Have you ever crafted a proposal so good, you knew was pure gold, sent it off with high hopes and a sense of excitement, only to be met with... complete and utter silence, leaving you to wonder, "Does my work even deserve the courtesy of a response, or was it just a shot in the dark?" This is the frustration of dealing with unresponsive clients! And as a freelancer, I've been there too. It's like, you're excited to work on a project, you've sent over the proposal, and... crickets. No response. No feedback. No nothing. Worse still, you hop on the first few lines of chat, gets a go ahead and then the ghosting. First, take a deep breath and don't take it personally. It's common for clients to get busy or overwhelmed. But, as a freelancer, your time is valuable, and you need to know how to handle these situations. Here's what works for me: 1. Follow up politely: Send a gentle nudge, reiterating your interest in working together. Keep it brief and friendly. 2. Set clear expectations: In your initial proposal or contract, outline your communication expectations. This way, clients know what to expect from you and vice versa. 3. Don't over-invest: Be cautious not to spend too much time or energy on a project without a clear green light from the client. 4. Move on: If the client remains unresponsive, it's okay to move on to other projects or prospects. Your time is valuable, and you deserve to work with clients who respect that. 5. Learn and adjust: Use this experience to refine your client onboarding process or communication strategy. Identify any red flags or areas for improvement. Remember, as a freelancer, you're running a business. Be professional, patient, and proactive, but also prioritize your own needs and time.
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⚠️IF YOU IGNORE THIS YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH. 👉The Importance of Creating a Great Offer as a Freelancer As freelancers, one of the most important things we can do is create a great offer for our clients. But surprisingly, many people don’t take this seriously. Let’s talk about why it’s crucial and how a good offer can make all the difference. 📢Stands Out from the Competition: A well-crafted offer sets you apart from others. It shows that you understand the client’s needs and have tailored your services to meet them. 📢Builds Trust: When you present a clear, valuable offer, it builds trust with the client. They see that you’re professional and committed to delivering quality work. 📢Increases Value: A good offer highlights the value you provide. It helps clients see the benefits of working with you and why your services are worth the investment. 🫵you will get this now, A while back, I was struggling to close deals. I realized my offers were too generic and not focused on the client’s specific needs. I decided to change my approach. For one potential client, I created a detailed offer that included a personalized plan, clear deliverables, and a timeline. This new offer showed the client exactly how I could help them achieve their goals. The result? They were impressed and chose to work with me. Since then, I’ve made it a habit to craft personalized offers for every client, and my success rate has significantly improved. So, don’t underestimate the power of a great offer. Take the time to understand your client’s needs and tailor your services to provide maximum value. It can make all the difference in closing the deal and building long-term relationships. what are your views 🤔 let me know in the comments. Follow Sachin Mishra For more such content #Freelancing #ClientOffers #SalesTips #BuildingTrust #ValueProposition
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"I know people that charge less." How to respond when clients say like this? As a freelancer or contractor, you've probably heard this one before: "I know people that charge less." It can be frustrating when a client tries to lowball you, especially if you know your worth. But don't let it get you down! Here's how to respond to clients who say "I know people that charge less": 1. Stay calm and professional. Don't let the client's comment get to you. Remember, you're the professional here. Take a deep breath and respond in a calm and collected manner. 2. Explain your value. Let the client know why you charge what you do. Explain your experience, skills, and expertise. Highlight the value you can bring to their project. 3. Be confident. Believe in your worth and don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. If the client is still not willing to pay your rate, you may need to walk away from the project. 4. End on a positive note. If the client is still interested in working with you, but they're just not willing to pay your full rate, you can try to negotiate a compromise. Offer them a discounted rate or a smaller scope of work. If you're feeling confident, you can also try this response: "I know people that charge less, but I also know people that charge more. I'm confident that my services are worth the price I'm asking." This response shows that you're aware of your value and that you're not afraid to stand up for yourself. It also puts the ball in the client's court. If they're still not willing to pay your rate, they'll have to decide if they're willing to go with a less experienced or qualified freelancer. Remember, you're the expert here. You know your worth and you should be confident in your ability to get paid what you deserve. But how if your boss pays you lesser than your friend working the same position in similar company? Check out if your boss pays you what you deserve >> https://lnkd.in/g8b2Dw3y
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I almost got conned this week. 𝐴𝑙𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡. A freelance client decided to manipulate me into working on a 𝚙̲𝚊̲𝚒̲𝚍̲ assignment for them… 𝚏̲𝚘̲𝚛̲ ̲𝚏̲𝚛̲𝚎̲𝚎̲. Thankfully, they ghosted me before I could complete the project / hand it in to them. But not before manipulating me into feeling like 𝐼 was the con artist. How? I gave them an invoice requesting an upfront deposit before starting work… hence why they lost their s**t - and then ghosted. In hindsight, I dodged a major bullet. Yet it’s unfortunate how many of these people exist out there. As a freelancer, I recall reading the book “Winning Through Intimidation” by Robert Ringer during moments like this. In the aforementioned book, the author talks about his experiences as a real estate agent, navigating a “viscous jungle” of corporate sociopaths and dishonest clients. He writes a lot about the idea of maintaining your posture, AKA not allowing yourself to be intimidated by crooks and nefarious people. He also talks about how in any business deal or negotiation, one must maneuver themselves into a position of power - so as not to be intimidated. What does this strategy look like for freelancers? ➡️ Asking for an upfront deposit before starting work on any assignment and 𝚊̲𝚗̲𝚍̲ ̲𝚜̲𝚝̲𝚊̲𝚝̲𝚒̲𝚗̲𝚐̲ ̲𝚜̲𝚘̲ ̲𝚒̲𝚗̲ ̲𝚢̲𝚘̲𝚞̲𝚛̲ ̲𝚒̲𝚗̲𝚟̲𝚘̲𝚒̲𝚌̲𝚎̲. ➡️ Making sure that all of your clients sign a contract before you do anything for them. ➡️ Declining to work with clients who refuse to do any of the above. Remember: your value as a freelancer comes from your ability to say, “No” to immoral treatment. This helps you weed out the con-artists and clients who just want free work out of you; who are willing to lie to your face to get it. Just because you might identify as a creator doesn't mean you don’t have the business savviness required to make bad clients go away. It’s a good thing if they ghost you - trust me. You’re better off.
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Are you a freelancer trying to develop good professional relationship with clients? If you said yes, do not use this word while interacting with them! And the word is 'ASAP' Firstly, it's not a word But an abbreviation of As soon as possible! Secondly, nobody likes uncertainty Especially when it comes to work The message you are giving to the client is this, "I don't know how much time it will take. So I'll keep you hanging." If you are someone in the creative industry and cannot set a time of completion, then instead of saying ASAP, choose a time frame. How do you choose that? - Talk to the client in detail on what their expectations are - Collect all possible resources you may require - Preview the resource for any discrepancy or request clarity - Analyze how much time you would require - Have a few hours or days extra for a safer margin - Now tell to the client that you may take X to Y hours/days to deliver the project - Also have a communication channel open for contacting them for any clarity during the project - Assure to the client that the project will be delivered on or before Y hours/days and you shall inform in advance if there's any unforeseen delay. Why is this more helpful than ASAP? - The client knows when you would deliver the project - They develop a trust and understand that you have a clarity on the work Being a freelancer is not as easy as it may sound. But there are some small changes we can make in ourselves to be better. Do you agree or disagree with the above? What are some changes like ASAP that you think is not ideal in professional communication? Share in comments #freelancing #clientacquisition #communicationstrategy
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Here’s the Tips How to be a Successful Freelancer Be Clear About Your Offerings : This communication plays an important role in establishing trust between the client and the freelancer. Use this conversation to clearly mention your strategy. When a potential client trusts you, they are likely to hire you even if your quote is much higher than those from rival bidders. Quality Matters; Not Quantity : Try to learn as much as possible about a client’s business, what they do, how they do it, and what is being asked of you. Once you understand what the client wants, prepare a short document of your plan. One high-quality asset is better than multiple low-quality assets. Research Competition : Whether it is scanning social media, reading blogs, offering services to friends, or building a network, absorb as much information as possible. This will make it possible for you to find what works and what doesn't. Keep a Regular Schedule : It sounds simple but most freelancers know that it’s not as easy as it seems. That’s why it’s so important to plan your schedule and stick to it. This can help you will your deadlines and managing multiple projects. Be the Expert in Your Niche : Position yourself as an expert in your space and share your knowledge with anyone who will listen. Grow your network, learn from others, and become the expert from all the information absorbed. . . . #freelancer #freelancerlife #niche #quality #research #competition
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"Unconventional Advice" From A Creative Coach #3: Always Seek Utility As a creative freelancer, the fact is that prospective clients don't care about your service - they only care about how your service can help/add value to them. So what does this mean for freelancers? 🤔 It means that when putting together your offerings, you need to think very critically about how much value a client would likely receive from it. This will help you fish out the offering(s) that are only rooted in what you like to do, or what you think would be cool to offer... 💡 Enter 'utility' = the usefulness of something, especially in a practical way → By offering solutions that address client needs and challenges, you can establish yourself as a trusted and reliable partner in their creative endeavours. Whether it's through your services, expertise, or unique insights, showcasing your value proposition can set you apart in a competitive market → When you focus on providing offerings that are truly useful and impactful, you not only attract clients but also build long-lasting relationships based on mutual respect and understanding Seeking utility is not a one-time thing mind you, but rather a constant effort you commit to in order to ensure you're the freelancer that clients go for time and time again. 💓 Remember - the goal is to be paid to do what you love, so you have to ensure that what you're bringing to the table is useful otherwise people won't pay for it. #creativecoach 🧠
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🚀 With any self-employed activity, tracking your performance is essential to identify what works and what needs improvement to achieve optimum results. The slow summer months are a great time to carry out this assessment and ensure you're on track to be a successful IT freelancer. 🔍 But what are the best indicators of success for your self-employed journey? Keep an eye on these key indicators to draw meaningful conclusions and make effective resolutions, both in terms of income and work methods: 💰 Income trends 📈 Client retention rate ⏳ Time management efficiency 💼 Project completion rates 🌟 Client satisfaction and feedback Full article available here ➡ https://bit.ly/4fJUfBC #ITFreelancer #SelfEmployedSuccess #FreelanceLife #PerformanceTracking #SummerReview #TechFreelance #WorkFromAnywhere
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Do you feel like business strategy is not for you as a solo freelancer? This is what I thought too, for too long. I felt like I had no idea how to put together a strategy and wasn't sure why I needed one if it was "just me". But that meant I wasn't really in control of my career - my clients were. And no matter how great they are, they don't know what my needs are - what my dream projects are, how much I want to work or earn, or what sort of work I want to do. Only I can decide that. You don't need an MBA to get a business strategy going. And it's not too late to start for this year either. Write down 2-3 goals for 2024. Who do you want to work with and on what projects? How much time do you want to work a week? You might feel like this isn't all in your control, but you'd be surprised how much of it is. Businesses have a strategy. They decide their goals and plan for it - who they'll work with, how they negotiate, how they advertise, what their messaging says. If you're a freelancer, you're no different. When you set a strategy, you get so much closer to achieving your goals. Rather than leaving things to fate and making peace with the outcome, you can decide the outcome and then work out how to get there. Do you have a business strategy as a freelancer? And if you don't what's holding you back? Let me know ⬇
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I have hopped on to 150+ client calls in my freelance journey. 💯 Here are some lessons I've learnt along the way: 1️⃣ Greet them according to their time of the day. Since most of my clients are spread across the globe, I keep track of what time of the day they enter the meeting and greet them accordingly. I have noticed it makes a subtle yet powerful difference in bridging the gap that distance creates between us. Adds a touch of personal to an otherwise professional setup. :) 2️⃣ Nobody likes to attend meetings that could've been emails. Treat your 1:1 meetings as a precious and limited resource. Don't schedule a meeting for just about anything. Respect the time of everyone involved. 3️⃣ Don't ask questions you've received an answer to in past communication. If there are things that the client has mentioned over email communication, don't ask them again. I am surprised by how many times I've seen other freelancers asking repetitive questions that the client has already answered. It showcases a lack of homework and that's a big NO for my work ethic. 4️⃣ On the other hand, try asking rich questions. Formulate questions that get to the core of the project. The quality of your questions directly impacts the project's success. 5️⃣ Most clients have the space to understand your POV, given you know how to communicate in words they can comprehend. Think about that. 💡 [Picture: That's me about to join my first client call after moving to Bir. Almost 2 years ago. 🌸 ]
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Do you want to go from a freelancer to the 6 figure milestone? Most freelancers are already earning 30-50k but struggle to go beyond that. And that is because they are still stuck on getting the basics right. Here is what they should do to make higher and upscale: → Focus on quality - Don't send generic proposals but instead take the time to personalize each one. Double-check for grammar errors and make sure your pitch shows a deep understanding of their needs. → Set clear expectations - Avoid overpromising and instead, communicate realistic timelines and deliverables. Keep the client updated on progress at every step to meet their expectations and build trust in your professionalism. Above all, prioritize building trust with your clients. Trust is the foundation of any successful business. Most clients hesitate to pay high because they don’t trust freelancers. But when you consistently deliver high-quality work and stick to your commitments, you stand out from others. This trust isn't built overnight, but by consistently demonstrating your value and reliability. What challenges are you facing in charging higher? #marketing
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4moThis post is a good reminder whenever you face a heartbreaking silence after sending a good proposal.👏🏻