If you’ve been naughty you can’t rewrite the past, but you can begin to repair your reputation with clients and editors by asking one simple question:

How can I better serve you?

Writing is a business and you provide a service. Good customer service will keep you in business for years to come so why not poll your customers? This simple question will acknowledge two things: 1. You are interested in improving and 2. You are interested in making the client happy. When a client knows this they are more likely to be filled with warm Christmas cheer toward you and your deadline near-misses.

There are two consequences to asking the question, one is once you ask, you have to followup on their feedback. Feedback, whether your reputation is pristine or a little spotty, can be tough to take. It’s important to remember that when you ask for feedback you are prepared to listen and see things from the client’s perspective. Often, clients will have simple suggestions and by making adjustments you can improve your vendor/client relationship dramatically.

The other bummer is that the big question can’t fix it all. If you’re a chronic deadline misser or like Rick James, a habitual line crosser, you may have a tougher time selling your clients on your services for another year. When the client brings up the elephant in the room, forget the excuses and fall on your sword. It sucks to be called on something you yourself know is wrong, but think of it as an opportunity to say “I understand your concern, I’m aware of the problem and (important point) here’s how I plan to fix it.”

Your editors and clients care about your family and your health, but they care about their own bottom lines and stress levels more. They need solutions and reassurance. Asking “How can I better serve you?” is a great way to start the conversation.

Do you have a plan for year-end evaluation?

Now, it’s on to the next gig! That’s bad.

Well, it’s not really bad to move on to another gig. It’s just bad to look at assignments as one-off opportunities.

Most of the freelancers I know don’t make that mistake. They follow up with previous clients. They make calls or send emails, trying to scare up a little more work. They do a decent job of reminding the client to get in touch the next time he or she needs something.

That approach will create return customers and it’s something every freelancer should be doing. In fact, writers should have an organized system to maintain regular contact with past customers.

I don’t think it’s enough. Getting work is wonderful, making it is even better. Writers need to put their creative thinking, experience and skills to work to create new projects.

Your client is in the famed widget industry. She asked you to revamp ten pages of web content. You did a great job. The two of you got along very well and you’re pretty sure she’s going to contact you the next time she needs something.

Then, you happen to read a news article about these shoddy little Sri Lankan widgets that are flooding the marketplace. Apparently, these knock-off widgets don’t perform particularly well, but it’s hard to tell them apart from the world-class Canadian widgets your client sells.

You could hope that she sees a need to address the Sri Lankan widget invasion in a way that necessitates your golden pen. You could even send her a copy of the article along with a note mentioning your availability if she has plans to address the controversy. Alternatively, you could try to create new work.

What would happen if you sent that article along with a note outlining a way she could make a little lemonade from the Sri Lankan lemons? Let’s say you pitched her on the idea of a press release related to her commitment to maintaining only Grade-A Canadian inventory in the face of the weak widget onslaught. What if you mentioned the potential value of an additional page of site content about the matter? Do you think she might be interested in hiring you to ghostwrite consumer-friendly copy on the topic for syndication?

Obviously, we don’t always get lucky enough to see a client forced to fend off an invasion of Sri Lankan widgets. We can’t always turn morning headlines into new work. Sometimes, we might need to think a little harder.

Let’s say you have a system for maintaining regular client contact (again, if you don’t, you need to get your butt in gear). Consider making a point of proposing a new project to each and every client the next time each is due for an email or a call. Instead of sending a “just checking in with you” note, you’ll send them an actual idea that you can implement for them, along with a price tag.

When you’re writing, you’re learning. You know your client’s products, niches and approaches. You’re always working and you’re adding new tools to your writing workshop every day. You’re constantly coming up with clever ideas of some sort. When you add all of that together, you should be able to come up with something that will appeal to your client. Even if you miss the mark ever-so-slightly, there’s a good chance your idea will spur them to think of something they’d like you to do.

I recently worked with someone who uses Craigslist on a regular basis (no, not in some kind of “spam every city with my next golden multi-level-marketing scheme” way). During the larger project, I realized that he wasn’t getting the most out of Craigslist and introduced him to a number of design and copy improvements that have really, really worked well. I created another job for myself while finishing the first one.

I also created several other jobs because of it. I went through my client file and approached six who make (or who could make) use of Craigslist and introduced them to the concept. I explained what we could do and why it would work–without handing them an instruction manual, so to speak–and gave them a price tag for the service.

Here’s what I received in response: Two declined. One said “maybe”. Two said “yes”. One hasn’t answered yet.

I can live with that. Two new chunks of work–all because I “came up” with something new for another client and thought of ways the others could benefit from the strategy.

Marketing isn’t all about finding new clients. It’s about helping your existing and former clients, too. If you take care of them and take the initiative, it shows your genuine commitment to their success and your continued interest in their niche. Plus, you already know them, what they do and what the need! Talk about hot leads!

There’s nothing wrong with finding new clients and new markets for your work. Just don’t forget about the folks you already know and love.

“Definitons are needed for a new and upcoming tech website. 200+ definitions need to be typed an hour in order to truly earn pay. Computer and technical definitons are what is needed. These will go through review as well before approved. They must be your words and only 1 to 2 lines each.

These definitions must be in English
please contact us on your website at www.xxxxxxx.com”

Let me make sure I get this straight…you need technology-related definitions that are going to require at least a modicum of research, but you admit that a person will need to write more than 200 of them in an hour to “truly earn pay.”  According to my completely unscientific findings, the average page in Word includes 49 lines of type.  Let’s split the difference and say that each definition takes 1.5 lines and then multiply that by the 200 needed per hour to “earn pay.”   That means you need to type 300 lines per hour, which is equivalent to approximately six pages an hour.

Another way to look at it is to consider that the average line of text is 10 words long, resulting in the need to research and write 3,000 words every hour in order to “truly earn pay.”  Riiiight.

To be fair, we don’t actually know how much is being offered, but let’s just say that I wouldn’t anticipate a very big number.

It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it can be a real blow to your ego. It can also be a real blow to your freelance writing business. If that one unhappy client is well-connected, for example, she can spread the word pretty quick in your niche about how your work is less than stellar.

Now, most clients who aren’t satisfied with a product will ask you to fix it. The revision process is something that I put out there for every client. Somewhere around five percent of clients ask for revisions. Of those, I almost never have anyone come back still dissatisfied.

In fact, I can really only think of one client that this happened with. I was hired to write a biography for a real estate agent for his web page. I’ve done many of these over the years, and so I’m familiar enough with the formula, and have a good idea of what works well for them. Easy-peasy job, right?

So, I wrote the biography and sent it off to the client. The client told me he wasn’t satisfied, and pointed out a handful of improvements I could make. He also made several comments about the “feel” of this portion of the bio or that portion – sort of a vague overall dissatisfaction.

If someone says, “I’d rather you wrote this in first person instead of third,” you can make those kinds of changes easily enough. If they say “I’m not sure I like how this first paragraph feels,” it’s harder to know where to begin.

Still, since I do a good bit of work in the real estate writing field, I decided to give the client more than just a revision. He didn’t like the way it “felt,” so I basically did a full rewrite – something I’d normally charge for.

This time, the client told me he thought it sounded “unprofessional.” Now, there’s a reason that biographies are usually written in the third person: it’s more professional. When I made the changes he asked for, it changed the tone of the piece in a way I’d advised against, and then he seemed surprised about that after the fact.

To make a long story short, I offered to do another round of revisions. I shot over some questions for the client about what he would like to see. The client said he’d send over some thoughts, and in the meantime he would release payment.

At any rate, it might sound like I’m just complaining about the one client I couldn’t make happy. I’m really not. Deep down, I want all of my clients to be satisfied. Because of this client, however, I’ve realized that sometimes it just doesn’t happen. It might be because the client doesn’t really know what they want, and so nothing is going to seem correct. That’s what happened in this case. In other cases, it might be that the client wants a product that you either can’t (because of your limited knowledge or ability) or won’t (because, for example, of an ethical concern) produce. In those situations, the main thing is to smile and be professional. Even if the client isn’t happy with the product, you can still make sure they’re happy with your customer service.

I’ve worked with a couple of coaches now who have encouraged me to go after higher paying gigs.  That sounds like a great idea, although it does require a ton of effort on my part to break out of my comfort zone.  There’s fear and insecurity, and to be honest, a fair amount of good old fashioned laziness holding me back.  There’s something else, though.  I kind of think some of these other writers are ripping off clients.

I’m not one for creating controversy on the web, but someone has to say it.  How exactly do you justify a $400 press release?   I know several writers who charge in that neighborhood (and if they have any extra work, they’re certainly welcome to send it my way).  I, on the other hand, don’t charge nearly that.  I’ve also seen a lot of arguments for not accepting less than $60 for a blog post.  That’s awesome and all, and I’m all in favor of finding those kinds of clients, but I do think it’s a bit odd.

I guess I’m wondering what on earth they put into those press releases and blog posts.  I write a lot of press releases, and I think the quality I send out is generally far higher than even the client expected.  At most, I’d say a press release, with a phone interview of the client, takes about two hours.  Are these highly-paid writers putting in more than that?  Do they know some magic formula that clients are paying them $200 an hour to employ?

And $60 blog posts?  We’re talking like typical 350-500 word blog posts, right?  These generally require a bit of Internet research and some personal insight, and voila!  Blog post.  Even if you’re not familiar with the topic at first, you’re going to learn as you go along and get faster and more efficient.  There are some posts I’ve written that have taken a lot of time, but I would say most are in the ½ hour range.  So, that’s $120 an hour for blogging?  Sounds like great work if you can get it, but I’m just incredulous that people actually do.

So, I’d love to hear from those of you who get this kind of dough, especially the ones who disparage newer writers for not charging as much.  I want to ask where you get off putting people down for not earning in excess of $100 an hour.  I also want to ask you where you find those clients with so much money to spare.  I think I’m a damn good writer, and I’m pretty pleased when I make $30 to $50 an hour.  I used to be happy with $10 because it replaced the crappy job I left to be a writer.

On the other hand, my marketing pro keeps pushing the idea of using a “fan page” to keep in touch with clients and maybe even to cross-promote them to one another.  While I’m pretty sure that my professional psychic client isn’t going to have a whole lot of use for my Christian-based merchant services client, I can see the value in some of the other folks mingling a bit.

On the non-existent third hand, I also like the idea of having easy access to all of my clients at once.  If things get a little slow, maybe I could use my fan page to announce a “special” rate to anyone who comes up with a project to go on my calendar for the next week.  Or, perhaps I can convince them to get their friends and family to join my fan page so our company looks super popular.

Having watched others while putting off the inevitable being cautious this long, I have been able to learn some DOs and DON’Ts that I can employ, so that’s good.  For example, I won’t post the same exact things to my fan page and my personal account.  Unless they’re really super cool, of course.  I also won’t ask people to join my fan page more than once a week.

Oh, and I definitely won’t be linking to this blog from there.  I figure that if clients want to go to the trouble of finding out what I’m doing online, then they can read this blog and hopefully get a chuckle.  There are some, however, who might not totally appreciate some of the not-so-nice things I’ve said here in the past, so I’m letting fate and the Google gods weed them out as much as possible.

The great Facebook Fan Page experiment has begun.  So far my dad’s left a really nice comment, and people with absolutely no interest in what PCI compliance is all about have still given me a thumbs-up when I mentioned I was writing about it.  Of the 48 current fans, I believe that only one actually qualifies as a client, and the rest are supportive friends and family.  Let’s hope that ratio gets skewed in a different direction as time goes by, eh?

S.Larson has been sending me customer service notes from Citibank for decades. At first I didn’t give “S” a second thought. Just a random worker on an impersonal form letter…nothing to see here.

After several years, I began to wonder about “S.”  This person, with the unchanging signature, was a long-time staple, handling my account for over a decade.  What a good worker this person must be in order to have such longevity!

But then I had some questions:

• Was S.Larson a man or a woman? S/he was starting to resemble a gender-netural “Pat” like person in my mind.
• If S. Larson was with the company so long why did s/he have the same job for so many years? Surely if s/he was a good worker s/he would have been promoted by now. If s/he was a poor worker s/he would have either been demoted or let go. Did s/he like her position so much s/he wanted to do the same thing every day for so many years? That would get kinda boring for me.
• Wouldn’t s/he like a new signature stamp? I know I would get bored seeing the same thing every day. My handwriting’s changed in the past 20 years too.
• Why didn’t “S” want us to know his/her real name?
• How come “S” has been sending me letters for years but is never available for phone calls?

And here I thought we had a relationship.

Ok. So I’m slow. S. Larson is obviously not a real person.

Every other place I do business with has different people signing my notes and taking my calls, but “S” was like  my own personal Customer Service rep. Except s/he wasn’t. “S” was a fake. In other words, my credit card company would rather have me deal with a non-existant person than a real live human being.

I don’t know what’s worse. Knowing there are people on the other end of the phone not picking up as I navigate a phone menu to nowhere, or knowing that my credit card company would rather use a ficticious customer service rep everyone knows is a fake, and not caring that we know.

We shouldn’t have so many questions about the people who are signing letters from our credit card company. We shouldn’t be curious or angry after receiving hearing from our customer service reps.  We shouldn’t wonder why, after a couple of decades, Citibank is still using the same fake, anonymous, gender neutral person to answer our questions.

Frankly, S.Larson has me questioning Citibank’s customer service policies. It’s bad enough they have a recording call my house to tell me to hold the line for an important message and it’s bad enough they use fake supervisors when you call with questions, but isn’t it time Citibank gave up the S.Larson persona for good?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t like not trusting my credit card company. If I’m getting a letter from someone named, “S.Larson” then, darnit, I want there to be a real “S.Larson.” I don’t want to be made to feel as if I’m such a bother that I’m not allowed to have the real name of the person responding to my inquiries.

Citibank has access to  my entire credit history. They know when I’m purchasing everything from kid’s toys to underwear, yet I’m receiving mail from someone who isn’t real?

I trust Citibank with my personal information. Shouldn’t they be able to trust us with a name?

If you ask some freelance writers about what they do to increase customer retention, they’ll tell you things like:

• Produce quality work that will provide the customer with results,
• Be courteous, friendly and accommodating (practice good customer service skills), and
• Follow up with former customers periodically to see if they need more work.

Now, to be sure, these steps are essential in keeping customers around. However, that’s not all there is to it. The process of turning a one-time customer into a long-term client starts from the moment you craft your marketing message or your sales pitch.

Incentivize your Client Base

How do you do that, exactly? Well, it depends a lot on how your business is structured. If you tend to get your clients on a more social level, such as through social networking or word of mouth, you might provide your existing customers with an incentive. For example, if they refer a new client who spends X in a month, you’ll reward the existing client with Y worth of product. In that way, your existing customer base becomes an evangelistic base for you, and they do it in a way that says, “I like this writer so much I do all of my business with her, and I’m willing to recommend her to you.”

Implement and Advertise a Discount Structure

Another way to start planting the seeds of customer retention early is by offering a discount rate structure for repeat clients. When you first pitch a website rewrite, for example, tell the potential customer how they can get another site rewritten for a lower price. (The fact is that many website owners who are paying for copy probably own a number of different sites, or intend to start more.)

Talk up the Relationship Before There Is One

In your marketing efforts, talk about your clients is a real, personal and benefit-rich way. “We love watching a client’s business succeed and grow because they’re working with us.” “The ongoing work we do for Smith Windows increased their online sales by 15% each month since we’ve been working together.” Show that you’re someone who wants yoru clients to succeed, and that you’re in it for the long haul.

Of course, don’t forget to follow through. Produce quality work, give good customer service, and follow up afterwords. Combined with pre-sales retention efforts, you’ll find more and more customers coming back to you for their freelance writing needs.

Thank you so much for choosing to work with me. I’m pleased to hear that you are so ecstatically happy with the final results of our project. I agree that the work ended up being pretty damn good, and I hope that is reflected by the response you get from your upcoming presentation of it.

That said, if we are going to work together again in the future, I think we may need to set some ground rules. I hope I’m not overstepping the bounds of the client-contractor relationship, as I certainly wouldn’t want you to feel like I was taking advantage of the fact that my work rocked, despite your ongoing attempts to sabotage it.

So, before I agree to take on another large project on your behalf, here are a couple of things that will need to change:

1. When I say that I don’t work on a certain day of the week, that means that I don’t work that day. While appreciate that you agreed to include my additional childcare expenses on your invoice, that’s not really the point of my family-friendly work schedule.

2. If your project is so utterly urgent that I must work on my day off, then perhaps you should go ahead and follow up on your end of the project. On the other hand, I’m sure my other client appreciated the extra hours I was able to put in on their project when I was sitting around waiting for you to do what was necessary for me to do my job.

3. When I send you a bullet-point list of questions that absolutely must be answered in order for you to get your document, it would be helpful if you would simply answer them.

• As a sub-point, I’d like to add that you do not score extra points for avoiding the questions for 36 hours and then calling a last-minute, two-hour meeting.
• As a second sub-point, I should probably also mention that if you do call said meeting, you should use it to actually answer the questions on the BULLET-POINT LIST I already sent to you.

4. If we were to somehow end up in that same ridiculous situation again, then please pay attention when I send you the partial document, this time with the same missing pieces highlighted and clearly explained.

5. If you don’t give me the information I need at that point, could you go ahead and do it one of the next five times I send you various versions of the very same highlighted questions? ‘Cause that’d be really neat.

6. When you don’t follow through on any of the above things, I will not add yet ANOTHER unscheduled workday to my week…even though you once again have me add the childcare cost to your invoice.

7. If you say that you’re going to be available all day on the day that the project absolutely has to be done, why don’t you go ahead and respond in a timely manner to the essential questions I send to you? You know, the ones that were originally on the bullet point list and were then highlighted.

I know that I’m good at what I do, and I very much appreciate that you recognize that. However, I cannot conjure statistics and strategies for an industry that is completely foreign to me while also creating a type of document I’ve never created before, all in the course of three days. I can expound on your information. I can make it sound great. I cannot, however, MAKE IT UP. I’m sorry to tell you, but you have to take some responsibility for getting the outcome you want.

All right, Client. I’m feeling a little better now that I know we have everything cleared up for next time. I really do appreciate your money, and the project was quite interesting. With a few little tweaks to our working style, I think we could make a go of things in the future.

Thanks so much for your attention to this matter,

Me

Want a little peek into what my days look like?  Here’s what I’ve got up my sleeve right now:

• Two articles about funerals
• Twenty articles about printers and toner
• Ten articles about tattooing
• A white paper on fundraising
• One article on online event registration
• Rewrite a company sales letter
• Four more lessons for a marketing class
• Four blog posts on green living
• Four blog posts for FWJ
• Two short articles about technology in nonprofits

I’ve often been known to tell people that my job is a lot like getting paid to do homework.  Fortunately for me, I was always one of those nerds who thought researching and writing reports was tons of fun.  Now I’m at a point in my life where people actually give me money to learn stuff.

It can get overwhelming, though.  Sometimes writing as an “expert” when you’re not actually an expert can be pretty challenging.  I plan to get into that a little more in my next post, though, so I’ll skip it for now so as not to be redundant.

And, yes, I know that I should focus on a niche and market myself there and become the best darned funeral article writer ever, but what are you supposed to do when people keep asking you to write about interesting stuff?

That makes me curious about the variety of things other freelance writers work on at one time.  Are any of you willing to share your crazy upcoming schedules with the rest of us?  I’d love to know that I’m not the only one who takes this insane and totally cool approach to freelance writing.

We often talk about ways to build up your freelance writing client base. Adding new business is good and it’s important, but don’t forget your older clients too.

Here’s something to think about… while you’re looking for more work, what are you doing to keep your existing client happy?

If you have a lot of one off projects, do you wonder why you never see your clients again? It might not be that they only have one project for you, it might mean after working with you once, they decided to look elsewhere for their freelance writing needs.

Sure, you can continue to look for new clients, but don’t you want to know why your former clients aren’t contacting you anymore?

It could be that:

Your words didn’t convert

Your client hired you to perform a duty that went far beyond writing. He wanted your writing to serve a purpose. His goal was to sell, bring in traffic or stimulate a discussion.  If your words and your writing didn’t convert to an end result, it’s not worth your client’s while to hire you again. Everyone who hires a writer wants some sort of return on his investment. Good writers don’t simply write. They learn the reason for the writing and help clients achieve their goals. Freelance writers shouldn’t be afraid to ask as many questions as necessary to learn of the client’s intentions and proposed end result.

Someone else had to clean up your work

It’s expected freelance writers will turn in clean work. If a client or editor has to practically rewrite your work, you’re not cost efficient. Freelance writing clients want to pay as little as possible. If they have to pay two people to do the same job, eventually someone will have to go. Proofreading is essential for client work.  Nothing but a freelance writer’s best effort should be turned in each and every time.

You’re Flaky

If you continuously miss deadlines or have to keep extending deadlines because of sick relatives or family emergencies your client may see you as somewhat of a flake. It’s very easy to put off work and make excuses when you don’t have to see your client each day. However, anonymity sometimes makes freelancers feel less accountable for their actions. If you can’t be counted on to deliver as promised, it’s no wonder your clients aren’t calling back.

You allow your freelance writing clients to make mistakes

The customer is always right. They pay you and they have the final say in what goes into that project. With that said, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer your expertise as you see fit. If your client is making a decision you feel to be a mistake, offer respectful disagreement.  Give your opinion without talking down to the client or making him feel as if he’s wrong if he doesn’t follow your expert advice. Suggestions and advice are expected, that’s why he contacted you as a professional. The worst thing you could ever do is to say “I knew that would be a mistake” after a project fails. Say something in the beginning and get your voice on record. Your client doesn’t have to accept your advice, but don’t be afraid to put it out there.

You have bad communication

You don’t “do” phone, yet your Skype is always off and you don’t respond to your email. You take days to answer clients’ questions and don’t offer periodic progress updates. If this is the case, it’s no wonder you’re losing clients.

Freelance writing clients aren’t idiots. They know you have other obligations. However, they want to feel as if they’re your only clients. They want to feel as if you care about the project and their business. If you’re constantly ignoring them or putting them off they’ll become frustrated and take their business elsewhere.

Your using your client’s project as a platform to air your personal views

Writer’s are passionate people. Sometimes that passion shows through in the wrong way.  Though your clients might have hired your for your voice, they might not have necessarily hired your for your views. If you’re in the habit of offering one sided rants on their blog that don’t represent the business in a positive light, or if you’re adding in your political or religious opinions into articles where they have no bearing, the relationship isn’t going to work out. Unless you’re being hired to give your personal opinion, it’s best to write an unbiased view, or at the very least, get your client’s approval before running off on a rant.

There’s no follow up

Do you contact your client when the project is complete or do you just collect a paycheck and go? Maybe clients aren’t contacting you because you didn’t contact them.

Instead of collecting a paycheck and waiting by the phone for a call back, contact your client to see if he has any feedback on your last project together. Ask if you can help with anything else. Send a thank you card after payment is received to say how much you appreciated the project and hope to work together in the future. These things make a difference. Clients who are forgotten will forget about you. Go the extra mile and let them know they mean something for you and they’ll be sure to come back.

“Freelance writers are a dime a dozen…”

So many clients make it clear they can pick and choose from so many other writers. In 2010, more people are freelancing than ever.  Clients who aren’t receiving something of value aren’t going to call back, they’re going to find someone else.

What do you do to go that extra mile?

Sometimes, these complaints are presented as part of an educational effort.  You know, “this is how to handle a bad situation” stuff.  There’s a moral to the story, so to speak.  That makes sense to me.

In other cases, it the posts read more like invitations to commiseration.  Sometimes, they’re nothing more than cathartic rants.  I guess I can understand the underlying sentiments in these situations, but I can’t really imagine myself doing something like that.

It’s not that I don’t occasionally get PO’d, mind you.  I just tend to reserve my moaning for those unlucky people in my more immediate social circle.  There’s nothing fundamentally wrong about releasing steam in public, it’s just not part of my personality, I guess.  Plus, I know it isn’t part of my business plan.

I thought I’d take a little time today to argue against publicly railing against your annoying clients–even if you make every effort to keep their identifying information under wraps.

My clients read my blog.  They don’t necessarily subscribe to the RSS feed and drop everything when they notice a new post, but I know that they check in with some regularity.  They mention posts in our conversations, etc.

I’d hate to alienate or upset any of them by calling them out in public.  Even if I didn’t share their name, business type, info about the project, etc., they’d know that I was raking them over the coals for the world to see instead of handling the situation with a one-on-one conversation.

Additionally, I realize that I have imperfections and that I make mistakes.  I’d hate to stumble upon their post about “my dumb-ass writer who apparently didn’t bother to read the last page of the project specs because I’m now waiting for editing so I can have the stuff this afternoon instead of using it this morning, as originally planned.”

If I screw something up, I don’t really need to encounter our dirty laundry in the public sphere, even if my name isn’t Sharpied on the waistband of the undies for all to read.

I also realize that some of the stuff that can drive me up the wall is nothing more than pure accident or a byproduct simple communication failure.  In other cases, I’ve found that PITAs can be resolved rather easily with a little quality back-and-forth.

Venting doesn’t seem to contribute much to problem resolution.  If someone irritates me, I can let loose with a stream of expletives down here in the office where no one else is going to hear them.

I’m anything but a doormat.  I don’t do the subservience thing and I’m more than ready to stick up for myself if I’m being wronged.  I just don’t see the value of doing it in a public setting.  It feels rude to me, and I generally have a high threshold for rudeness.

Additionally, I know that some clients find me via my blog and that others look it over after receiving a referral before they contact me.

I can see how railing on bad clients could turn them off.  Who wants to volunteer to work with someone who makes a point of publicly mocking or criticizing his or her clients, right?

You can argue that posts like that might send a message–that you expect a certain standards of behavior and professionalism from those with whom you work.  That’s not a horrible argument, but I wonder how many prospective clients are more likely to see those gripe posts an indication that the writer is a cantankerous PITA.

Besides, it seems much more reasonable to outline expectations in one-on-one discussions.  Heck, you could even outline them on a separate page of your site/blog if you feel that strongly about some issues.

Let’s say I needed to find a lawyer.  I wouldn’t be magnetically attracted to the shyster with a blog post about “his stupid client who apparently doesn’t want to win this case, based on his unwillingness or inability to provide me with the necessary documentation.”  I’d look for someone slightly more professional who didn’t seem quite as likely to fly off the handle if it took me a few days to find a receipt from 2002.

I don’t think I’d set up an appointment with the insurance agent who blogged about “annoying customers who take a high deductible to save money on their monthly bill and then gripe about it when they have a claim.”  I’d avoid an accountant who mocked clients for misunderstanding their potential deductions, too.

In other words, I just can’t believe that openly grousing about your clients does much to encourage business.

At the same time, I really do enjoy reading Kathy Kehrli’s Irreverent Freelancer, where she makes a point of raking lousy would-be clients over the coals.  I also do see the value in revealing atrocious experiences so that others can learn and benefit from them.  Obviously, I can’t consider myself a hardliner on this.

So, I’ll dump it in your laps…  What do you think about it?  Do these public attacks on frustrating clients serve a greater good that justifies the potential downside?  Are there particular standards that writers should follow when calling out a bad apple from their client barrel?

Have you ever had a freelance writing client ask for work beyond freelance writing? In the past clients have asked me for blog design, marketing, social media, and more. When we talk about freelance writers diversifying we often suggest they look to difference niches or more passive forms of income, but we never suggest they expand their skills to include other services. Many clients now prefer to trust one qualified person to perform a variety of tasks rather than hire different types of freelancers for different projects.

I already see this happening in that many bloggers are now expected to perform routine maintenance, community management and social media promotion in addition to writing up a specified amount of blog posts. I am also seeing clients who would appreciate finding web designers who can also provide the content.

Should freelance writers learn multiple skills?

Why Clients Want Freelancers Who Can Handle Multiple Tasks

To communicate with only one person

At BlogWorld ’09, I spent time talking with someone who is now one of my clients. He told me it was important to find someone who can handle a variety of tasks instead of only writing. He didn’t want to have to look for and interview five different people. Nor did he want to have to manage different freelancers for different tasks or deal with multiple payments at the end of each task. Having one person or company to handle all of his needs made more sense to him than taking out five different ads or putting out feelers in different networks. For solo entrepreneurs one stop shopping is especially important as they don’t have the time or resources available to delegate to a full freelance staff.

The Trust Factor

In 2010 trust is a major factor in hiring and keeping freelancers. Most clients would rather hire one trusted freelancer over five freelancers they barely know. When a client has a good relationship with one person, it’s that person he wants to hire for everything. He’d rather see his money  spent where he knows it will do the most good.

I do have clients who ask  me if I would like to handle their social media projects because they had good experiences with me as a freelance writer and would now like to hire me for other gigs. If I was more technically inclined, I’d have even more projects and clients.

It might be cheaper

Hiring one person to do a variety of jobs is cheaper for a client than hiring two or more freelancers.  Why pay $50 per hour to four people when he can pay $75 to $100 an hour to one person? Depending on the jobs that need to be done and hours spent working, this can be a cheaper deal for the client.

However, it can also factor out to the same or more money if it takes one freelancer longer to do several tasks. The client will have to work out the most cost effective method for both him and the freelancer.

The Benefits of Boutique Services to Freelance Writers

Learning a new skill is never a bad thing

Learning, even if not used to further one’s career, is always a good thing. However, for those looking to take a freelancing career to the next level taking courses in web design, blog design and maintenance, social media, and marketing can only enhance the possibilities. Clients want writers who not only know their stuff, but also, who have knowledge in other areas.

More money

More skills = more money. Though it may be cheaper for a client to hire one person, it can be a financial benefit to the freelancer.  Freelancers with multiple skills can charge higher per project or hourly rates since they’re expected to do more work. Freelancers also have the ability to expand their business, their realm of expertise and their bank accounts. As more businesses look to contract out and outsource, established freelancers are going to want to look for ways to remain competitive. Upping the service ante will help.

More business

Having more to offer means a larger client base. You might find clients contacting you for non-writing relating projects but remember you when it’s time for a freelance writer. More clients mean more word of mouth referrals and a higher visibility rate. Having a narrow range may mean losing business in the future.

Providing a One Stop Shopping Experience for your Freelance Writing Clients

Not everyone likes to shop at the mall. Many people like to visit more intimate boutiques that sell a variety of products. They enjoy seeing what they need in one location without having to climb stairs and navigate the kiosks and sales pitches. Though I’m sure you’ll charge more, I liken it $20 specials at Applebees featuring two entrees and an appetizer. Why would someone want to buy each of these separately when they can get it all for half price?

What happens if you don’t have the time, resources or inclination to learn more useful skills? Does this mean you shouldn’t think about offering boutique services?

Not necessarily.

Everyone knows someone. Align yourself with other talented people and outsource to them. You may not be keeping the higher rate but at least your clients are sticking with you.

Today’s businesses want to save more money and today’s freelancers want to earn more money. Offering a variety of services is a win-win situation.

Do you offer a variety of services to your clients?  Have you ever had to turn clients down for services you couldn’t produce? Please share in the comments.

The worst was when I did some writing for a client’s client.  My client paid me, but her client didn’t pay her, saying “It was garbage and I had to rewrite the whole thing myself!”  I was completely insulted, as you might imagine.  First of all, the job had been so “urgent,” that I was literally working on it in the middle of the night.  That said, the quality was still good, and I absolutely reject the notion that I have ever turned in an assignment that was “garbage.”  Sure, she may not have liked it, but it certainly wasn’t complete rubbish.  If it was, I wouldn’t have submitted it.  (This is where I refrain from calling her off-color names.)

It seems, there are just some clients who will never be satisfied.  It doesn’t matter if you do their urgent projects in the middle of the night and “meet” them on phone conferences for the first time at 11 p.m. the night before their big presentation (that they’ve now hired you to do) is due for submission.  It doesn’t matter that you are a professional who knows how to use punctuation marks and a persuasive tone.  In fact, it doesn’t even matter that you know what they hell you’re doing and they don’t.  They’re just never going to admit that you’ve done better than they could have. Of course, they would have to actually do the work themselves to prove it, and that’s not going to happen, either.

Monty Python knows what I’m talking about:

In this economy, it doesn’t matter if you work as a freelancer or if you’re a full time employee, there’s no such thing as job security. Even though we have regular clients, they can suffer from budget cuts and that can mean the end of our gig. The trick is to make it so your client can’t function without you.

The trick is to be indispensable.

Be someone your clients can rely on

When it’s time to trim the fat, the first people to go are the ones who provide lackluster service. If your client feels you’re giving something of value, he’ll want to keep you around. If your words sell, you’ll survive budget cuts. If your words bring results, he won’t see you as dead weight. If you meet your deadlines, turn in clean work every single time, and keep up good communication, your client will see you as a necessity and not an expense. There’s more to the job than the task, good customer service, work habits, ROI,  and an exceptional finished product will help to keep you around. Always deliver what you promise. Make it hard for your clients to function without you, and make sure they see value in your work.

Anticipate your clients needs

Don’t wait for your clients to call you, call them to see if they need anything. Get to know them, and what they want. Anticipate their needs. If they’re considering a marketing campaign, present them with a quote for a one stop shopping list including brochures, newsletters, web copy and direct mail. Think about what they need beyond the usual writing. Ask for their long term goals and consider what products they’ll need in the future. Put together a plan and proposal. Show them the effort beyond the project, go for the end result.

Check your ego at the door

Don’t be that writer.

Don’t storm off in a huff because your client had the audacity to want what he wants and not what you think he wants. Too many writers feel they’re artists and know what’s best for the client, even if the client doesn’t know this himself. Mostly, your job is to do what your client is paying you to do.  If you give him something else and he’s not happy, it’s not his fault.

Listen to your client. Learn exactly what he wants from you and what his long term goals are for each project. By all means, offer suggestions but don’t take it to heart if your client doesn’t want to go that way.

Do you want to be indispensable?

Always do your best. Don’t go through the motions, don’t just get by and don’t wait until the very last minute to complete your project. Give it 100 percent of your effort. Don’t sign your name to anything that isn’t perfect. People who are indispensible don’t give anything less than their best.

How do you make yourself indispensible to your clients?

A common misconception is that freelance writing means typing a lot of words in exchange for money. Most of us know this isn’t the case at all. The majority of people who hire us, do so because they expect something of value in return for their payment. Our clients want us to sell or promote with our words. They’re not looking for sentences as much as they want bang for their buck. Our clients want results.

All writing has a purpose

If you’re going through the motions with your writing, you’re producing an article or a bit of copy, but that’s not necessarily a result. To give true value, a writer needs to provide a return on a client’s investment. It makes no difference as to what type of writing you take on, without some good ROI action, you’re not providing value.

• If you’re a blogger, your client hopes to build up traffic and community and possibly earn advertising revenue or sell products.
• If you write for newspapers or magazines, your client hopes to sell copies.
• If you’re a copywriter, your client hopes to sell a product or service.
• If you’re writing for the church newsletter your client hopes to promote good will and reach the congregation.

Are you sure you’re doing all of these things for your clients?

Taking the time to learn if your clients are receiving a good return on their investment will help you to learn if you’re providing value. If your projects aren’t producing the intended results,  you’ll want to work on what you need to do better to help your clients achieve their goals.

3 Questions …

Do you think about giving value in the work you do? It’s a no-brainer, really. Taking the time to understand your clients needs and projected results can go a long way in ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership.

Do you:

1. Understand what your client wants from you? Too many freelancers shy away from picking up a phone or getting on Skype and giving projects a thorough discussion. This can be a big mistake. Most clients prefer answering numerous questions to wondering if you know enough about their business, their mission and their philosophy. You can’t adequately handle any freelance writing project without knowing who you’re working for and exactly what is expected of you. Don’t automatically assume your client gave you all the details in the job description. The onus is on the freelancer to make it his mission to find out exactly what is expected – and then exceed those expectations.
2. Understand your clients intended result? Whether it’s sales, traffic or advertising revenue, knowing what your clients hope to achieve with your writing will help you to write with the proper perspective. For example, you wouldn’t write a magazine article the same way as a blog post or SEO copy. If you’re selling you’re using a different voice than if you’re preaching or teaching. Asking your clients about their expectations and goals will help to prevent rewrite and  revision requests.
3. Keep in constant communication? All successful business people are good communicators. They have no problems  with regularly picking up a phone or dropping a few lines to give progress reports and ask questions. Your client will be pleased to learn how the project is progressing and offer necessary feedback. This will ensure there are no surprises as the project nears completion. Good communication also means following up after the project to make sure everything is going as expected and to see if you can help in any other way.

Your clients want to be sure their investment (you) is paying off. Take the time to know your client and his expectations. Don’t assume you know everything about the project until you’ve had the chance to discuss the project from start to finish.

Meeting expectations is fine, the writers who exceed expectations are the ones who really stand out.

How do you give value with your writing?

Kelly runs a small business here in mid-Michigan. He and his father are appraisers. The look at homes and businesses and assign a value to them, usually for purposes of getting loans against those homes or businesses. They also do assessing for several of the local townships, which involves determining the value of properties for tax purposes.

Each year, Kelly buys a number of cheese trays from one of our other local businesses – a cheese store. He takes those trays and drives them to the offices of some of their best customers. Township supervisors, bank loan officers and other folks are on the list.

While he’s there delivering those trays, he’ll spend a few minutes just chatting. He’ll talk with clients about their kids, about what traveling they may do for the holidays, and even about the weather.

This small gesture serves a couple of purposes. In part, Kelly does this because he enjoys the Christmas season and wants to spread a little bit of Christmas cheer.

There’s another purpose, too. This one isn’t as noble, perhaps – but it’s not ignoble either. You see, those cheese trays are one little part of what Kelly and his dad do to let those clients know how much their business is appreciated. The conversations he has with them at this time of year are almost always personal – it’s not about business.

I’ve been thinking over the past couple of years about how I could translate that sort of demonstration into my business. It’s not realistic for me to deliver cheese trays; I’d have to go to Canada, Australia, New Jersey and California to hit some of my biggest clients.

I could probably have gifts mailed to those clients, but it just seems impersonal. I’m not sure it would have the same kind of effect that Kelly gets.

Still, I do try to take a few minutes and send a “thanks for your business” email, at least to my ongoing clients.

I’m going to make it my goal this year to think of something I can do, though, to spread a little extra Christmas cheer to those big clients, and make that same kind of connection. Maybe by next December, I’ll have come up with something truly original.

As always, if you have ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments. Oh, and Merry Christmas to one and all!

That’s supposed to be “Texas,” guys.

see more Epic Fails

The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally called Black Friday. It’s called this because merchants all over the country significantly lower prices to bring in customers looking to save money on their holiday shopping. The purpose is for the shops to sell so much merchandise, merchants will be “in the black” as they approach the holiday season.

I worked in a mall during my teen years, and though I haven’t quite erased the Black Friday mall trauma from my mind, for me “Black Friday” represented the bleakness of the day for mall workers. Though it’s been more than 25 years since working in a mall, I can honestly say I haven’t been to mall on Black Friday since those days, and  I try to avoid the mall during evenings and weekends throughout the holiday season.

Still, there are lessons to be learned. For example, freelance writing and Black Friday share a few similarities.

1. There are perks for early birds

Many stores participating in Black Friday events open their doors to crowded parking lots between 4:00 and 6:00 in the morning. Ambitious shoppers fill their carts with Christmas list must-haves in order to save money and take home items before they run out. Freelance writering also offers perks for early birds. For example writers who get an early start on their day have the rest of the day to work on personal projects or spend time with family. Moreover, writers who apply early for gigs, might have a better chance of standing out in a potential client’s mind before the flood applications starts to come in.

2. It doesn’t hurt to lower prices once in a while

If you’re having problems drumming up work or if your regular clients aren’t in need of your services, there’s nothing wrong with offering a sale to generate interest. You don’t have to lower your prices for every project, but offering a discount every now and then will entice both new and old customers to come calling. Make sure you have a little not so fine print to ensure clients are aware sale prices are only a temporary thing.

3. Sometimes it’s more about the event

There are always people who show up for Black Friday shopping events simply because it’s an event. They don’t care about the sale or the goods, they only want to say they are there. Your loyal readers will always be there for you. If there’s a book signing or interview, your loyal readers will offer support. As many well-known authors can attest, they’ll even invest in your worst endeavors, simply to show support.

4. It’s all in the marketing

Many times Black Friday bargains aren’t really great bargains at all. However, they’re advertised as such. A good marketing person can sell anything. It’s important for freelancers to market themselves well also. We’re selling ourselves. Our name is our brand and our writing is our product. It’s up to us to give the best representation of that brand possible. 50% of writing is selling and bringing in new clients. A good marketer can sell ice cubes to people in cold places.

5. People will pay more money for convenience

While millions of people are braving the malls and shops today, millions more will be enjoying time with their family. They’ll also be enjoying time with their family for the next month. Like me, they may even stay away from the malls during weekends or when people generally aren’t working. Many don’t mind missing sales or paying extra shipping costs to shop online. They do so because the convenience is more important to them than the sale.  Most clients like the convenience factor also and don’t mind paying for stuff they can’t do themselves. For example, if they’re paying you to blog, they may be willing to pay more if you offer to moderate comments and promote the blog using social media tools. Package deals enable you to expand your horizons and spread your name to more people and places.

What are some similarities you see between freelance writing and Black Friday?

Also see:

• 5 Ways Writing is Like Thanksgiving
• 6 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Halloween

I had to pick up new glasses today. Actually, I kept my old frames but needed to up the prescription. I only took the appointment today because the nice lady on the phone assured me it would be a slow day and I wouldn’t have to wait forever to switch out my lenses.”You’ll be in and out.” She promised.

Bet you just said, “yeah right!” too.

20 minutes later we’re at the mall and I hand the sales lady my frames and prescription. “See you in two hours.” She waved me away.

“Excuse me?” I asked. “You promise one hour lenses.”

“Not today,” she responded. “we’re too busy.”

There was no one in the shop. I reminded her that she promised me over the phone that it wouldn’t take to long to fill my eyeglass prescription. “Two hours isn’t bad,” she remarked. “At least it’s not a few days.” I rolled my eyes and walked out of the shop.

For some inexplicable reason I took my husband and son with me to the mall. None of us are mall people. We do our best to stay away from any stores not selling groceries until at least the second week in January. Two hours in mall time is like six hours to a seven year old. I’ve never been one to spend the day at a mall and when I’m forced to do it I get very cranky. Imagine my mood after having the time asked of me every 9 minutes or explaining for the umpteenth time why we can’t go home. Now multiply that times two because Mr. Ng doesn’t dig the mall either.

Two pretzels, a banana milkshake and a skateboard later I returned to the lens shop to pick up my new lenses. Except they weren’t ready yet. Not only were they not ready, but the lab was across the mall and down two floors -they weren’t even in the same place. I was told it would be a minute but after 45 minutes and lots of “Please don’t touch” or “please don’t try on the glasses” later, the saleslady sent someone to get them. I was livid.

I thought about my own business where deadlines and on time deliveries are important. There’s no way I could say to someone “I’ll have it Friday” and deliver it Tuesday without even batting an eye. It’s the best way to lose a client. When I told the sales lady I was very disappointed at having to wait for 2 1/2 hours after being assured before I even drove out there I’d be  “in and out” she said, “Ma’am, you’re being unreasonable. If this was fifty years ago you would have to wait two weeks for your lenses to come in.”

I wonder if I would be able to tell my clients to be happy they get stuff from me at all because I could have sent it snail mail and not email.

I understand some things take time. There’s a reason I called and asked if the shop was busy. There’s a reason I went this afternoon instead of another morning when my son is in school. Even if this place didn’t promise a one hour turnaround, to tell me I’m unreasonable isn’t exactly good customer service.

Yet again, I have another example of how not to treat people. Two good lessons came out of it: Deliver what you promise and never promise what you can’t deliver.

Make that three lessons: When waiting on lenses, leave the seven year old at home.

No, I like Borders because I feel like they appreciate me.

You see, both stores have a membership program where they’ll send you coupons and special promotions. The typical Borders coupon is 25% to 40% off any item. The typical Barnes & Noble coupon – well, it’s typically 40% – off one specific title. Strangely enough, it’s almost never a title I’m interested in.

And that’s problem #1: I don’t feel like their target market or ideal client.

I get that I might have niche reading interests. But Borders doesn’t care: they want me to enjoy a good book, without judging me. (Before you start thinking something nefarious here, I’m talking about roleplaying game books, not books on the mating habits of New Guinean wallabies or something).

At any rate, there’s another issue at hand, too.

If you want a Borders membership, you simply walk into the store and ask for one. Usually, the cashier will hand you the week’s member coupon right there to use on your purchase.

If you want a Barnes & Noble membership, you simply walk into the store ask for one. You pay your $25, and your member discount will be applied right away, assuming you’re buying Andre Agassi’s autobiography or whatever the book of the week is.

That’s customer appreciation problem #2: To become a valued customer, I have to pay.

I get that a company can’t stay in business if all it ever does is give things away. I can’t run my business that way. But if you want to show your appreciation to me as a customer by offering an occasional discount, don’t make me pay you for it. If you do, your customer appreciation program becomes a profit center rather than a promotion.

Now, I’m not saying I don’t shop at Barnes & Noble – I do.  All the time. How could I not? Sometimes, the book I want isn’t at Borders, and sometimes it’s nice just to browse the bigger selection. But all other things being equal, I’m shopping at Borders first, and I won’t pay for a membership at Barnes & Noble.

How does this all apply to your freelance writing business? If you want loyal clients, you need to truly value them. Offer an occasional discount with no strings attached. Call it a “customer appreciation day.”

If you can’t do a discount, find other ways to let them know you appreciate their business, whether it’s something as simple as a Christmas card or buying them lunch if they’re a local client. Oh, and if you do take a client to lunch, please don’t ask them to pay.

(And before you all correct me, I do realize that Barnes & Noble members get 10% off every item, as well as the coupons. Not especially a mitigating factor for me. I don’t start saving until I’ve bought enough to pay back my membership fee – the first $250 I spend in a year gets me no effective discount.)

Last week we discussed the importance of freelance writers using social media tools to build online relationships. While the benefits abound, it’s important to note offline relationships are also important. In fact, taking your online relationships offline, can further solidify a working association. Don’t be afraid to join a local networking group or reach out to people in the real world.

Offline relationships are just important. No ,they’re more important than the bonds you form online.

Why Are Offline Relationships Important for Freelance Writers

1. Because everyone is a potential client

It doesn’t matter if it’s your neighbor, the Cub Scout leader or your Realtor, everyone has the potential to be a client. There are different reasons to hire writers and not all writing jobs are found online. Every single person you meet may need to hire a writer one day. When you maintain good relationships with the people in your area, you’re the one who will come to mind when it’s time to hire a freelancer. Besides, ,most people prefer to hire local anyway.

2. Because people have more faith and trust in those they meet face to face

Are you more likely to trust someone online or off? Offline we can meet someone and hit it off right off the bat. Online, it takes more time to establish that trust. We can’t tell who we want to do business with after a couple of Tweets. However, after talking with someone face to face at a networking meeting, we might have a good idea of whether or not someone is a potential client or freelancer.

3. Because everyone knows someone

All of your neighbors, friends and acquaintances  know people…people who might have a need for writers. If you have established trust with others, they’ll have no hesitation when it comes to recommending you for a gig.

4. Because you can do more offline than on

When you talk with someone online they can hear the sound of your voice and see the sincerity in your eyes. They can tell by your handshake if you’re confident or going through the motions. You can show a portfolio and go through your projects in detail, and  elaborate on points and issues. When we’re  talking via Skype or a social network, it’s generally hurried. In person we can slow down and address everything needing to be addressed.

5. Because it’s more personal offline

Offline is more personal. Online relationships can only go so far. Offline you can attend meetings and brainstorming sessions. You can tell by your client’s face and tone which ideas are a hit and which are bombs. Anything you do in person is more, well, personal.  To date, I haven’t met one client who says he prefers online relationships over offline relationships.

Start doing business in person and see what I mean.

What do you do to maintain professional relationships offline?

What follows are:

5 Tips for Getting Back into the Freelance Groove on January 2nd

Contact Your Clients

Always be upfront with your clients. If you’re going to take time off, give them a call. Tell them it’s the holidays and you want to be there for your family, but their business is important to you. Discuss how you can take time off while still being on their radar. Talk about any upcoming projects and promise to brainstorm ideas during your hiatus. Most clients understand the need to take time off for holidays and will try to work with you. Don’t assume you won’t be needed, however. Always take the time to call.

Offer Discounts

In January offer a “back in business” sale to your loyal clients. Reward them for sticking with you even after you took off for a month or two. Offer a package plan or 20% off for the month of January. This might also bring in new clients. You don’t have to make the discount a permanent thing, but your clients might offer you extra work making it a more lucrative month anyway.

Create a Backup Plan

What if your clients aren’t happy about losing you for six weeks? You’ll have to make some decisions. You can continue to work for them rather than take the time off, of you can let them find another freelancer to take over.  Are you prepared for the possibility you might lose clients in your absence? If so, create a plan for finding new clients and making up the lost income.

Plan Ahead

It may be too late for it now, but if you know you’re going to be taking time off for the holidays, contact your clients early – like in August and September – and ask for an advanced editorial calendar. Put in some extra hours to meet their needs so you’re able to take time off later.

Recommend Temporary Help

If you’re taking time off and your clients still have projects, offer temporary help to a trusted freelancer. Let both the client and the freelancer know this is only temporary. It will enable the client to continue with business as usual and another freelancer will pick up some extra money and experience. Don’t outsource without discussing it with your client first though, they might feel betrayed if you snuck another writer in behind their backs.  Always be honest.

How to do you jump back into the swing of things in January?

Client feedback is essential for freelance writing success. Even though we may not want to receive constructive criticism, not to do so could mean the end of our business. Look at it this way, even negative feedback offers the opportunity for improvement. Soliciting feedback from clients is just good customer service. Some freelancers aren’t sure how to take criticism, or what to say to a client who offers unsolicited advice. What follows are some tips for receiving feedback from your freelance writing clients.

1. Say “thank you”

When your clients offer feedback, say “thank you.” Don’t take issue, don’t take offense, and don’t fire off an angry email in return. Keep the relationship respectful, even if you disagree. Your client isn’t dropping you. He’s saying, “here’s a few things you could have done better.” That’s never a bad thing. It’s an opportunity waiting to happen.

2. Take everything into consideration

Both good and bad feedback should be given the same consideration. You want to think about the things you do right and how you can apply them to your business, and, also, what you can do to improve. Feedback is valuable because our clients tell us the things we may not see on our own. Thinking about negative feedback and making necessary adjustments might mean more business.

3. Ask questions

Your client is reaching out to you and telling you he either liked something or that there was something about your service that was lacking. Ask questions about what you did right, what you did wrong, and what you can do to improve.

4. Poll a variety of clients

Sometimes a client can be a little difficult. If you’re not sure how to take your client’s feedback, poll a variety of clients to see if they have the same experiences. If they do, you’ll have a lot to think about and a lot of decisions to make.

5. It’s Nothing personal

If you have a good relationship with your client he’s not offering criticism because he wants to make you feel bad. It’s because he values your business and wants to keep you on. By offering suggestions for improvement he’s letting you know the steps you can take to keep him as a client. He’s giving you a second chance.

6. Take action

If you receive negative feedback, take action. Put your customer service skills to good use. Offer a discount or a freebie in order to get back into your client’s good graces. Make the necessary improvements.Your clients will appreciate your going the extra mile.

What do you do when a client gives feedback?

One of the reasons I enjoy going to conferences such as BlogWorld is the opportunity to give and receive feedback. I chatted with several members of the FWJ community at this year’s conference, and they gave me good food for thought. Feedback is good. Feedback is important. Even the stuff we don’t want to hear is an opportunity to improve. I may not always like what people say about FWJ but that doesn’t mean I don’t take it into consideration.

While at BlogWorld, I decided to offer some feedback to others as well. Most people were happy to listen to what I had to say, others, not so much. I’d like to share a couple of stories from the BlogWorld and New Media Expo. One, a missed opportunity, the other, very promising.

I’m Not CNN

My friend Keith Burtis and I were walking around the exhibition floor and Keith noticed a fellow Buffalo resident manning a booth. As he went over to say hello, I noticed the name on the booth. It was from one of FWJ’s former advertisers. I decided to use this opportunity to let him know why I removed the ads from my blog.  I told him they were working well for me. In fact, they were good for a couple of hundred dollars a month. But they were ugly. The were big and ugly and orange. I wrote to customer service and explained that I have a high traffic blog. I asked if we could work together and create a clear widget or one matching my color scheme. The answer was a big, fat “no.” So I took the ads down. When I explained this to the rep at BlogWorld he said to me, “Well, if you were from CNN we’d probably listen, but you’re just a blogger.” To quote my friend Keith Burtis, “Dude, wrong answer.” CNN.com may have lots of page views, but collectively the blogosphere can reach more people. To dismiss bloggers and not work with us is a huge, missed opportunity.

The Start of Something Beautiful?

I was reluctant to enter the Hub Pages booth because I won’t post their ads here at FWJ. I thought maybe they’d toss me out if I approached. The guys manning the booth were pleasant and funny and had me at “hello.” As I chatted with Ryan “Hup” Hupfer, I told him why I don’t post ads for HubPages at my site, because they pay writers below my $10 minimum.

They didn’t kick me to the curb.

Instead we chatted. We both realized what we had was an opportunity to do something brilliant for both our communities. We don’t know what it is yet, but I do know this, we’re going to talk again. Hup wasn’t upset when I talked to him about rates, he understood where I was coming from. He listened to my feedback. Earlier today I talked about being part of the solution. By meeting with the people who run content sites and offering my feedback, I’m also doing my part to change the situation. I’m not saying Hub Pages is all of a sudden going to turn around and change their policies after a five minute confab, but they listened and discussed.  This puts them on my radar as being maybe not so evil after all.  I’m still not going to post their job ads, but maybe with more feedback from me and others, I’ll be able to do that one day.

Squeaky Wheels

Before I began blogging I was the girl who sat in the corner and let people walk all over her. Once I began blogging I realized I’d have to get others to take notice if I wanted to make a difference. I came out of my shell. I broke out of my element and began reaching out to people. If anyone ever wonders why I attend conferences, this is why. It’s because of the opportunities, for me and for others.

Feedback is good. Feedback is important. Feedback is an opportunity, don’t screw it up.