Lying to potential freelance writing clients is never a good idea. Although you may already know this, it is safe to say that you may be tempted anyway. After all, many people think that lying to potential clients is a great way to obtain more work. Sure, this may work with some, but in the long run it is only going to harm you. It always pays off if you are open and honest with potential clients as well as those that you already work with.
Here are three common lies that freelance writers tell potential clients:
1. I have tons of experience with that subject matter. If you say this you better be ready to back it up in a big way. Remember, your client is going to have a lot of experience so they will know if you are lying. In many cases, admitting that you are not well versed in a particular area will not disqualify your chances of winning the job. If you are honest about what you do and don’t know, the buyer will be able to give you feedback and hopefully work with you to get started on the project.
2. Time after time I come across freelance writers who refer to themselves as “we.†In other words, they want their “company†to look big. The fact of the matter is that this is not always a good thing. In some industries it may be better to make yourself look as big as possible. But as a freelance writer this is not necessary. Not only is it a lie, but it may also deter clients. I make it known to every client that I will be the guy working on their project. I don’t outsource my work, and this makes the client comfortable because they know they will be working with me while having access to my expertise.
3. Don’t try to fake your way through an interview or project. If a client asks if you have questions or are confused, be honest with them. Remember, there is no shame in asking for help. The client will be happy to address all misconceptions and problems up front. This helps to avoid loss time and conflicts in the future.
There is no reason to lie to potential freelance writing clients. Instead, be honest with all of them at all times.Â
No matter how much success you have had as a freelance writer, there is a good chance that you have been asked for a refund at least once. This is usually not the case with magazines, but more so with web based clients. The question is: how do you deal with refunds? Is this something that you believe in, or do you tell the client no way? I know some freelance writers who are willing to give full refunds, others who will only give a partial refund, and some who feel that they do not owe anything if they completed the work as detailed. As you can imagine, this is a touchy subject and can be difficult to deal with.
Personally, I will give a refund to a client if they have a good reason. For instance, if we are not seeing eye to eye on a project, I will give a refund to get out from under the situation. That being said, it all depends on how much time I have put into the project when things begin to go downhill. In other words, if I am almost done with the job I am not going to give a full refund just because the client decides that they no longer want to move forward. Instead, I try to explain my situation and work something out that is mutually beneficial. After all, you never want to get into a confrontation with a client; even if they are offending you.
Since most web clients pay via PayPal, you need to watch what you are doing when it comes to refunds. The nice thing about PayPal is that you can easily refund an entire payment with one click of the mouse. That being said, if you refuse to send a refund a client may open a dispute. This has happened to me one time, and since it was only for $200 or so, I simply sent the money back. I felt that this was better than dealing with PayPal’s dispute resolution system and risking my account being frozen.
My best advice is this: deal with refunds on a case by case basis. It is easy to say that you do not offer any sort of refund, but there may come a time when you should. If you address each situation separately, you can always ensure that you do the right thing.Â
This post is meant to be a quick reminder for all of you guys and gals who have forgotten about past clients. If you are going to be a successful freelance writer, you should follow-up with past clients from time to time. This does not mean that you should bug them once per week, but doing so every so often will definitely work to your advantage.
By following up with a client you will be able to take advantage of many benefits. First off, you may find that they need more content and by following up at the right time you won yourself another job; this is always a great feeling. Additionally, you always want to stay fresh in the mind of past clients who enjoyed working with you. They may not have a need for you right now, but as long as they remember you, you will be in line for future work.
This is a short post, but one of utmost importance. No matter how big or small the client, always follow-up with them from time to time. Remember, it only takes a few minutes to send an email!
