Mostly because I feel like the TSA scanners are government overreach and violate my 4th Amendment right against unreasonable searches.

So whenever I flew (before getting TSA Pre-check), I would opt out of the scanner in lieu of a frisking that I preferred to think of as a free “full-body massage.”

In fact, one time when opting-out…

The TSA agent gave me the standard pat-down. But when he swabbed his hands afterward, the machine flashed red and alerted “Explosives Detected.”

Luckily, I left my bomb in my other jeans that day (joke).

But I was required to come with them to a special room where video cameras and cell phones were NOT allowed.

Now, I don’t want to say exactly what happened in that windowless closet… but I can say it wasn’t fun.

…Which brings me to my point for today:

Even though opting out of the TSA scanner gives me more control (at least, I tell myself it does), it also comes with costs.

And the same applies to being a freelancer.

Sure. There are many benefits to being a “free agent.”

• Like an auctioneer, you can sell your services to the highest bidder.
  
• You’re not forced into uncomfortable positions (like making big claims about products you don’t believe in).
  
• And if you’re ever tired with how things are going, it’s easy to break things off and part as friends.

However, freelancing also has its costs.

Good clients (like good copywriters) are hard to come by.

Some won’t value your work. And others will simply waste your time with incessant Slack messages or false promises of potential upside.

Trust me; I’ve been through it.

That’s why, when you find a great client, you gotta do great work–over and over again.

Become so indispensable that they go back to you for ALL their copy needs. They can’t even be imaging their biz continuing without you.

Because when that happens, we no longer have a client-copywriter relationship…

But a real partnership where you can negotiate big benefits (like fat royalties, profit share, and even equity).

Sounds good, right?

Now go out and earn it.

Your pen pal,

Matt Rizvi