Finding & keeping quality clients.
If there is one thing that most freelancers can agree on it is that finding new clients can be challenging, especially when you are just starting out. Becoming a business owner is often derived from the desire for more freedom, but the stress of not knowing where your next paycheque will be coming from can overshadow all the benefits of working for yourself. So, with this in mind, feel free to consider some of the tips below as you look to break the cycle of the client carousel.
Freelance work, or any work for that matter, can have good experiences and bad. For every good or great client that exists there is likely an equal ratio of bad ones. But, when you land a really good client you want to keep them and you want to find more like them. So, as you venture into the waters of freelance work make sure you start off on the right foot by keeping a summary of all the jobs you complete. Take some time to dissect each project and reflect on the good and/ or bad experiences that came with it. As your portfolio of work grows, so will your ability to understand who your ideal clients are and how to spot red flags before it's too late.
Be a step ahead and work to identify what your client really wants or needs. Now, I know this advice may not be applicable for all entrepreneurs. If you’re a plumber and your client has a leaking toilet, the answer is likely self-explanatory. But in some cases, like in marketing for example, the answer may not be so clear. Maybe your client has approached you with a conceptual idea that they have for a local campaign or a new business venture of their own. They might have a general idea of what they’d like the final product to look like, but they may not know how to get there. The bottom line is they have approached you because you are the expert in this scenario. So instead of waiting on instructions from your client take the lead and create what you believe to be the best possible solution for them. Of course, you will always have to be receptive to feedback, but creating a reputation for knowing what your client needs before they do will go a long way in expanding your clientele.
Don’t always assume that simply giving your client an hourly rate for your services is the best approach to a project. When you approach your work with the sense that you are trying to create a specific solution for their problem it changes the way your client sees the project and more importantly, the way they see you - someone has their best interests in mind as opposed to hoping the hours keep coming their way. By eliminating the hourly rate approach, when it is applicable, you position yourself to create a fee based on the scope of work, timing, and the value of what you believe the final product will be worth. Not only will this keep the project from dragging on, it will also give you the ability to plan more effectively for the long-term success of your business by giving you a better understanding of your projected yearly income.
You’ve got creativity. We’ve got connections.
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