And when I started working online, I wish I knew this.
Many new freelancers fall prey to the “shiny object syndrome”, and many existing freelancers feel like they have to keep chasing the golden goose. But unfortunately, it ends up taking years and years of experience and trial and error to figure how to get more clients as a new (or existing) freelancer. But before we dive into the nitty gritty, it’s important to re-emphasize that as a new (or existing freelancer), you need more online clients because:
As a new freelancer: your first online client is your “way in the room”. Your entry ticket. Your pass, and in some way, your access to repeat clients (if you play your cards right, as we will see in this article). This is particularly important if you’re working in the in demand online job categories.
For existing freelancers: the more you get clients, the more your business grows, and so does your income. And your freedom. And the liberty to do whatever you always wanted to do.
That being said, despite many of the false ideas that people have about working online, your growth as a freelancer (both financially and professionally) depends on how good you are at bringing in new clients in the business.
So, how do you do that? How do you consistently bring in new clients, new income and new growth into your corner as a new freelancer?
It’s not through aggressive marketing. It’s not even by signing up on 1000 more online work platforms. Or by applying to more jobs.
Want to know the secret?
It’s by… Keeping Your Existing Clients Happy.
Whew. Let me explain.
Whether you’re getting started or have already launched your freelancing career, it’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that “more in more”, though as we know, sometimes, “less is more”. In this case, keeping your current customers happy is not only the easiest way to get more customers, but also the smartest, and here are two reasons why:
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By keeping your online clients happy, you can transform your current online client into a repeat customer.
When someone has bought from you before, they are more likely to buy again! (again, provided that you play your cards right). You wont need to go through the hard work of convincing the client about your value, your unique selling proposition, and your offer (you’d have already done that work the first time you tried to woo the client). And if you’re offering a service that is most likely to be in ongoing demand, then the client will keep coming back to you for more! What does this mean for you? Easy: recurrent projects, recurrent income, and a stronger relationship.
By making your online client happy, you can transform your current online client into a primary source of referrals.
If a client loved the work that you do, he’s going to want to tell all his friends about you and your work – which means more clients for you! And even if he doesn’t have any friends who needs your services, he’s going to be more willing to give you positive reviews and testimonials that you can leverage to build your credibility and land more clients. These reviews can in turn be used on your online work platforms such as Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, LinkedIn, or in your freelancer portfolio. Either way, you win!
Keeping your current clients happy is the UNDEFEATED METHOD for you as a freelancer to get repeat clients and more customers as you go along on this journey.
Now, with that being said, what are the things that you should do keep your online clients happy?
Here are 4 simple, easy and practical tips. So simple (yet overrated), you’ll shake your head in (positive) disbelief when you read this.
Practical Tips to keep your online clients happy and get repeat and new online customers
#1: Communicate frequently.
I don’t mean everyday unless your work with the client requires you to do so (otherwise it might seem excessive, annoying and lead to the opposite effect you want to create. A fair balance to strike would be to aim at communicating major and minor updates on the project you are working on. If you’re working with a new client, I recommend communicating more frequently, so that the client can feel that you are “present”. You know, when working online, clients don’t see you – so they must feel your presence, commitment and engagement in their projects.
#2: Be consistent in the quality of your work.
This was one of the mistakes that I made along the way, and I wish (back then) I had more discipline to actually stick to consistency (I am 1000 times better now). If you’re inconsistent with the results that you bring, you will come across as unreliable. Therefore, every time you need to work, show up. Do your best. Deliver, and make your clients happy.
#3: Operate from a place of excellence.
Have an attitude of excellence, even before you land your first online remote job. Based on your academic, educational and professional background, you might have different “standards of excellence”. Because of that, I can’t tell you what “excellence” means, apart from the fact that it implies going above the average of what you’re used to do to keep your client happy. In order to figure out what excellence means to you, ask yourself: “is this the best that I can do for this project?” Your internal excellence meter will give you the right answer. I just hope you have the courage and discipline to act on it!
#4: Anticipate the client’s needs.
Don’t you just love it when someone offers you a gift that they know you’ll love? Or someone gets you lunch before it’s even lunch time because they know that everyone tends to take a break at lunch time? And even if you don’t take a break at lunch time, wouldn’t you still appreciate the thought?
Yup. That feeling you just had or thought about, is exactly what you want your online client to feel, in order to make him happy. In other words, ask yourself “what else could the client need for this project? How else can I add value?” This also goes hand in hand with “going the extra mile”.
#5: Ask for feedback.
You might be afraid to do this, either because you’re not used to it, or you are skeptical about what the client would say. But one thing I know for sure is this: the insight of your current clients on your work is key to grow your personal market and improve your services. Here is how.
- Positive feedback: you score points, you’re good to go. Keep up that energy, and keep making your online clients happy.
- Negative feedback: highlights the areas where you are weak (or perceived as weak from the client’s point of view), and gives you some directive as to how to improve. Quick story – when I was in medical school doing my hospital rotations, I was placed in a department for 4 weeks. As a medical student in a medical team, my role was to be resourceful, be helpful, be interested, and come up with answers to questions that my consultants (senior doctors) would ask me. At times, during discussions, I would use my phone to research the discussion topics and find the answer, just so I could be more … resourceful. However, to the rest of the residents (junior doctors), it seemed disrespectful and made me look “uninterested”. Now, I would not have known that if I did not ask for feedback half way through my rotation. Similarly, if I had asked for the feedback at the end of the rotation, it would have given me the opportunity to improve the future rotations, but not that one. Get it? In summary, negative feedback, even when it might seem unpleasant, is still positive if you know how to spin it around to get repeat customers.
Working from home is a blessing, and there is more than one reason why people decide to jump on board of that train. But to make it sustainable, getting more clients as a freelancer is key to growing your business, your income and your freedom. To achieve that goal, a lot of freelancers tend to either diversify their freelancing platform, pitching to more clients, and trying to be everywhere. And yes, these methods work too. But before you jump to that, remember: the undefeated method to get more online clients is to start with those you have: make your current clients happy, and they will bring you new ones.
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