So far, I have been hired by clients at least 393 times. The client said, “Okay. Let’s do it.” And, conversely, I have not been hired maybe 1,000 times. Or even more. (Who would keep count of that, anyway?) The odd thing is, I have no idea why I get hired, and why I(…)
Getting work
Monday Answers 6: Your real competitors. And what convinces clients?
Magda: Q: How do you convince potential clients you are good at what you do when there is so much competition? What type of “proof” works best? A: The types of ‘proof’ that work best. In order of importance. 1. When someone else says you are good. “Contact Magda. She’s very good. Knows what she’s doing.”(…)
Handling the first contact, the first call. Without blowing it.
First, try not to talk so much. Mostly, you listen. Let the client speak. Do that, and you will ace this. Because right now, we don’t know much about the client and what they want, so what would we blather about anyway? Ourselves? Please, no. (I got this wrong for ages.) I don’t want to(…)
Making what they like: Getting out of your own way
The quick lesson: If they ain’t buying, get over yourself and change it. A few years back, Sunday mornings at our local bagel shop, I’d hear the same amusing exchange, over and over again. A customer would point to the baskets of bagels and tell the bagel guy, “Could you pick out the darker ones,(…)
What to do after they say “We’ll call you.”
This happens a lot. You finally make contact with a juicy buyer: a heavy-using dream client who buys loads of what you do, and has a fat budget for freelancers. You have a pleasant conversation or two. They like your work. Your vibes are aligned. You’re feeling happy. Then . . . then, they say,(…)