Most new freelancers make one vital error: we catch ourselves acting like employees.
But even as we become more seasoned, even the best of us can fall into the âemployeeâ mindset trap that is at the foundation of virtually every major freelance mistake:
âAs long as I do the specific job I was hired to do, and I do it well, everything will be fine.â
But unfortunately for us, when something goes wrong with any portion of a project weâre working on, somehow itâs always our butt on the line.
So how can you approach each clientâs project in a way that protects you, protects their interests, and helps secure overall success and fuzzy feelings?
Well letâs look at common mistakes we make, and how to prevent them.
#1. Did You Start the Project on the Right Foot?
We know the drill about first impressions, but when someone has just dropped a check for a couple thousand dollars, or theyâve just fastened 40% of their budget to your coat tails, wellâŚit doubly matters!
After securing and managing over 100 projects for myself and freelancers I coach, Iâve tested various ways to instantly set a project on the right foot within the first 30 minutes of securing the deal. We tested sending thank you gifts like movie tickets, informative articles we think they might like, doing nothing at all, and even calling everyone on the team for a brief introduction.
Surprisingly, none of that did much to sway results. What seemed to make clients happy and secure a long-term relationship even when problems arose later on was one simple thing:
Within the first 30 minutes, send an immediate deliverable related to your project and what you were hired to do.
Example: If you were hired to design a companyâs website, within a half an hour of taking the project, just send an email with links to a couple websites you think have elements theyâd like for their site. Ask them for their feedback, and ask specific questions like âIâm thinking of creating a header similar to the one at xyzwebsite.com. What do you think? Weâll change the colors and exact design, but is this the feel youâre going after?â
Same with copywriting or virtually anything else. Send examples of what you think they want to get their feedback with specific questions.
#2. Have You Been Too Available?
This one really surprised me when I first began freelancing. I found that when I made myself overly available, my client more than took advantage â to the detriment of my sanity and the projectâs health.
Though not as much of an issue with a corporate client or a medium sized business, if you freelance for professionals, startups, or very small companies, youâll find that they get really excited, want to discuss new ideas with you, and sometimes even want project updates numerous times a day.
Not only does this stress you out, but more importantly it prevents you from focusing on the actual work. Studies show that when a personâs focus is interrupted, even if for just a moment, it takes an average of 25 minutes to two hours to regain concentration and return to the original task. In essence, it is costing you time and costing your client money.
I suggest providing an email address and an emergency phone number, and thatâs it. Definitely no Instant Messenger! I made that mistake with my first client and literally, several times an hour, he would message me about some press they were trying to get, who said what about their website, and new ideas he had that he wanted my feedback on.
Regulate that small talk to a weekly meeting if you have to. And if youâre in the middle of a productive session, donât pick up the phone. Let it go to voicemail, give it half an ear, and if it sounds like a fire burning, then you can stop what youâre doing to put it out. Otherwise, call them back when youâre done.
#3. Will You Let Your Client Sabotage the Project?
One of my freelancers recently accepted a project she was really excited about. Unfortunately, her client was also very excited and constantly bombarded her with new ideas, new tweaks, and additions he wanted.
The project they originally specified grew way beyond its initial framework and worst of all, every time she would make progress on the project, heâd call and say, âI just had a brilliant idea. Scrap everything beforeâŚletâs do it like THIS!â
Because he was one of her first clients, she didnât want to rein him in and tell him âNo.â But then, three months after they began working together, he started accusing her of taking too long to complete the project, and over-estimating her hours.
âBut he keeps changing everything!â sheâd complain to me.
So finally she took my advice and sat him down for a serious talk. She explained that during this meeting they were going to revisit the projectâs goals and set a new deadline for completion. She was going to ask him to tell her exactly what he wanted and at the end, she would review the new project details with him. If he had no changes to make, then she would consider the new outline approved and he would, under no circumstances, be allowed to change it afterwards.
It was the only way to meet his deadline.
He agreed and after a couple kind but firm âNo, I told you, we canât change it,â talks, he eventually stopped calling. And the project met its deadline and he was satisfied.
But what if you try to say no and your client isnât willing to cease?
Say, âThatâs a great idea. Iâll write that down for Phase 2. Weâll see how this version of the product/campaign does, and once we have enough data, weâll test these new ideas against it, and see which does better.â
Iâve yet to meet a client that could argue with a strategy that involves testing and cold, hard data!
And that leads me toâŚ.
#4. What If You Disagree With the Client â Or *gasp* Argue?
This is a very touchy subject for many freelancers. How do you approach a client that has strong opinions that, in your professional opinion, may hurt the success of the project?
If you let the client have his way, you risk the project not hitting its targets and regardless how you feel about it, the responsibility will almost 100% land in YOUR lap.
But who wants to go against the client we value and depend upon for our daily bread?
Iâve found the safe, but firm ground to always walk on is that of the data. We all have opinions and they will always be attached to emotions. To keep from arguing with a client or having it get personal or uncomfortable, just use this simple technique:
If your client wants to use a different headline, or a different color, or a different marketing channel â whatever it is, just say, âSure. We can test that. In my opinion such-and-such might be a better option because [always validate your alternative with reasons and as much data or past experience as you can].â
Most of the time, because you havenât invalidated their idea, theyâll go with your expertise and let you do it your way. But if they feel strongly about it, thereâs still no need to argue. You just agree to split test your alternative to theirs. Then go with the one the market chooses.
#5. How Will You Manage a Clientâs Dissatisfaction?
Strangely, my staunchest supporters, most prolific referrers, and happiest clients are the ones that at one time came to me with some issue about where our project was going or how I was handling it.
How could this be?
Because misunderstandings, miscommunications, and overall discomfort are guaranteed to occur at some point in the virtual freelancing world. Your client is most likely used to an office atmosphere where everyone is copied on every email, clarification is just 10 feet away in the next cubicle, and someone else can always be to blame.
But weâre the lone rangers on the other end of the DSL line (or hey, maybe youâre into cableâŚ). And if youâre like me, most of your clients have never, and will never, meet you in person. So youâre mysterious, removed, and âwhat exactly is she spending all her billable time on?â
So what do you do when your client comes to you dissatisfied or even upse
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