If you are a freelance writer and you deal with private clients on a daily basis, there are definitely some things you should do in order to keep your private clients happy. The happier your private clients are, the more work you will get. Having an unhappy private client in the freelance world can definitely hurt your chances of keeping the client and getting new clients as well. I have been a freelance writer and web developer since 2005 and have dealt with many private clients. I know from experience how to keep them happy and excel at what we do. Here are some tips on how to keep your private clients happy as a freelance writer.
Good Communication
The first tip is good communication! If the communication between you and your private clients is poor, you will find yourself either out of a job, or wasting your time and not earning the money you deserve. The line of communication needs to be open at all times and both of you need to understand what is expected before even starting a job.
Ask Questions
When someone approaches you about doing some writing for them, you need to ask questions. You need to find out exactly what they are looking for, the word count they are going for, the direction they would like the articles to go in, and the pay they are willing to pay.
Set Your Prices at a Decent Amount
You also need to set your prices at a decent amount. Don’t cut yourself short just because you need the money. That is only going to hurt you and the private client will be taking advantage of your hard work.
Try to Meet the Private Client in the Middle
By this I am referring to money. Some private clients will ask you to write their articles, send them the articles, and then they will send you the money. You must be careful with this because there are so many people out there that will scam you. You send them the requested articles and you will never see your pay. Then you are out of time and money. So, ask your client to meet you in the middle. Tell the client that you need half of the money upfront before starting on their articles. If the client is not willing to do that, then you should move on.
Provide Your Clients with a Bonus from Time to Time
If is a nice gesture to provide them with a bonus from time to time. You could give them a higher word count for the same price you agreed on. You could throw in a couple of extra articles at no cost. Giving your clients a bonus from time to time will definitely show them that you care about their business and love working for them.
Don’t Try to B.S. Your Private Clients
Give them what they ask for. Don’t throw together crappy work and send to them. That will cause you to lose their business and that will hurt you as well.
Sources: The author of this article works for many private clients as a freelance writer and web developer and knows what it takes to keep private clients happy.
