I still remember the day I got that first email…

It was from a potential client complimenting me on some copywriting work of mine that had landed in his inbox.

A few months went by, during which we worked on two projects.

Fast forward a few months later…

After some more emails and phone calls, we inked a deal that, during the next 8 months, generated $120,000 in fees for me.

The reason I’m telling you this is because I figure I have about 4.2 seconds to make it clear to you that, when it comes to working with clients for maximum fees, I know what I’m doing.

We live in a skeptical world, so just in case you think that one client was a fluke, let me tell you about the one the year before.

During that year, I had a client from which I generated $107,000 in fees.

And that was just one client.

Now, I imagine you could read all of this and choose not to believe me. If that’s your choice, I take no offense. I know there are plenty of liars out there who make it their business to separate as many people as possible from their money.

I, however, am not one of those people. And for you to go on your way now would mean you’re passing up on an opportunity that could potentially change your life.

So let me be very straightforward with you:

I have one very important goal for the next few minutes. My goal centers around a single belief I hold about you… even though I’ve never met you.

Oddly enough, this belief is something that, at your core, you share with me. Although you might not even be aware of it.

So here’s my goal. I want to show you that:

I think you’re working too hard, and I want to help you do something about it.

First, let’s get some facts on the table:

FACT: One of the quickest and easiest ways to make money in business is to take a commercially viable skill, go out and get clients, and do that thing for them.

FACT: Whether it’s copywriting, programming, graphic/web design or any other type of freelance work, you can have your business up by TOMORROW and be generating revenue very quickly.

FACT: As a savvy freelancer or independent professional, you can make a VERY nice income without slaving away “working for the man” holed up in an office cubicle somewhere.

It sounds like a pretty sweet deal on the surface. But here’s where things start to go south:

And that can drive you nuts.

I should know. I’ve been there… several times.

I’ve had clients as a web designer…

I’ve had clients as a tech consultant…

I’ve had clients as a freelance copywriter…

I’ve had clients as a copywriter and marketing consultant…

And in the end, I always come back to the same conclusion.

I’ve had clients decide to hold a final payment hostage in an effort to squeeze out some more blood. (Don’t think for a minute that I caved. I got the money.)

I’ve had to call out the legal hounds on clients who had trouble getting invoices paid for work delivered… (I got the money owed once again.)

Heck, I’ve even had to fire clients who came to me with a creative definition about what it meant to be on the right side of the law. (I’m waiting for karma on that one.)

Clients suck.

Let me be clear here. I’m not talking about the people that were my clients. The people I’ve worked with have nothing to do with this.

I’m just talking about the business model where you yourself provide a service in exchange for money. That’s where the problems can be found.

Someone looking in from the outside might think that I am too much of a “nice guy” to really be in the client business. And I think that would be a perfectly valid sounding excuse to explain why I got stepped on all the time…

But it’s not the truth. The truth is that I allowed myself to be treated that way, not because I was too nice, but because I was scared… and because I lacked a true sense of belief in my own value.

That’s why it was always hard to say, “NO” when I encountered a situation that was good for my client but NOT good for me or my business.

I’d just go along with it like a weak little pansy and then get all hot and bothered about it after the fact.

I’m smarter now, and much, much stronger.

And I guess you could say, I’m not quite so nice.

That’s because I know the truth now. The truth about what it means to be in the business of working with clients.

Here it is:

Most of my client challenges have been created because I didn’t have a clear picture of reality when it came to working with clients.

And I didn’t have the balls (at the time) to ALWAYS put my priorities and goals FIRST, before those of my clients’.

You read that last line right.

In my opinion, demoting your goals to a lower level and “doing what’s best for your clients” is one step short of insanity.

Your goals are what matter in your life. They matter to you, to your family and to those who love you.

And the reason I say that is simple:

If you’re not assuming the responsibility of making sure you reach the goals you have for you… well then, no one else is going to do it.

There’s no one else who wants that job… EVER!

You are in business because YOU have goals to reach.

And because you’re smart, you realize that one proven way of reaching your goals is to help others reach their goals.

But don’t for a moment confuse your goals with your client’s goals.

So if helping your client reach his goals means that you have to in some way compromise reaching yours, then that is NOT the client for you.

You provide value in the way you provide it. Charge for that value and keep your focus on where you’re trying to go.

Let your clients worry about themselves.

Believe me, that’s all they’re looking out for anyway. And that’s as it should be.

Clients retain your services if and only if they are confident enough that what you offer can help them get where they want to go.

Maybe they like you…

And maybe they trust you…

But if they don’t think that having you around will help them get where they want to go… well they’re going to ask you to get OUT!

The fact is, to be successful and happy while working with clients, you have to be smart… and you have to have your shit together on the INSIDE of you.

If you don’t, you’ll probably get eaten alive.

Or, if you’re determined enough to just keep going, then you’ll probably end up frustrated, angry, feeling used or abused or undervalued or some other emotion that will really drive you nuts.

Now we come to the part of this letter that’s probably unlike most salesletters you’ve read.

I’m sure you’ve read those salesletters where the writer builds up the emotion around the problem you’re facing and then tries to garner some favor by letting you off the hook by saying something like, “It’s not your fault that you’re in this situation…”

Well, if you’re looking for that type of treatment, you’re at the wrong website.

The fact of the matter is that if you’re working with clients that drive you nuts…

OK, if you’re still reading then let me tell you the good news:

You can stop working with those clients today and make a change to start working with clients on YOUR terms only.

Really, everything is under your control.

I SO wish someone had pointed this out to me a few years ago.

Instead, I’d find myself in these client situations where I bought into the myth that I was a helpless victim and that Mr. X client was really being a jerk.

I now realize that I was the mastermind behind the whole debacle!

How’s THAT for a humbling revelation?

Here’s the secret that most people just don’t get:

Lemme say that again, “You have the power, NOT the client!!”

How can that be? After all, they have the money right? Not so fast Amigo.

The client has the money. Yes they do. But the thing is, there’s something that they want more than having that money. And that thing is the result of the work that they’re hiring you to do.

Only you can give them that result. And to get it, they’re happy to part with their money. Don’t forget that little fact for a minute. As long as you remember that, you are in control.

And being in control is how you win.

I used to think that the goal in business was win-win. But the longer I go, the more I realize that’s really just lip service said by people who aren’t brave enough to speak the truth.

Here’s the real deal: You can either play to win or you can get beaten by someone who is playing to win. Your choice. You have to make the choice or it will be made for you. And that’s not a pretty picture.

The purpose of this letter is to save you the learning curve I had to endure.

Most of the real progress I’ve made over the past years has more to do with what’s going on in between my ears than me learning any particular ninja client wooing technique or anything.

Most of the challenges I encountered really had nothing to do with my clients.

Instead, the problems were pretty much all caused by ME… by my thoughts… by my beliefs… and by my lack of clarity when it came to the reality of the business.

So that’s what I want to help you change…

That’s the name of the report I’ve packed with secrets about how to win at the client game. If you work with clients, then by all means be as smart as you can be about it. And this report will help you do it.

I call these things “secrets” not because people haven’t heard of them. I call them secrets because they aren’t doing them. And that’s as good as not knowing them.

You can download and be reading this PDF just a few minutes from now (you’ll get the download link within a few minutes of your order), but there’s some stuff we have to cover before you pull the trigger…

First, here are just a few of the things you’re going to discover in this little gem:

• What the “Messiah” syndrome is and how to avoid it. Trust me, it sucks and it can be very, very expensive.
• The only three reasons there are for why you aren’t making as much money as you want to be making.
• What business you’re really in, despite the skill you are offering for hire. (No, it’s not the marketing business.)
• Why you don’t want to fall into the chameleon trap if you are serious about making money.
• The four must have components you need to play the “client attraction” game.
• Why you are paid what you’re worth and what to do about it if that’s little more than peanuts.
• The one thing you should be very clear on before you ever start working with a new client.
• The best time to “fire” your client. That’s right, you “fire” them.
• What to do if you’re sick and tired of being an order taker. (If you’re not sick and tired of it, you should be, because that kind of freelancer doesn’t get paid squat!)
• Why your goal is not to create happy clients. That’s a dead end. You’ll discover what you should be focusing on instead.

Second, here’s some feedback I got when I sent a review copy to Sylvie Fortin, CEO/Founder of Workaholics4Hire.com Inc.

Here’s what she said:

And here’s another one that came in from copywriter and business growth expert Ryan Healy:

If you’ve ever been frustrated by clients, felt undervalued or under appreciated and you finally want to take control and make it STOP, then download your copy now for only $27. You could make your money back using just one of the strategies during your next client engagement. But just imagine what you could do if you use all 46 of them? Hmmmm….

Of course, your satisfaction is guaranteed. But you have to ask yourself, if you’re looking for guarantees, is this really the right business for you? Because last time I checked, there are no guarantees.

I can’t guarantee you’ll make a million bucks and neither can anyone else. Only you can.

Anyway, download your copy now. It’s only about 57 pages so you can be on your way growing your business (the smart way) in no time. You only have to read 57 pages to be armed with some strategies use can use to make more, work less and put yourself in the driver’s seat of your own business.

It’s time to take control…

Download your copy right now. It’s packed with killer tips that will help you take your business to a level where it can serve YOU instead of you serving it.

Good luck!

Jason Leister

P.S. I had a customer return a copy of this guide not too long ago saying it “had too much attitude.”

How he could have read a letter like this (even the toned down version I started with) and not expected some serious attitude is beyond me. Go figure.

If you’re not prepared to GET that the only person responsible for your struggle as a freelancer is you, then you are not ready for what’s in this guide. Do yourself a favor and invest in some more self-development before you come back here.

And of course there’s attitude in this guide. There’s a reason for attitude. The reason is that showing a little attitude makes it clear to the world (and to your clients) that you’re serious about business and you’re serious about what you do.

People tend to mess around with you less when you make that clear. You don’t have to be a jerk about it, just be strong and confident. Because if you go out into the world without those two things, you will get trampled. Or worse, simply ignored.