Freelancers - what your ideal client looks like
There are some clients you would want to work with time and time again. This is what they have in common.
I was having a Twitter discussion on client “red flags”, when a freelancer asked “and what are the green flags?”
I thought it was a great idea to talk about what an ideal client looks like. I am fortunate enough to have had a few of those over the years.
These are my top 7 things all great clients have in common:
They have done their homework on you. They know what you are about, your area of expertise and what you do.
They don't avoid the money conversation. In fact, they are upfront about it: asking how much the service will cost and are not afraid to talk budgets...oh and they have a reasonable budget too!
They are clear in what they want. Sure, this might take a few emails and even a call - but everyone is clear on what is going to be delivered.
They don't keep changing their mind as to what they want. Especially after you've done the work that was agreed. And they will NEVER try to extract free additional work from you.
They have reasonable exceptions of how long the work will take. Perhaps most importantly, they don't rush you to get it done for tomorrow because they left it too late themselves to be contacting a freelancer in the first place.
They are happy to have a retainer agreement in place. In fact, they may already have a standard one they use and offer this up.
And for me...the big one...respect. They respect that the price you are charging is a reflection of the quality of the service you provide and your level of expertise.
Freelancing can be difficult. There is a lot of pressure to secure clients and keep them happy as this is your income and livelihood. But, as a freelancer you should expect your clients to behave in a respectful and professional way so that you can build a good and lasting working relationship.
Let me know your experience with good (and bad) clients in the comments.
If you prefer to watch a video this topic: