Little Things Matter
June 21, 2008 by Jodee
Filed under Freelance Writing
When you are dealing with clients, the little things do matter. The way you decide to conduct yourself is an indication to them of the kind of person you are. The suggestions I want to share with you don’t take a lot of time, but it you incorporate them into your work practices, your work relationships will run more smoothly and you may find you are getting more work as a result.
Make Them Feel Welcome
One of my clients (who has now become a good friend besides our business relationship), used to e-mail and say, “I don’t want to distract you, but…” I explained to him that he is never a distraction, in that the people paying me are not a distraction from my business. They are the reason for it.
I may be juggling multiple assignments, but none of my clients need to know that. I answer their e-mails promptly and if it’s someone I haven’t heard from for a while, I make a point of putting something like, “How nice to hear from you again” somewhere in the message. (I suppose it does help that I genuinely like my clients, and I do look forward to hearing from them.)
Keep Clients Updated
If you are working on a lengthy assignment, give your client a progress report every now and then. Let them know how where you are in the process and give them an idea of when you will be finished.
In a situation where something happens and you will be late turning something in, let your client know as soon possible. I don’t get sick often but there have been a couple of times when I just couldn’t continue working and my clients have been very understanding.
Say Thank You
This is a very simple thing, but a sincere thank you goes a long way when you are relating with your clients and other people in your freelance career. If a client pays promptly, has just given you a new assignment, or shared some feedback with you, take a minute to send an e-mail thanking them.
I have a couple of clients who find it more convenient to pay by check and I e-mail them when the check arrives to let them know and to thank them for their business. If I found an assignment particularly interesting, I make a point of mentioning that as well.
Do you look after the “little things” when you are dealing with clients? What strategies have you found most effective?
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Jodee,
Thanks for this post – great advice! I particularly like the one about emailing to say thanks for a check. I think this is particularly important when writing for monthly magazines that you’re not in touch with every week. It’s a way to remind them to send an assignment your way.
–Hazel
@ Hazel: You’re up early on a Saturday!
Common courtesy is never out of style. A few months ago, I was dealing with someone from a major publishing house (they wanted to buy rights to something I had written) and the person I was in contact with commented on how much he appreciated the fact that I replied to his communications promptly and in a professional manner. I was shocked, to be honest, that people don’t behave better.
And yes, when their very generous check arrived, I made a point of e-mailing to let them know it had arrived.
Jodee,
A very good post. Its true that clients appreciate courtesy from us and they like hearing positive feedback from their writers as well.
And this, folks, is why Jodee is running the joint now.
@ Deb: Thank YOU!
I am actually amazed, too, when people AREN’T professional and courteous. Isn’t that what being in business for yourself is all about? Well, that’s what I was taught, anyway.
I think this advice cuts both ways. Are clients courteous to you?
I have had both clients and potential clients take weeks to respond to a proposal or email despite telling me that they would get back to me soon. I have called clients at the time they specified only to discover they were not in the office to take my call. One potential client kept taking other phone calls while I was put on hold. Eventually he told me just to call him back in 20 minutes and when I did I got an answering machine. This happened twice.
I was never hired by the people with the poor phone manners and I dumped the clients taking weeks to give me the info I needed to complete the projects. I now only work for large companies which, in my experience, are more professionally run.
@ Louise: Yes, my clients are courteous to me.
Louise,
I agree that it does work both ways, but, to go back to that old retail adage, “The customer [the client] is always right.”
In other words, I believe the “burden” of courtesy is on the person being hired. That’s not to excuse rude behavior from clients, but there’s one part of the equation freelancers can control–*our* actions, not those of others.
You did the right thing to dump the discourteous clients… if more freelancers did that, hard-to-work-for clients would soon have trouble finding freelancers to work for them.
I actually don’t believe that the customer or client is always right. I have had too many clients who didn’t know what they wanted. But still I was polite, professional and patient because I wanted to get hired. I did as the clients asked and thanked them for considering me or hiring me. I didn’t think it was a “burden” because this is how I was raised. I kust realized that my time was too valuable to waste with indecisive, procrastinating and occasionally rude people.
Hey jodee thanks for the heads up this is my first day I really interested working with ya’ll I a people person I luv meeting people I’m also creative when I write…
@ Kenneth: Nice to have you here at FWJ!
Hows everybody I was judt droppin by see how everybody was doing…