My So-Called Freelance Life - Michelle Goodman [57]
Always be diplomatic with clients, no matter how frustrating things get. “You want to be really careful about not burning your bridges,” says Lisa, the magazine editor turned freelance writer. “When every assignment is something you’re selling yourself on, no one is obligated to use you. And there are so many other people out there doing the work.”
In other words, even if you’re swearing off the guy who almost cost you your writing career by falsifying quotes, don’t get all Amy Winehouse on him and make a scene worthy of the tabloids. The freelance world is smaller than you think, and clients talk among themselves all the time. If you need to vent about a stupid client trick, do so with your freelance BFFs. To your clients, you should be nothing short of a Disney character, complete with chirping bluebirds, circling butterflies, and a crown woven from buttercups. I’m not saying you shouldn’t hold your ground and have the firm, difficult discussions you may need to have about botched contracts and project curve balls. But remember that professionalism and diplomacy will get you much further than raging hissy fits.
Leave Them Begging for More
The hope is that after one gig, your shiny new client will ask you back to the ball. But if an invitation doesn’t appear to be forthcoming, don’t wait for them to make the first move. For all they know, you’re slammed with work or you’re looking for a full-time staff gig. So when you’re invoicing for your first completed project, tell your new client you’ve enjoyed working with them and you’d like an encore. Ask what their freelance needs look like over the next few months. Be calm, matter-of-fact; clients don’t like the pushy car salesman approach.
If the client hasn’t given you much feedback on your work, you can also add, “Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to do differently in the future.” (Subtext: “I’m open to suggestions. Fire away.”) Be prepared to take criticism graciously; don’t argue or get defensive. If your client was on the fence about asking you back to the party, an opening like this might make the difference between her writing you off and her saying, “Your designs are gorgeous, but all those file-formatting mistakes you made cost us valuable production time. You need to get it together if you want this relationship to continue.” At which point you should of course promise the moon (and make damned sure you deliver next time).
Once a client becomes a steady, it’s up to you to check in with them every so often: monthly, quarterly, annually, whatever jibes with the size of your projects. (Notice how I didn’t say every week—remember, clients love low maintenance!) Email them a quick, “Hey, I hope things are good with you. Your new website/issue/product looks really great—congrats! I’d love to work with you again and have some availability next month if you need help.” More often than not, a steady client who loves your work will assign you a project within hours or days.
If a steady client invites you to a company picnic, a holiday party, or an in-house training on company processes and tools that interest you, by all means go (especially if there’s free food involved). Ditto if your editor, art director, or manager invites you to lunch. Out of sight, out of mind. But get right under their nose, and you move to the front of the line for new assignments. Besides, face-time get-togethers can yield dishy insider details about upcoming product launches, budget cuts, personnel changes—all info you might not otherwise have access to.
Never lose sight of the fact that this is work, not