How to satisfy freelancing clients?

The first thing I learned in marketing was that in the modern-day business, customer satisfaction is the key to business success unlike selling more, making the best quality product, or selling at the cheapest price.

How to satisfy freelancing clients

The internet and information technology are making the customer even more important; customers have increasingly more control over information, pricing, and how products are delivered. Similarly work culture is also changing with the emergence of hiring freelancers as an alternative to traditional employees. I will talk about the benefits businesses get from doing so in a later post, today our focus is on how those selling their services to these businesses can satisfy these "clients."

I can't emphasize enough the importance of client satisfaction on freelancing regardless of the platform you sell your services on. However, it should be evidently elaborate by the fact that clients can rate their experience with the seller publicly and potential clients can see it before they buyer the seller's service.

Because delighted clients would leave positive reviews and comments, new customers would see the reviews and mostly decide on those basis of the reviews. And I cannot emphasize enough the power of reviews in attracting new buyers to your profile. Positive reviews reduce the buyers’ risk of losing their time and money on a seller who will create mess if they are assigned the task.

Obviously, as a seller you do not have much control power what type content about your profile is shown to the potential buyers, but you do have a choice what would be in the content. For example, Fiverr would show reviews of previous buyers to the new buyers looking for services, you cannot change that but what you can do is to strive to have positive reviews by satisfying your clients.

 

Achieving client satisfaction in freelancing is easy if you know your job well. Still here are a few subtle things you need to know about client satisfaction on freelancing platforms.

1. Know your client's needs.

You can be a master of your skill and still fail to deliver quality if you don't know what you are supposed to do. You need to dig deeper into the client's brief or requirements before you get started. If you are good at what you do, you know very well what information you will need to work on. Put specific questions in your requirements. Alternatively, you can ask the client precise and specific questions as to what they need as an outcome. Many times, your client won't have clear agenda as to what the need done. Therefore, it's your job as an expert to help them identify what they need. However, be careful not to confuse your client if they declare upfront what they want.

2. Calculate if you can do the job in the specified time.

Several factors affect the time you will take to complete a task: your level of expertise, experience, other tasks you have to get done, how much total time you can give to freelancing etc. So, take account all these factors and estimate if you can go the job in the given time. Never accept more orders than you can handle. If you are pressurized by the deadline, you can't deliver quality. Therefore, you need to be sure about the time you will take. You can bargain for time with the client, but making it a habit. Clients with urgent needs can be easily turned off by request for more time.

3. Always give more.

It is always a good idea to be on the giving end of transaction. If you put a little more to dig deeper into the job and make look more accomplished than the client would expect, you have already won over them. Remember if one or more aspects of the task surpass client's expectations, they will be less likely to be dissatisfied with the aspects that have been done poorly. They will politely ask for a modification in those parts rather leaving a negative review. Moreover, such clients are more likely to return and make repeat purchases. This is how clients start trusting you. Once the clients start trusting you, you have a chance to upsell by suggesting what client needs. If my repeat buyer approaches me and asks for one-page sponsorship proposal, I suggest them to buy a detailed one (covered in my premium package).

4. Always be ready for modifications.

Many times, your clients will have to show the work they get done by you to their boss, senior, or employer. After receiving feedback from their superiors, they will return to you for modification. You must be ready to modify your work as per the provided feedback. You should try your best to cover the modifications in the same price, but if changes required are significantly different than the original requirements, then you should clearly communicate and convince the client to pay the additional charges. Though this hasn't been the case in 99% of modifications I have given to my clients.