There are more than a few factors that influence the success of your business as a freelance writer. Some of them are beyond your reach, and there’s nothing you can about it, but some of them you can influence. Per example, you can work on your writing style, manage your marketing, you could work on these aspects and enlarge the volume of your writing service.
One of the major factors of influence on your success is a good customer service. This aspect of your business, when handled properly, makes all the difference in terms of getting a job and keeping the client. The main goal is to keep your client satisfied and your wallet happy. So how do you do it? Let’s find out together in this article.
Freelance Writing
Winning a bid
Most freelancers have problems with initial approach. I have seen it with a lot of freelance writers, the problem of reaching out to customer in order to present themselves in the best possible way. The name of the game is to make your client see your competitors as high school paper writers compared to you. So how do you win a bid? There are three rules to follow, and you will stand out among the vast number of freelancers once you present.
Do your research – This might sound as a phrase but, be proactive. Learn as much as you can about what your client expects. When you submit your offer, ask for those questions that you would usually be asked during the interview. You can ask about the time-frame, budget, expectations in terms of word count, formatting, etc. Make your client see that you are interested in this job.
Know your client – Visit their web page, see what it’s all about and see how you could turn that information into your advantage. If you learn what kind of writing appeals to your client, you will know what kind of previous work you need to show, in case you get asked to show some previous work.
Follow up – Let your potential client think about your offer for a while. Close the meeting by summing up the terms of your eventual cooperation and let your client know that you are expecting their reply soon.
Presenting the quote
It’s really important that your attitude gives your client assurance that you are going to take care about each of their needs. Of course, you don’t want to present a false image, you need to be straight to your client at all time. Keeping in mind both your and your client’s benefit is important when you present your offer, and always remember these three rules:
Charge your worth – Don’t think that you need to set the smallest price in order to get the job. You will get the job with some clients that don’t care about the quality of their content, but that’s not what you need. You need to respect your talent and your dedication to your client.
Be direct – Make sure that your client understands what you are offering. Don’t beat around the bush and leave anything undisclosed. Clients appreciate that kind of approach, it shows that you take your job seriously.
Bring a contract – Always go prepared, even if your clients still has issues and has to think about your offer. It’s better to let your client leave the meeting with contract in hand, at least better than leaving empty-handed.
Managing the project
Winning a bid is easy, for some people it even comes naturally, but keeping the client happy during the projects, that takes experience and a lot of steady nerves. Here are some tips on how to handle your client during the project.
Ask for feedback – Don’t wait until the end of your project to ask for client’s feedback. You don’t want your client to be excluded from the process. There are some freelancers that prefer “go write my paper” type of clients, but those freelancers don’t do too well most of their time. When you ask your client for a feedback during your writing process it helps you see what needs to be edited, corrected, cut out, etc.
Hit your deadlines – I’m sure that there’s not too much to explain here. Make sure that you always deliver your work on time. If you’re trying to make a name for yourself in this job, you should especially pay attention to honoring the time-frames. Sometimes when you get stuck or hit a dead end, you may ask your client for a clarification. If you need to do a deep research, don’t hesitate do buy research papers online if needed.
Finalizing the project
Once you finish your project and you do your job well, it’s time to make your client want to come back, or at least help you get a little bit higher on the freelance ladder.
Keep in touch – Don’t let your client forget about you, after a while, send your client a message, asking about the overall satisfaction with your work. Let your client know that you care.
Ask for testimonials – If you have a happy client, let the others know that. But instead of you being the one that speaks, let your client do the talking. Ask your client to write a good review, but don’t be pushy.
Ask for recommendations – You should always ask for a recommendation. You might think that it’s a shameful thing to do, or that it’s unprofessional, but my experience is different. Satisfied client will always recommend a good writer.
Be proactive – Keep a client database and from time to time, check your old clients, send them an email, ask if there’s anything you can do for them. It’s good to be the one that asks for the job, especially if you’re in a slow period.
So now that you know what you have to do, you’re thinking that all the other writers are doing the same. It’s true, this is not something new and most freelancers have the same method of work. But that’s not suppose to be a problem for you. All you have to do is to do all these things better than the rest of them.
About the author:
Samantha Anderson is an ambitious college student. She spends her free time tutoring and writing creative articles for Writing Service WriteMyPaper.Today She loves reading and climbing. She’s convinced that These two -are the best ways to get inspired.
