Every business thrives on its customers and clients whether you sell a product or a service. However, while you hope everyone will be respectful and reliable, you can’t always guarantee you work with good clients. This issue becomes even trickier in the freelance space where competition often looks to undercut you and offer similar (albeit lower quality) services for less money. So how can you ensure you work with great clients to build your small business?
Check Their Reviews
If you use freelancing sites like PeoplePerHour or Upwork, you can check the reviews and ratings from previous freelancers. This allows you to see whether the person you want to work with is worth connecting with. It also helps you avoid common freelancer scams that might expect you to pay them or otherwise ask you to do work that falls outside of the website policy, such as taking the communication off-platform. As long as you’re diligent with whom you reach out to, you should be able to find quality clients.
Outline Your Contract
Many freelancers don’t have a contract but a contract is essential for protecting yourself and ensuring you set appropriate boundaries. This issue is especially important when freelancing in the age of AI as clients may look for any excuse not to pay you. Your contract does not need to be too complicated; it can simply state how much you charge, how much you’re expected to do, and any additional information like working hours. If the client is resistant to signing the contract, it could be a hint they are not as good as they seem.
Confirm Any Questions
While many projects are straightforward, you may encounter problems. The best way to avoid this and maintain a great relationship with your clients is by confirming any questions. These queries could arise when reading the brief if it isn’t clear or misses some key information. It’s always better to ask questions as soon as possible rather than submit work that isn’t up to standard.
Deliver Work On Time
Similarly, using time-management tips for freelancers can help you ensure you deliver work on time and to the highest standard. The last thing you want is to build a reputation for being unreliable or disorganised. This doesn’t mean you can never submit anything late, but you should still contact the client to let them know if you encounter any delays or problems.
Make Sure You Get Paid
Getting paid can feel like an endless battle for freelancers even when you’ve had the client sign a contract. One way to avoid this is by using invoicing software and services that make it easier to collate all the work you’ve done during the billing period, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. If you’re concerned about getting paid, ask for a deposit upfront.
Great Clients
While it can feel like great clients are hard to come by–especially in your first few months working solo–there are many ways to find the right clients for your business. In the meantime, try to work with as many people as possible to get an idea about what you look for in a client and identify great clients when they come along.
