Yesterday I posted some
Freelance Business Management Tips Finding Success when Freelancing. Which can help you to get set up when freelancing. But today I want to post some actual client management tips as well for learning how to handle and deal with your clients that you get when freelancing. Of course having some business management skills can help you to get a good start in the world of freelancing. But you will also want to know about some good client management tips as well so you can know how to handle your clients and prospective buyers more efficiently and help you to find success!
- Always remain and act professional. Give respect to earn respect. Stand your ground but be willing and open to move, within reason. If a client looses his/her cool with you, don't retaliate in the same way. Learn to diffuse the situation by talking calmly and logically. Be like Spock!
- Set your working hours and stick to them. Don't reply to clients and or customers emails late at night or on weekends as they will come to expect it and then when you don't they will be left feeling neglected.
- Learn to know who the genuine clients worth spending time on are and those that are tyre kickers and time wasters that do nothing but drain your time and energy.
- Don't bite off more than you can chew and get overloaded with work that you will deliver late as clients don't like that and wont return to buy again. Always make sure you can handle and complete extra work by having someone you can outsource it to if possible.
- Have a back up plan in place just in case you do get too much work such as being able to outsource parts of it to people to do it for you.
- Always be willing and open to negotiate with buyers but don't ever sell yourself or your work too short. Keep it valuable by keeping it valuable.
- Don't ever pitch for free. Sometimes a buyer may ask for a pitch that could last a day or so, ask them if they can pay for the time you are giving them in the pitch. It will make them value you much more!
- Create terms for a contingency budget when taking on a big job so they can pay you a little up front first or in installments which some buyers are happy with.
These are just some basic tips for managing your clients. But they're all very important to know of and get right in your freelance career and will help you to succeed!
Do you always remain calm and professional with irate clients? Be honest.
Do you stick to your working hours or do you work around the clock?
Can you identify genuine buyers vs tyre kickers?
Do you bite off more than you can chew? How do you handle that?
Do you have a backup contingency plan in place?
Do you pitch for free? What if the pitch takes 6+ hours?
Do you have a contingency budget plan in place for big jobs?
Cristian
No. Well, I'm a very passionate guy, I'll burn like a roman candle if someone gets on my nerves. In fact, most of my negative reviews are because I couldn't keep my mouth shut and have some professional patience.
So there. I was honest.
Well. I generally work after my day job but sometimes I get up very early and work then.
Yes I can smell tyre kickers from a mile away.
Well, no. I usually get myself into project I can actually deliver.
Yes I do, its called my day job.
I usually pitch for free. If I get the project, fine, if not, well, that's life.
I don't really know what this is, so I guess no. [quote]Do you always remain calm and professional with irate clients? Be honest.[/quote] No. Well, I'm a very passionate guy, I'll burn like a roman candle if someone gets on my nerves. In fact, most of my negative reviews are because I couldn't keep my mouth shut and have some professional patience. So there. I was honest. :D [quote]Do you stick to your working hours or do you work around the clock?[/quote] Well. I generally work after my day job but sometimes I get up very early and work then. [quote]Can you identify genuine buyers vs tyre kickers?[/quote] Yes I can smell tyre kickers from a mile away. [quote]Do you bite off more than you can chew? How do you handle that?[/quote] Well, no. I usually get myself into project I can actually deliver. [quote]Do you have a backup contingency plan in place?[/quote] Yes I do, its called my day job. [quote]Do you pitch for free? What if the pitch takes 6+ hours?[/quote] I usually pitch for free. If I get the project, fine, if not, well, that's life. [quote]Do you have a contingency budget plan in place for big jobs?[/quote] I don't really know what this is, so I guess no.
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