Keeping in touch with clients is important for any freelancer, but it’s important not to keep bugging them or seem desperate for their attention.
This is according to a new advisory article published by the Professional Contractors Group (PCG).
It says that if a client does not answer the phone to you, that is not a cue to just keep on ringing until they do.
“You don't want to pester the client as this will only lead to problems for you in the future and will often turn a company away from your services, so how do you keep in touch with a client without seeming like you are desperate?” the article asked.
The PCG advise setting personal limits. This involves thinking about how many phone calls could start to annoy you if you were the one receiving them.
The same logic can also be applied to emails so think about how cluttered your inbox would have to become before you got fed up with it.
Another to think about is, could the time you’re wasting chasing up a client be better spent doing something more productive, such as working on another project or attracting new business?
The key to dealing with clients old and new is patience. A great deal of the people you’ll be contacting will be busy, so losing your rag and bombarding them with calls and emails is never a smart move.
“Always air on the side of caution, as while it is frustrating, sending messages or making a number of phone calls could see you develop a bad reputation in the sector, reducing the likelihood of other firms taking you on,” The PCG said.
Of course, the most frustrating part of client contact as a freelancer is when they owe you money for the work you’ve done. It’s easy to think that they are swerving your calls and emails because they don’t want to pay.
However, that possibility can be avoided if you have first drawn up a contract detailing a payment schedule and method.
