The Five Stages of Working with Freelance Clients
Posted June 13, 2012 in Managing Clients
Did you know that your relationships with your long-term freelancing clients go through the same stages that other interpersonal relationships go through?
Of course, if you understand that there is a relationship behind each of your dealings with a client, this only makes sense.
As a freelancer, it’s important to understand each of these relationship stages so that you can avoid address the challenges that arise in each stage. Your client relationships are key to your success as a freelancer.
In this post, I identify each client relationship stage and explain how you can handle some of the challenges that arise.
Stage #1: Acquaintance and Definite Interest
The earliest stage of your client relationship begins when you meet them. As a prospect, they are not yet your client, but have shown a definite interest in working with you.
A definite interest means more than just a single, random interaction. Perhaps they are asking questions about your business such as trying to learn more about the type of work that you do. Perhaps they are communicating regularly with you through social media.
The challenge here is that you need to make a good enough impression on the client during the acquaintance stage so that the prospect moves to the next stage and actually becomes your client.
Make sure that your social media profiles and freelancing website are up to date so that you can make the right impression.
Stage #2: Engagement
The next stage of a freelancer/client relationship is the engagement. In this stage, the client actually engages you to work on a project with them.
During the engagement phase, the client is normally very excited about working with you. They may send you a request for a proposal, but as long as your response fits their budget and needs they will hire you.
The danger during this phase is to get so caught up in the client’s excitement about working with you that you fail to get a detailed agreement from them. Always get the terms of your agreement in writing. If appropriate, use a contract.
Stage #3: Honeymoon
You’ll know that you’re in the honeymoon stage with your client if they seem to be complimenting you all the time. During the honeymoon phase, the client may act as though you can do no wrong.
It’s during the honeymoon phase that you are most likely to get additional business from the client. The honeymoon phase is also the ideal time to ask your client for a testimonial.
One challenge in this phase is that you want to maintain the client’s good perception of you as long as possible. One way to do this is to overdeliver (exceed expectations) whenever it is practical.
Beware of moving into the next phase, though.
Stage #4: Taken for Granted
As a freelancer, you most likely to want to avoid this phase. As in an interpersonal relationship, being taken for granted as a freelancer can mean the beginning of the end.
As a freelancer, you’re taking the client for granted when you let the quality of your work to slip and just do enough to get by. Likewise, a client is taking a freelancer for granted when they regularly fail to provide adequate time or pay for a project.
Although this can be a negative phase, you can overcome the negativity by working harder on the freelancer/client relationship. By now, you probably understand the client’s business that you can make suggestions that really add value to the client’s business–so make those suggestions and try to move back into the honeymoon phase.
Stage #5: The Breakup
If you failed to rekindle the client’s excitement about working with you, you may find that your relationship with a client comes to an end. Like any breakup, a freelancer/client breakup can be hard.
Not only does breaking up with a client represent a reduction in income, you may also find yourself missing the client interactions. Sadly, many freelancers miss the warning signs that mean that a client is about to end the relationship, so the breakup may come suddenly.
As a professional, your goal should always be to leave a client relationship in as positive a manner as possible. If you’ve made mistakes on the client’s work, apologize and offer to correct the problems. Above all, do not become angry or lash out at your former client for ending the relationship.
You never know. They may want to work with you again one day.
Your Turn
Did I miss any of the stages of a freelancer/client relationship? What relationship struggles have you faced with your clients and how did you overcome them?
Share your answers in the comments.
Image by woodleywonderworks
Related posts:
- The Three Stages of Negotiating
- 5 Freelance Lessons I Learned from Working in the Fast Food Industry
- What to Do When Constant Client Emails Keep You from Working
- Get Your Clients to Stop Comparing Rates
- Two Great Reasons to Fire Your “Good” Clients
About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 20 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts. Laura is also on Google+.
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16 Comments
Lisa Russell
June 13th, 2012 at 10:41 amHi Laura,
Great article. What about the ‘happily married’ stage? It’s not quite the heady romance of the honeymoon period but a more stable and dependable kind of relationship where clients depend on a freelancer knowing they’ll deliver and overdeliver, time and time again. Both parties work to nurture and develop the relationship. Communication is open; there may be the odd slip up on one side or the other, but the bond is strong enough to take it.
Yes, one way or another all good things come to an end, but I like to think that some freelance-client relationships are built to last! It’s worth aiming for and isn’t as rare as some others out there might have us believe.
Lisa
Laura Spencer
June 13th, 2012 at 10:52 amHi Lisa Russell–Great addition! I like it. :)
Of course, the happily “married” stage would be the ideal that we should strive for with all of our client relationships. That would be a trusting and healthy ongoing relationship with a long-term client. However, I have a feeling that, as in romantic relationships, this stage is not easy to achieve.
Catena Creations
June 13th, 2012 at 8:55 pmGreat post! I like the idea of a “happily married” stage, followed by an “old married couple” stage. You know, where you call the client and you already know what he’s going to say and he ASKS you to nag him so things stay on track.
Laura Spencer
June 14th, 2012 at 9:25 amThanks Catena Creations!
I like the idea too, but I think it’s probably rare. :)
Vincent Clarke
June 14th, 2012 at 11:36 amSo, if your relationship with your client ends on a sour note will you undergo the 7 stages of grieving too? ;)
Laura Spencer
June 14th, 2012 at 12:07 pmVincent Clarke–LOL. Maybe. Depends on how attached you were. ;)
How to effectively hire freelancers
June 14th, 2012 at 4:11 pmyahhhoo… what a great post.. and easy to understand. that guys are really nice person.
Monisima
June 14th, 2012 at 5:00 pmVery nice. But what are the signals on the client’s end that he/she is losing interest in you? In my case, if a working relationship ends I just take it to mean my writing style ceased to fit what the client is working on. I get so many different projects from a client. Some are so interesting they are a breeze, exciting and fun to do. Others are so BORING that I struggle to type every word….
Brandon Lee
June 14th, 2012 at 8:32 pmDon’t you think it suggests a bad ending for the relationship?
Laura Spencer
June 14th, 2012 at 10:17 pmGreat comments! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.
Stacey
June 14th, 2012 at 11:24 pmI was sort of thinking the same thing, Brandon. I’ve had client relationships end nicely.
Mohammad Solaiman
June 15th, 2012 at 12:20 amHi Laura Spencer,
Its a great article. I like “Stage #3: Honeymoon” very much. I just feel it………
Ameet
June 18th, 2012 at 6:32 amreally awesome and a good comparision…really enjoyed and learnt while reading
Jack Krall
July 6th, 2012 at 11:24 amI think I may be entering the break-up stage with a client. We’ve worked together about a year. They’ve always been a little spotty with their communication but I’ve always felt that had more to do with their management style than it did with me. Recently, however, it’s gotten much worse.
They’ve also been very slow to send payments from the beginning. Sometimes as much as four months after invoicing. Still they’ve sent me some great work and we’ve done some interesting projects.
In the past month or so they’ve also decided to do a couple pieces “in-house” that they had already paid me deposits on. I suspect this can’t be a good sign. There has been no advance discussion. I simply found out after the fact, “Oh, that’s done.”
All of which leads me to the following question: When one feels the client pulling away, should one do anything to address it? Should I ask them why they decided to do those projects in house? If so, should my tone be “concerned” or lighter? Just curious?
Meanwhile, we’re mid-stream with one large project. Rather than address the cancellations, is it wiser to simply remain positive and enthusiastic, exceed expectations on this project and hope for the best?
Thanks for any responses in advance. Love this site!
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