Clients

The best clients to chase

If you’re going to actively look for clients (as opposed to lie in wait for them), who should you be pursuing?

What kinds of clients are worth hunting?

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Clients

What your client wants. Really.

Sometimes the assignment isn’t what we think it is.

In fact it’s often something else entirely.

For me, things tend to go a lot smoother when I remember that. I get more work, more referrals, too.

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Clients

Slightly devious client handling

First, let me go on record:  I actually like most of my clients.

It is always more profitable to treat your clients with utmost respect, to be on their side, to sweat out the best way to deliver what they want (even when it’s not what they say they want.)

But if you have been freelancing for more than six days, you already know that we are out-gunned by clients most of the time. So it never hurts to find an edge, however slight, wherever we can.

The first of The Freelancery’s field-tested tactics:

(Please use sparingly. And don’t let these get around. We’ll post more in the days ahead.)

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Clients

Designer Paul Rand: Client Handling 101

An interview with a younger Steve Jobs, about working with legendary Paul Rand on designing an identity (called a ‘logo’ back then) for NeXT Computer.

Spoiler:  The sticky-note quote:  “I will solve your problem the best way I know how.  And you will pay me.  You don’t have to use it, but you [...]

Clients

Two tantrums that worked, sort of.

I’m a bit embarrassed to relate this.  And I do not advocate treating clients this way.  It is childish and unprofessional.  (But it felt good.)  In general I adore my clients.

I offer this only because the statute of limitations has expired.   Here’s the story.

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Clients

Playing hard to get

I’m beginning to suspect that it’s smart, at least sometimes, to turn down and beg off assignments from time to time (even if you really want them.)

It seems to be, paradoxically, good for business.

And no, this is not about hauteur. This is not about being a diva or a prima donna.  It’s about some reverse zen contrarian anti-matter dynamic that I can’t figure out.

Latest example.

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Clients

When to say no: A budget mismatch

This is a lesson I have to re-learn every once in a while:

If you’re working at the lower limit of your fee range, and the client is at the upper limits of their budget range, step away.  Better yet, run.

When it’s small potatoes for you, but a major deal for them, it will go south fast. You will lose money. They will be pissed off.  It will be a 360-degree stinker.

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Clients

This counts as much as skill. Or more.

Think carefully about how you make clients feel.

Do they like to call you?  Do they feel better after talking to you?

This may sound like touchy-feely silliness, but it’s critical to your bottom line.  Because clients will tend to business with you (or not) based on how you make them feel.  It counts as much, or more, than your skill or expertise.  Even if your clients are hard-boiled engineers or no-nonsense numbers guys.

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Clients

Cash Cows: Care and feeding

As a rule, it is more profitable to have a handful of big and busy clients rather than dozens of smaller ones. You can be more productive and efficient doing repeat business with familiar clients.  There is no learning curve and less administrative and marketing overhead.

The more of these big clients in your portfolio, the greater your income.  It works that way for every freelancer I know.

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