How do you deal with clients?

Those who perform freelance work work for different clients. You came into contact with them through acquaintances, through a mediation platform or you approached them yourself via telephone acquisition. Clients are your largest source of income. Without clients, no money comes in. It is therefore important to build a good and long-term relationship with them.

If you have just started as a freelancer or self-employed person, all help is of course welcome! Especially when it comes to how you behave towards your client. These five tips ensure the right appearance!

1. Respond quickly to emails and phone calls Is this a tip? This is self-evident, isn't it? Yes, you would think so, but this is not always reality in practice. To build a good relationship, it is important that you handle emails and phone calls from your client immediately or within one day. This way you leave a good impression and give the client the idea that his assignment has priority. If you are not available at that time, please send a message that you will come back to it at a later time.

2. Provide updates on progress Keep the client up to date on the progress of the project. If necessary, ask a few more questions to best understand the client's wishes. This gives him the feeling that you are thinking along and working hard to achieve the desired result.

3. The client is king. Always adapt the assignment to the client's wishes and keep him satisfied. After all, you are doing the assignment on behalf of... When the assignment has been completed, you can offer some extras by agreeing that if any changes need to be made, you are prepared to make them. This can of course be completed according to your own ideas, but it does give the client the confidence that if something is wrong it can be resolved immediately.

4. Send a design first Before submitting the assignment, it is useful to first send a design, sketch or example. The client can review everything and this gives the opportunity to provide some feedback where necessary. For you, this is an extra check to see whether you are on the right track.

5. Be honest. Clearly indicate your limits. Is it not possible in terms of time planning because, for example, you have to pick up your children from school? Then discuss in advance that you will not be available for a few hours at the end of the afternoon. Do you have weekends off? Please let us know. The future with the client becomes a lot easier. They will especially appreciate the honesty and that is precisely why they will collaborate with you. Saying no is sometimes difficult, but it ensures that you don't let people walk all over you.

What does it get you? When you apply the above tips, you will first leave a nice impression. There is a good chance that the client will entrust you with another assignment. Satisfaction also includes positive feedback. Have the client write a reference that you can add to your resume or online profile. Positive reactions from previous clients show new clients that you have what it takes. Just make sure that you first ask the party in question whether you can publish the reference online.

By: Ilse van der Meulen As a customer-oriented community & content manager, Ilse builds brands with the aim of creating connectedness. She is creative in thinking and doing and has a passion for writing (poems).