I’ve been fortunate to retain many of my original freelance clients after six years. One of the ways that I’ve accomplished this is to consistently exceed my client’s expectations for the initial project we work on together. You might think that’s easier said than done, but here are 3 ways you can exceed your client’s expectations and establish yourself as a stellar freelance writer.
Deliver Early
Clients can be nervous about whether you’ll actually deliver your work. In many cases, you work with clients online and they never even meet you in real life. One way to mitigate this concern is to quote a realistic time frame for the work to be completed in and turn it in a day early. The single day won’t really impact your schedule and you’ll cultivate trust with your new client. I like to keep them informed about the project. If I finish research for their project, I’ll let them know.
Proofread Your Work
Sloppy work won’t get you more work. Proofread your work thoroughly before you send it to your client for typos, grammar errors, and cliches. Your client pays you for professional quality work, so make sure that’s what you give them.
Do Something Extra and Make it Known
You should try to make your client happy so they stay your client for a long time. When I first work with a client, I always throw in something extra. It’s a small thing but something that shows I’m grateful for them. Maybe I’ll find a royalty-free image for their blog post or proofread their “about” page on their website. I let them know that since this was their first project, I did a little extra. Otherwise they won’t know you did anything more than usual for them.
Becoming a freelance writer can be tough. If you need a solid plan and extra support to get you to pro status, check out my Freelance Writer Coaching Program. We’ll talk once a week by phone and daily by email. We’ll establish your first client list and a portfolio that sells.