I’ll get to you in a minute. First, I’m going to address my brethren.

Dear fellow freelancers, tell me if this sounds familiar: While exploring prospective clients, you realize that someone you are close with knows a person at a company you’d like to connect with. So falling back on the old “it’s who you know” adage (#networking!), you contact your friend or family member and say something along these lines: “Hey, I see you know Person A at Company B. I’d love to offer them my writing services. Would you mind introducing me so I can ask the best way to go about that?”

Sound familiar so far? And now here’s the kicker. Your friend/relative/colleague responds with: “Well, I don’t want to impose” or “I’d be uncomfortable asking for a favor.”

Sigh.

Dear folks who love a freelancer: Thanks for waiting. Now I’ll get to you.

If you’ve uttered words such as cited above, you need to reframe your perspective. When your freelancer friend or family member — and we’re talking about people who are experienced, published writers — asks you to make an introduction, don’t look at it as asking for a favor. Look at it as presenting an opportunity.

Companies are increasingly using content marketing to educate and retain customers. That means smart companies want strong writers. When we freelance writers introduce ourselves to a prospective client, either via a letter of introduction (LOI) or a personal contact (that’s you), we are not begging for work. We are offering our services — services that have the strong potential to improve business-client/customer relationships.

So the next time your freelancing loved one asks, “Hey, can you introduce me to your friend at Company B*?” remember: You aren’t “asking for a favor.” You are fostering an introduction that will hopefully lead to a mutually beneficial business relationship.

Isn’t that a better way to look at it?

* If “Company B” makes you hear “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” in your head, a virtual handshake and tip of the hat to you.