7 Simple Ways to Impress Your Clients (And Make More Money)
In my previous post on freelance writer rates, I mentioned that writers who consistently exceed their client’s expectations can feel justified in charging more for their work. I received a few questions on how to do this, so that’s what today’s blog post is all about.
Even if you are a brand spanking new freelance writer, exceeding client expectations can help you to book new clients, retain old clients, and (perhaps most importantly) make more money. You are a legit freelance writer, and these strategies are how you will communicate that to your clients.
So if you’re ready to get strategic about how you are serving your clients, keep reading!
WHY EXCEEDING CLIENT EXPECTATIONS IS SO IMPORTANT
Before we get into the tips, I just want to talk a little bit more about how exceeding client expectations will help you to level up your freelance writing career.
Impressing Your Clients Means You Can Charge More for Your Work
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: you must work to continuously improve your writing skills. That being said, once your copywriting skills reach a certain level, there isn’t much you can do in terms of your content to get a leg up on the competition.
If a potential client is comparing your work with another freelance writer of similar skills and experience, what can you do to stand out? The answer is improving your level of service.
By wowing your clients with a seamless and professional customer experience, you will stand out amongst a pool of other talented and experienced copywriters. You’ll have more work than you can handle, and thus, you can charge much higher rates.
Exceeding your client’s expectations will go a long way in building a sustainable freelance writing career.
Exceeding Client Expectations Keeps Clients Coming Back for More
It’s common knowledge in the business world that it’s easier to retain clients than it is to win new ones. After all, think of all the effort you put into cold pitching to find new clients! It’s easier to build a book of recurring, consistent clients than to keep pitching to new ones all the time.
If you wow your current clients with your level of service, they will reach out to you for all of their copy needs in the future. Remember: from a client’s perspective, it’s easier for them to continue working with you than to try to find a new copywriter. So don’t give them a reason to walk away from the relationship!
Impressing Your Current Clients Attracts New Clients
Your clients have other potential clients in their network. Just imagine all of the people in your network. We’re not just talking friends and family here! Think about former classmates, coworkers, neighbors, and even random people that you met at parties and still follow on Instagram. That’s your network. Each of your clients has a network, and their network could include new potential clients for you.
If you wow your clients, they will refer other potential clients to you. This means that you’ll get new clients without doing any additional work (besides nailing every freelance writing project, of course). Since you will need to spend less time cold pitching and marketing yourself to gain new work, you’ll have more time to either devote to client projects (and thus make more money). Or, you’ll have more time for yourself!
HOW TO WOW CLIENTS: 7 WAYS TO EXCEED CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
So, how exactly does one go about exceeding client expectations? The key is to put yourself in your client’s shoes. Marketers and business owners are extremely busy people. They always have more projects than they can handle. They need you to help pick up the slack and take the writing piece off of their plate.
Additionally, most clients have no idea how to work with a freelance writer. So, to exceed client expectations, you need to think through what you can do to make your client’s life easier. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Get Clear About Your Offerings
First, you need to be transparent about the services that you offer as a freelance writer. Think of it like this: imagine that your potential client is a customer in a restaurant, and you are the chef. You want to present your client with a selection of services and tell them exactly what those services will entail and how much they will cost. After all, you’d have a difficult time ordering at a restaurant if you didn’t know what was in the dishes and how much they cost. The same is true for potential clients. They don’t know what’s on the menu unless you tell them, so you need to make your offerings crystal clear.
Take a moment to brainstorm several service packages for your clients. Then take this one step further and create a service menu that you can send to potential clients.
(Hint: I’ve included an easy-to-use service menu template in my freelance writing course!)
Get your client on the phone as soon as possible to build trust and stand out!
2. Define Your Process
Next, you need to think through your process for creating and delivering work to your clients. Will you create a content calendar for them? When will you deliver the blog posts? Will they have a chance to review them? Who will upload them to the website? When will you send an invoice? How will they pay you?
Take some time to write down how your process will work for each of your offerings, from start to finish.
Here is an example of the process I use for my blog clients:
Every quarter, I do some keyword research, then plan blog post topics for the quarter. I enter all of that information into a Google Sheet content calendar and send it on to my client for approval.
I write all of the blog posts for the coming month. Then I send the posts to my editor for corrections.
Once the posts are edited, I enter the Google doc link into the content calendar, along with a link for a stock photo, a meta description, and a suggested URL (these are all part of SEO 101).
I send the updated content calendar to the client. If they have no edits, then I send them my invoice through Honeybook, which they pay through the platform.
3. Get on the Phone
I don’t want to hear any whining about this one! The sooner you can get a potential client on the phone (or better yet, a Zoom call), the better.
Why? Well, you only give your money to brands and stores you trust, right? If you felt like they were going to steal from you, there’s no way you would do business with them.
The same is true for a B2B relationship like the one between a client and a freelance writer. The client needs to trust you to agree to work with you. Allowing the client to hear your voice and see your beautiful face is the easiest way to create a human connection and begin to establish trust.
Come to your calls prepared. Write out a list of questions that need answering to create a detailed and accurate proposal. One 30-minute phone call can save days (if not weeks!) of back and forth emails, and a lot of headaches for both you and your client.
4. Send Professional-Looking Documents
Take the extra time to create professional-looking proposals and invoices. You don’t need anything fancier than a Google Doc, but adding this step to your process builds trust and positions you as an expert.
5. Use Contracts
Another way to impress your clients is to simply use contracts! Clients love contracts because they protect both the client and the contractor. Plus, using a contract shows that you’re a professional who takes their business seriously.
You can download simple freelancing contracts online, or you can create your own if you or your client is looking for certain protections.
(PS: my freelance writing course includes a downloadable contract template for freelance writers!)
6. Offer Multiple Payment Methods
Every client has a preferred payment method. Some like ACH transfers, some prefer Paypal, and some just want to pay with a credit card. Make sure you’re set up for several different payment methods to keep things easy for your client.
7. Be a Buddy
Treat your clients as you would treat your friends, and you will have far greater success as a freelance writer. Clients are people too!
So what does that mean? Be thoughtful and kind, and establish a real human connection. Remember the little hints that your clients give you about their personal lives, and follow up later. If they apologize for their dog barking on your call, tell them about your dog! Ask them about the weather where they live. If you can’t remember these little details, write them down!
Keep in touch with your client, even when your projects are completed. Once you have worked with a client, you have a certain level of investment in their success. Besides, a friendly follow-up can sometimes lead to future work!