Comments on: What Would You Learn If You Could Read Your Client’s Mind?

By: All You Need to Know about Web Design Project Preparation | Woobzine

All You Need to Know about Web Design Project Preparation | Woobzine — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:41:18 +0000

[...] Spencer (for freelancefolder) It is important that your web designer start off by asking a lot of questions to help them [...]

By: Blog del Freelance » Si pudieras bucear en la mente de tus clientes… « Comunidad Marketing Online

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:05:55 +0000

[...] de tus clientes, ¿cambiaría algo tu forma de hacer las cosas? Puedes consultar el artículo What Would You Learn If You Could Read Your Clients Mind, publicado por Laura Spencer en [...]

By: Nic loves languages

Nic loves languages — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:23:24 +0000

Nobody likes revisions. I find the best way when dealing with translation jobs (where the client often doesn’t know the source or target culture) is to send the question as a yes/no question or a binary question.

For example,
Should I provide you with a pdf? or,
Do you want a pdf or .doc file?
NOT
What kind of format do you want me to send you?

The difference may not seem significant but the client doesn’t want to hear from you much. If they can give short answers, it just saves them that much extra time. You could also make sure that you send a lot together rather than many separate brief emails.
Nic

By: lisa

lisa — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:22:50 +0000

I need to start compiling a list of questions that I will ask to my client. This will really help me save those wasted hours of not getting what client wants.

Thanks for the great article.

By: List Building Site Blog

List Building Site Blog — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:18:23 +0000

Good idea Laura. How i wish i could read client’s mind directly. Thanks for this good insights.

By: Blog del Freelance » Archivo del weblog » Si pudieras bucear en la mente de tus clientes…

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:19:47 +0000

[...] de tus clientes, ¿cambiaría algo tu forma de hacer las cosas? Puedes consultar el artículo What Would You Learn If You Could Read Your Clients Mind, publicado por Laura Spencer en [...]

By: Heather Villa, CMA, MBA, MSM

Heather Villa, CMA, MBA, MSM — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:51:00 +0000

Oh Wow! If I could read minds, it would be the ultimate ability and no more trying to decipher between what the client says and what they mean!

By: makemassair

makemassair — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:03:50 +0000

Your paragraph about the reworks is very much close to home at the moment.

I’ve been doing some work with a new client and have had to do several reworks beyond the original one that I offer in the quote.

What has helped is the clients total honesty and this is the first time they’ve needed this particular job filled (a graphic design piece for print) and so they are learning. Which I am happy to accommodate as they paid promptly, upfront more than I quoted them for (which was a shock) and have offered a bit more due to messing me around. I like them as clients despite the extra work I’ve had to put in.

Also, I can see that they would be a good client for repeat business from themselves and their partners.

In some situations it can be beneficial I think, as the client knows me and my working methodology better and I know them better a client. Which I’m hopeful will lead to a good working relationship.

By: Kei

Kei — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:42:40 +0000

I love your articles Laura. Fun read and I always learn a lot. Thanks for sharing! ~ Kei

By: Suzanne Boles

Suzanne Boles — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:26:17 +0000

Great advice. Thanks for sharing this! Even those of us who’ve been freelancing for a long time need to remind ourselves of these useful tips!