As a freelancer or small business-owner you have a lot of responsibility when it comes to taking care of your clients. Each and every client means more to you as you can’t serve as many clients as many bigger companies. This can be used to your advance also, by being able to give the clients a more personal service.

Be prepared to give everything in order to get and keep your clients, as competition gets harder and harder for every year.

Now let’s have a look at our tips!

Show off your portfolio and previous work

Picture by Brendan Gogarty

No matter if you’re talking to a potential new client, or an existing one, showing your portfolio can be very valuable. This shows the variety of your work and can also give more ideas to the clients regarding what you’re capable of doing. This can be extra important of you have a range of several products and services to offer.

Meet them in person if possible

Picture by Carl Dwyer

In today’s Internet era, we tend to do everything by mail, instant messengers and so on. In the cases where it’s possible, you should still try to meet up with your clients when possible. This can make a much better bond with them, and you wont be just an avatar. From my own experience the relationship with clients can reach a whole new dimension if you have the chance to meet up with them. Obviously this can’t be done in all cases, but you should definitely think about it when you can.

Give customized offers and services

Picture by Peter Nielsen

All serious designers have the ability to give the client exactly what he wants, sometimes without the client having to give every single detail. Use your creativity and take the time required to check out every single client further. Read up on their website, ask questions that can help you understand them better and so on. You can’t give everyone the same treatment or the same services, simply because they’re all different. If you understand that they are unique and help them feel that way they will look at you as a more serious designer and be more likely to become very loyal.

Giving something extra

Picture by Clifford Shirley

This is related to the customizing in a way. Not only should you make sure that your products/services are made to fit your client 100%, you should also give something extra when you can. This is often done by those who understand the game and take their clients seriously. If you only do what is wanted and never give anything extra, you could lose clients to designers who walk the extra mile. Throw in an hour or two of free consulting after a bigger project, make an update or two for free if you can – use your imagination to come up with things that you can afford to give extra. The clients will soon understand that you know how things should be done to give good service.

Never talk bad about your competitors

Picture by Robert Linder

One of the things I remember really well from when I studied was when our teacher taught us about how the really serious designers act to be professional. And this goes for most situations you come across. Never talk bad about someone else to make yourself look better. I can say for sure that this is wrong in at least 90% of the cases, maybe even 100%. If you’re giving good service and have great products, they’ll be able to speak for themselves. If you talk bad about others you will look unprofessional. Your clients will notice right away!

Don’t mix business and personal affairs

Picture by Teak Sato

Becoming friends with clients is of course allowed. But remember that you have to take the business part extra serious. Friendships must not come in the way of business. With some practice and focus, you will be able to switch between the business and personal side of you. If you’re not aware of this many things got be affected.

Keep your promises

Picture by Sachin Ghodke

By doing what you say that you’ll do, you come across as serious and stable. Don’t make promises you can’t keep in order to gain new clients. At some point, sooner or later, it will come back to haunt you. Be someone who your clients can trust all the time and they will pay you back with loyalty and make you gain a good reputation.

Conclusion

These were some tips for how you can show your clients that you’re serious about business and not just playing around. Most of these things are logical but not always easy to remember in the heat of the moment. So try keep these in mind when possible, and maybe they can help you a bit on your way to happier clients.

Picture by A. Feldmann

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