In talking with a writer chum yesterday, I realized the difference between successful freelancers and those struggling to get a writing business going in the right direction.
Actually, it’s just one difference. There are plenty more, but this one is a biggie. It’s also a difference that had me struggling at the beginning of my freelance writing career.
[bctt tweet=”Focusing on the transaction can stifle any #freelance business.” username=”LoriWidmer”]
Think across your own freelance career. How many clients have been one-off connections, meaning you complete one project for them and that’s it? Now think about one of those — how many hours did you put into courting them? Be honest. How much time was spent reaching out, sending samples, following up, negotiating downward to win them over?
Now, be honest. How many of those one-off clients did you know would be a single gig, but you hoped you could convince them to hire you for more work?
Right there. Two things that kept you (and me, if I’m honest) from getting over that career speed bump: the focus on winning the client at all costs and the thinking that they don’t know what they need.
It’s the first one I want to talk about.
It’s true that winning client business is, to some extent, transactional. But the good client business, the stuff worth keeping, comes from paying attention to the relationship.
[bctt tweet=”Building client relationships is key to #freelance success. It just is.” username=”LoriWidmer”]
You can take that thought right to the bank. Because you will.
There’s something else that happens when you focus on the relationship:
The one-offs start to dwindle and disappear from your orbit.
They sure do. When you focus on the relationship, it changes your demeanor, your approach. Everything you say is now more client focused. That’s appealing to a client. The more you approach clients this way, the more a new client will feel you’re the right writer for the job.
Because they’re looking for a professional. They’re not looking for a one-time transaction. Those one-off clients are looking for just that — a transaction. It’s a one-time thing. Someone in that company said, “Get us some extra help for this one.”
By the way, that second thing I mentioned earlier — the thinking you can convert a one-off to a regular? How many of those in your career have you converted? In my own, I can’t count them on one hand. I can’t because none of them converted. They knew what they wanted. They didn’t want me to step in and help them on everything under the sun. They didn’t want a blog. They didn’t want anything other than this.
Can a one-off become a regular? Sure. But do you know which ones they are? Much better to spend your effort in securing clients who are looking for the long-term relationship and the writer who meets their ongoing needs.