The Things Clients Actually Remember
There may be things that your clients say that you don’t want to hear, like “If you do this one free…” but after a while those clients seem to disappear. After a while, you start trying to turn clients into return clients. Here are some things that clients remember about their designers, and their positive/negative effects.
- Communication - This is pretty obvious, but I’m not saying to just talk to them, but reply as quickly as you can, and answer everything they ask. For example, a lot of clients I have don’t know much about WordPress, so I try to help them out as best I can.
- Your attitude - Don’t shut down their ideas without a good reason. There are times when you have to put your foot down, but try to at least have a good attitude when doing it. Doing things freelance has a lot of customer service so to speak and you have to deal with people.
- Your expertise - Take WordPress for example. Almost everything you can do in WordPress is well documented across the web. You need to be better than a quick Google search for your clients, and be able to answer their questions concisely and confidently.
- Your writing skills - Just because you’re a designer and not a copy writer (or it’s useful if you’re both :)) doesn’t mean you can’t put together a legible sentence. Clients remember, and its the first thing they notice. It also helps to be taken seriously.
Essentially, the clients remember the taste you leave in their mouth, so to speak. If your design is great for them, but you kind of jerked them around and kept distant, the client will not become a return client. After a while I think you’ll find it easier to make a return client than a new one.
As someone that does freelance work, you’re basically in customer service. Except for the fact that the client is not always right. Don’t be afraid to tell them that. You’re the expert and that’s why they hired you, so don’t be afraid to put your foot down and tell them when they’re dream or when they’re wrong.
Leave a comment
Steve Wordpressguy
April 22nd, 2007 at 1:03 PM
This rings completely true - especially the attitude point. I had a colleague a couple of years ago who was excellent technically and creatively but was VERY grumpy around clients. Everyone now remembers him as ‘that kinda useless guy’ - even though his work was often outstanding. All about the attitude!
MB Web Design
October 2nd, 2007 at 4:08 AM
It works the other way round, too - when a client can barely structure a sentence, let alone explain what they’re looking for, then it’s difficult. You remember them for it, though.
Jan from thrusites design
October 15th, 2007 at 11:31 AM
Sometimes there could be a problem with returning clients. As you work for them on a regular basis, you’re not a freelancer anymore (in basis) and what’s more, they’re becoming friends much more than clients. And asking money from a client is easier than asking the same amount from a friend.
BTW, the expertise is sometimes bad aspect of this thing. For example, the client wants something but you know that it will be a piece of something. So more you know, more dainty you are
. It means that you sometimes lose a potential client. I know it because I was working for one guy who wanted to start an affiliate business with many affiliate links. Basically, no quality was given to potential visitors… Who would come there if there is no serious content? Later I stopped working for him…
Mathew Browne
October 23rd, 2007 at 2:53 PM
This brings to mind an interesting question - have you ever turned away a return client because you didn’t want to work with them again?
Connor Wilson
October 23rd, 2007 at 5:17 PM
Yes, I have, actually
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