Delicious article. Apt, consice and with very specific advice.
I have recently (1 year ago) gone freelance myself, after having been in the business for 7 years. I’ve learned step by step how much of this advice is spot on; actually listening to the client and talking straight to them seems to generate an air of confidence which is decidedly different than meetings were back in my age of fixed income.
Two additional tips I’ve learned:
- Use the phone a lot. Text is a terrible way to communicate, and if you can’t meet the client face to face, calling them to clear up misunderstandings or new developments is a surefire way to let clients feel in the loop, not to mention actually getting responses more quickly.
- Be prepared to lose an assignment. Despite the recession, one shouldn’t do whatever it takes to get a project. Be brutally honest to yourself and your client. Say no to a project which is out of your scope or area of interest. Say no if the price to work ratio is imbalanced. It’s just good business.
Joen
Delicious article. Apt, consice and with very specific advice.
I have recently (1 year ago) gone freelance myself, after having been in the business for 7 years. I’ve learned step by step how much of this advice is spot on; actually listening to the client and talking straight to them seems to generate an air of confidence which is decidedly different than meetings were back in my age of fixed income.
Two additional tips I’ve learned:
- Use the phone a lot. Text is a terrible way to communicate, and if you can’t meet the client face to face, calling them to clear up misunderstandings or new developments is a surefire way to let clients feel in the loop, not to mention actually getting responses more quickly.
- Be prepared to lose an assignment. Despite the recession, one shouldn’t do whatever it takes to get a project. Be brutally honest to yourself and your client. Say no to a project which is out of your scope or area of interest. Say no if the price to work ratio is imbalanced. It’s just good business.