Has a client recently decided to part ways with you? This is never an easy situation to deal with. Every client is valuable, and you want to stay in good standing with as many of them as possible. That being said, if a client does leave you need to find out why no matter what it takes.
Here are three common reasons why a client may decide to go in another direction:
1. You did something that upset them. This could be anything from missing a deadline to not providing quality work. Even though it may be hard to hear, you still want to know if this is what caused the relationship to end. At the very least you can learn from this situation to ensure that you do not make the same mistake in the future.
2. They simply don’t need you any longer. Believe it or not, there are times when clients no longer need freelancers. You didn’t do anything wrong. Your client’s situation changed, and they decided to cut you out of the equation.
3. They found somebody better. Remember, you are not the only freelance writer around. At anytime a client can begin to look for somebody else. Maybe they want somebody with a different style. Maybe they are searching for a lower price. You should strive to provide quality work at all times so your client never thinks twice about comparison shopping.
If the information is not offered you should always ask a client why they are moving on. Chances are that the reason will fit into one of the three categories above. Even though it is never good to lose a client, you should do your best to learn from the experience.Â
Are you finding it difficult to land new clients? Is this something that you are struggling with? If so, your career as a freelance writer has probably come to a halt. The only way to grow and to earn more money is to find new clients. Those who are having trouble with this should look at one thing: their marketing plan. If you want to land new clients you should start with a new marketing plan. This can go a long way in breaking out of your current funk and eventually moving forward with a more successful career.
To start, take a strong look at your current marketing plan to see what is working and what isn’t. For instance, if you are having some success with cold calling you should keep this in your plan for the time being. At the same time, if something isn’t working for you, such as sending query letters, you can leave this out and replace it with another option. You should always be tweaking your marketing plan so you can learn what works, what doesn’t, and what you have yet to try.
It is very important to track the success of your marketing plan. Everything you do should be recorded. If you know that 25 cold calls usually results in two new clients you can ramp up your production to see if this ratio holds true over the long haul. If you are not tracking your marketing successes and failures how will you know what is working and what is not?
There is no good reason to rely on a marketing plan that is not turning up results. Instead, review your current plan and then see what changes you can make to better your chance of success. You should always know what is working, and then rely on this until a change is needed.Â
One thing that many new freelance writers forget is that they are responsible for more than just writing. They are also in charge of every other aspect of their career including accounts payable and receivable. It is very important that you keep all of your invoices organized. This is something that many freelance writers look over, and in the long run it ends up getting them in trouble.
The way that you organize your invoices is up to you. Personally, I like to keep both electronic and paper records for every invoice that I send and receive. I know some freelance writers who do not like to keep paper records. There is nothing wrong with using your computer as your primary mode of organization, but if a crash happens you may find yourself in deep trouble. This is why I print out every invoice no matter what.
Staying organized is relatively simple if you have a system for doing so. I have folders on my computer for sent and paid invoices, as well as a filing cabinet which holds pretty much the same information. Once you have a system in place that works for you, staying organized is very easy.
Don’t overlook the importance of keeping your invoices organized. I know that you want to spend most of your time writing and marketing. But remember, you cannot have a successful career unless you take care of all the details; even those that are not very much fun.Â
