When you work as a freelancer, your clients have a big say in what you do.
Your income, lifestyle, productivity levels, mental health, and self-employment contentment are all directly affected by who you choose to work with and how you choose to work with them.
To put it another way, your relationships are important. When they’re not based on a solid basis of trust, value, and mutual respect, business becomes unpleasant, and you’re tormented by the horrible anxiety that comes with not feeling in control of your surroundings.
The good news is that there are several basic steps you can take to avoid losing control and instead develop solid, pain-free client relationships that will benefit you both.
- Where do terrible partnerships start?
- Where do dysfunctional connections begin?
Uncertain boundaries, poor communication, or a mismatch in your marketing approach are all common causes of poor customer interactions. Of course, you can solve all of these issues. Here’s what you need to do:
- Improve the quality of your client base dramatically.
- Rethink how you operate and how you handle your tasks.
- Boost your productivity, work satisfaction, and happiness on a daily basis.
Keep in mind you can always fix things before the dead end. Let’s have a look at the three effective techniques for making these goals a reality:
1. To gain your client’s respect, set boundaries (and keep to them)
All self-employed persons must establish clear boundaries between work and the rest of their lives.
It is for this reason that we develop terms of service and operational rules. But having these procedures written down isn’t enough; we must also carry them out.
Allowing minor issues to go or caving in “just this time” demonstrates to your clients that you do not respect your limits, so why should they?
If an off-putting or intrusive customer is causing you concern and undue tension, you should consider how effectively you’re following your own guidelines. And, if required, tighten the ship.
- Examine yourself: are your expectations and emotions adding to the problem?
While it’s useful to be able to blame the client for any negative feelings that arise in your connection, it’s also prudent to take a step back and consider whether you may be contributing to the situation.
I know I have an overthinking problem, and it sometimes adds an excess of emotion and unrealistic expectations into my decision-making and communication. It’s quite easy to create your own worries when you work for yourself (often out of stupidity).
However, prepare yourself with basic steps and remove emotions as much as possible while engaging with a customer.
3. Seek high-value clients from the start
High-value clients regard you as an expert and value your time and insight. And, based on my findings, the most successful approach to attracting this higher breed of clients is to employ superior means of attracting them.
Here are a few things to think about in order to start attracting the correct sort of clientele in the future:
- Content establishes your authority, and there are several methods to leverage what you generate to market your business, improve sales, and raise your worth.
- Make an effort to be seen and demonstrate your skills to the best of your abilities. When you have material to back you up, networking becomes easy.
- Make it clear that you are available for work. Have a clear contact funnel and let consumers know you can solve their problems. Better yet, become a master at it.
- If you’re prospecting, you’ll need to get their permission to contact them. Go for customers who don’t need to be persuaded of your worth since they already know it.
So, follow these simple tips to manage your client relationships in the future.
