excerpt growing your freelance business

8/12/2019 Excerpt Growing Your Freelance Business

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/excerpt-growing-your-freelance-business 1/21

Learn how to position yourself and your business, qualifyclients, establish your rates, talk about money, and more!

GROWING YOUR FREELANCEBUSINESS



03Is FreelancingRight for You?Discover whether you have the 10 skills

you need to be a successful solopreneur.by Ilise Benun

05Making the MoveTake these 6 steps now to prepare forthe day you’ll launch your full-edgedfreelance business.by Ilise Benun

08

Finding Your Focus You’ve heard the advice that you shouldchoose a specialty for your business.Here’s why—and how—to do it.by Ilise Benun

105 Steps to Landing

the Right ClientsStop wasting time chasing the wrongclients. Instead, impelement this 5-stepqualifying process to usher the rightones into your open arms.by Ilise Benun

16Managing YourClientsDo your clients boss you around? Learnhow to regain control of your customerrelationships.by Ilise Benun

19The Budget GameLearn how to get over asking clients todisclose their project budgets.by Ilise Benun

22Is ‘Freelancer’ aDirty Word?Learn when it’s OK to call yourself a freelancerand when it’s better to use a different term.by Ilise Benun

26The Art & Scienceof Pricing

We share tips, techniques and some helpful work-sheets you need to turn pricing from a guessinggame into a strategic tool to grow your business.by Ilise Benun

34New Rules forFreelancers

Your mom might have told you not to brag and notto talk about money. But as a business owner, youneed to reconsider her advice.by Ilise Benun

37By the NumbersHere are 5 simple business metrics every free-lancer should know. Track them, and you’ll endeach month with more money in the bank.by Ilise Benun

S P E C I A L C O L L E C T I O N

Growing YourFreelanceBusiness

39Are You Excited?If you turn down projects that don’t exc

you’re leaving work—and money—onthe table.by Ilise Benun

41Fighting the CrowdEducate your clients about the pitfalls ocrowdsourcing. In the end, the good onethank you.by Ilise Benun

44How to ReallyUse LinkedInSure, you’ve got a prole on this busineworking site, but we bet you’re not reallit to nd clients and make connections. how to do it right. by Ilise Benun

47

Giving Greenlancinga Go You don’t have to switch to a vegan dietsolar power to make going green a part freelance business. One greenlancer exphow small changes can create a big envimental impact over time.by Tom N. Tumbusch

49

Design CareerLifecycleDesigners in various stages of their careshare how they plan to take their careersthe next level.by Terry Lee Stone



Whether you’re moonlighting on the side and feelinginsecure about your job, have always wanted to run

your own business, or just want more control over your job security, now is the time to be a freelancer.

Look at it this way: When you have a job, youessentially have one main client who can re you atany moment. But when you’re a freelancer, you canhave as many clients as you like, which reduces yourdependence on any one.

But freelancing isn’t for everyone, so it’s importantto see if it’s right for you before jumping in head rst.Here is a checklist of 10 skills and personality traits

you need to run a healthy and successful freelancingpractice. A lot of these skills are interrelated and build

on one another. Some will be obvious; others, not somuch. But none are inherent. With work and practice

you can develop them, especially if your livelihooddepends on it.

1. Curiosity. When you’re curious, you see anyand every interaction with a client or prospect as anopportunity to learn more about what they need andhow you can help them. But many designers con-sider themselves to be introverted or shy, which oftenimpedes curiosity and the interaction that goes alongwith it. As a freelancer, the more curious you are,the wider your network will be and the greater yourpotential for growth. That type of curiosity is worthdeveloping.

Not everyone is cut out for freelancing. Learn the 10 skillsand personality traits you need to succeed as a solopreneur,and decide whether a freelance career is your best bet.

B Y I L I S E B E N U N

IS FREELANCING RIGHT FOR YOU?F R E E L A N C E



2. Self-Discipline. For both new freelancers and vet-erans, self-discipline can be a challenge. You have noboss to tell you what needs to be done. It’s up to you todetermine and then to do it. This goes for everythingfrom what time you get up in the morning to how youplan your workow to ensure you meet project dead-lines. You are accountable to your clients for the workthey’ve contracted you to do. But as a self-employedperson, you’re especially accountable to yourself. Soself-discipline is critical when it comes to the tasksthat help your business grow but for which you aren’tpaid. This strength must come from within, whichtakes practice, particularly if you’re accustomed tohaving a boss.

3. Professionalism. A reputation for akiness pre-cedes most creatives. So you have to work against thatpreconception by being more buttoned up than youmay be on the weekends or than you feel like being.This applies to every detail about how you run yourbusiness, even what you wear. There’s nothing wrongwith working in your pajamas—as a freelancer, you’refree to do that. But getting dressed to do your workcan have a psychological effect on you; it’s often moreconducive to being productive.

4. Organizational Skills. Success doesn’t spring natu-rally from chaos. With piles of paper on your deskand your inbox overowing with e-mail, you won’tbe able to nd the things you need. The time youwaste searching could be spent developing new clientrelationships. In fact, when you’re disorganized, you’llmiss opportunities without even knowing it. Order isessential and it’s a skill you can learn, but it requiresdiscipline (see No. 2).

5. Self-Awareness. Being self-employed is one of thebest ways to learn about yourself; at least it can be, if

you’re curious (see No. 1). Your own business is a labo-ratory for your personal growth, and your clients arean ongoing ow of people to experiment with. Everyday is different, and you get to see how you respondin all sorts of situations, especially if you choose tochallenge yourself and try new things. You learn whattypes of people push your buttons and trigger yourleast productive behaviors. And when you’re a free-lancer, you can choose to either get better at dealingwith those responses or decide not to deal with thosepeople at all.

6. Self-Condence. “I don’t have the condence todo that,” is a common (and accepted) excuse for notdoing something new, like presenting your pitch to anew prospect. But self-condence isn’t a “thing” youeither have or don’t have. And it isn’t a prerequisite foraction. In fact, it’s a byproduct of action, and it devel-ops through practice—practice running a businessevery single day, doing the marketing, and negotiatingwith and managing clients, vendors or subcontractors.The only way to develop condence is by doing, byexperimenting, by trying something out, and by makingmistakes and learning from them.

7. Patience. It’s a muscle, a weak one in manypeople, completely hidden in others, but well worthstrengthening because, as the saying goes, “Goodthings come to those who wait.” And there’s a lot to

wait for: It will take time for your marketing effortsto take hold, for prospects to respond and for peopleto be ready to work with you (i.e., in their moment ofneed). Because even if they love your work and wantto work with you, timing is essential. You have to waitfor the right time, which requires patience.

8. Flexibility. Freelancers are actually in the bestposition to be exible. You must be ready to adapt:

your services, your clients, your prices, how you pack-age your offerings. You must listen closely to hear whatthe market needs, then turn on a dime and offer it,even if it’s something you never thought you wouldprovide. As the future moves more and more online,

you, too, must move in that direction, whether thatmeans allying yourself with partners who have servicesto complement yours or learning the basics of Word-Press design so you can say yes when a prospect asksfor it.

9. Strong Communication Skills. You can’t controlhow someone receives your “communications,” but

you certainly can control what and how you commu-nicate, verbally or in writing. Whether in response toan unsatised or impatient client or because a vendorhas made a mistake, if you haven’t thought throughwhat you want to say, you may say the wrong thing or,at best, something unclear that can be easily miscon-strued. This happens often via e-mail, which peopleread quickly or simply skim. So it’s worth putting somecommunication processes in place—even if it’s just

you—about how to respond in common situations,especially the difcult ones when emotions are run-ning high and there’s a lot at stake.

10. Commitment. If you’re a new freelancer, you maynot be ready to commit 100% to running a business,but you must be committed to giving it a try, even as itchanges and evolves. If you’re committed, you returncalls and e-mails in a timely manner, you meet dead-lines (or communicate clearly when you can’t) and youbill your clients right away. Clients and prospects cantell if you’re not committed.

If you focus on these 10 basic elements, you’ll put yourself on the right track. Over and above these, thereal secret to success (which is really no secret at all)is perseverance. Built on commitment, invigorated bycondence and made possible by patience, persever-ance will allow you to bypass everyone who isn’t com-mitted, condent or patient.

Your clients will take you seriously if they realizethat you’re serious, that you’re not going away, that youcare and that you’ll be there to help them. Persever-ance builds trust, an essential element of every suc-cessful business. By doing good work and staying intouch, you send a message that says, “I’m reliable. I’mconsistent. You can depend on me.”

Ilise Benun, founder of Marketing Mentor andco-producer of the Creative Freelancer Conference( www.creativefreelancerconference.com), works withcreative professionals who are serious about buildinga healthy business. Follow Benun on Twitter(@MMToolbox) or sign up for her Quick Tips at

www.marketing-mentortips.com.

You are

accountable

to your clients for the work

they’ve con-

tracted you to

do. But as a

self-employed

person, you’re

especially

accountable to

yourself.

http://www.creativefreelancerconference.com/

http://www.marketing-mentortips.com/





Some creative professionals are forced into freelancingby a relocation or layoff, while others long dream oflife as a solopreneur. Either way, making the transitionfrom full-timer to successful freelancer takes prepara-tion, hard work and often a mindset shift. If you’rethinking of going out of your own—or if you have afeeling that path is in your future—start planning andpreparing now. Here are the rst few steps to take.

STEP 1: START BY MOONLIGHTINGMoonlighting can be good practice for freelancing.Take a few projects on the side to see how you do. Do

you enjoy working on a variety of different projects ordo you nd it chaotic? Do you manage your prioritieswell or do you procrastinate? Can you meet your cli-ent’s deadline?

“Moonlighting will let you know if you are dis-ciplined and will prepare you for being in businessfor yourself,” says Kristin Maija Peterson of GrandCiel Design in St. Paul, MN. “My moonlight projectsallowed me to build my condence working with cli-ents of my own, not to mention expand my creativerange. In the end, the lessons I learned moonlightingmade for a smoother segue to freelancing full time.”

STEP 2: BUILD A NETWORKFreelancing or working on your own doesn’t necessar-ily mean you’re working alone. Technology makes it

supremely easy to get help from people just like you,no matter where they are. To Lidia Varesco Racoma ofChicago-based Lidia Varesco Design, this support wasinvaluable. “Simple questions such as, how importantis a second phone line and how to handle taxes canseem overwhelming until you talk to a seasoned pro.Over the years, I’ve paid it forward by being an adviserand cheerleader for others who have taken the solopre-neur plunge,” she says.

STEP 3: GET YOUR FINANCES IN ORDERGetting started as a creative freelancer doesn’t take alot of money—which is both good news and bad news.Because the barrier to entry is so low, most creativeprofessionals don’t do enough preparation, especiallyon the nancial side. That can be a problem when ittakes longer than you imagine to get your business offthe ground. That’s why you need to save a minimum ofthree to six months of your basic expenses as a cush-ion. Otherwise, you’ll be desperately taking whatever

jobs come along. When Heather Parlato of Los Angeles-based Par-

lato Design Studio was laid off in late 2007, she waslucky to have three months’ notice to prepare, plusseverance and steady work from one client to get hergoing. “I took stock of how seriously I had been run-ning my business as a moonlighter and ramped up inpreparation for it to be my sole source of income,” she

If you’re thinking of ditching your current job and startinga freelance business, here are 6 steps you should take nowto plan and prepare for a successful launch.


MAKING THE MOVEF R E E L A N C E

You’ll know

you’re ready

when it feels like

you’re working

way too hard

and something’s

gotta give.



LAST WORDS OF ADVICEMake a plan but keep it loose. Don’t get attached toanything about the way you start: who you thought

you’d be working with, on what, how or where. Every-thing will change as your business evolves, as you getto know yourself as a freelancer and as you get to know

your clients and their needs. If you can be exiblefrom the start, that ability will keep you on course.

Ilise Benun, founder of Marketing Mentor andco-producer of the Creative Freelancer Conference(www.creativefreelancerconference.com), works withcreative freelancers who are serious about buildinghealthy businesses. Sign up for her Quick Tips at


ALISA BONSIGNORE PLEASANTON, CA

www.clarifyingcomplexideas.com

HEATHER PARLATO LOS ANGELES www.parlatodesign.com

KRISTIN MAIJA PETERSON ST. PAUL, MN www.grandciel.com

LIDIA VARESCO RACOMA CHICAGO www.lsvdesign.com

FREELANCER SPOTLIGHTNeil Renicker, Renicker Studio, Dayton, OHwww.renickerstudio.com

I just made the transition to freelancing. Here are a few keythings that did it for me:

1 A goal. I determined that I’d make the leap by date “x”(about one year away at that point). I told my current

employer and other friends and family about the plans, so itwould have been hard to back out.

2 Talks with inspiring, successful people. I had meetingswith people who gave me good advice and told me it

could be done. I believed them. They told me to have avision, get help from others and don’t spend much money.That made sense to me.

3 A commitment to hard work. When you realize that yourventure is going to have to keep bread on the table, you

don’t have much choice but to work like crazy. The com-mitment to work tirelessly to get this thing off the groundhelped me out a lot.



As a freelancer wearing all the hats in your busi-ness, you can’t afford to waste a second or a penny.That’s why it’s important to streamline your marketingefforts—which means you need to focus, focus, focus.

Focus requires discipline, which doesn’t comenaturally to most of us. Focus means committing andthen recommitting every day. But focus doesn’t meanrigidity; in fact, it requires exibility so that as businessconditions change—and they’re changing constantlyand quickly—your focus can shift naturally.

Focus on what? On what you’re trying to achieve(your goals), on how you’re going to get there (yourmarketing tools) and on who’s going to help you (yourtarget markets).

So what does it mean to focus on a market? Here’swhat it isn’t: declaring your target market today andrevamping everything overnight. I’ve seen more thanone designer choose a target market, spend time andmoney (lots of both) redesigning their website, creat-ing a brochure, doing everything to get ready to presentthemselves to the target market—everything exceptthe most important thing: assessing whether that mar-ket is viable. As a result, they abandon everything andrevamp again in six months when they discover themarket isn’t able to sustain their business.

Finding your focus can (and should) take months,even years. And it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Thinkof it as an evolution. You begin to explore a few indus-tries and start to understand the challenges and thestruggles of the people who work in those markets.

You take a step in their direction. You listen for whatthey need and offer up resources to help. You assessthe responsiveness of the people, slowly turning moreand more attention to the most positive responses. And

you don’t give up quickly or easily when you encounterquiet or even silence.

Paradoxically, focusing doesn’t necessarily limit youto that one area. It’s like juggling. You get one ball inthe air by starting to focus on one market, then addmore later. In fact, the ideal situation is to develop

two or three areas of focus in case one becomes theepicenter of an economic downturn. That way, youhave the exibility and the agility to shift gears withoutstarting from scratch.

HOW TO CHOOSE A MARKET

First, look at the markets you’re currently serving orthose you’d like to. A successful business is centeredaround the needs of a market, not around the businessowner’s wishes and desires. Don’t start with “Who do Iwant to work with?” Instead, ask, “What does the mar-ket need and how can I satisfy that need while doingsomething I love?” Ideally, what you want will overlapwith the needs of the market.

How do you nd out what the market needs? Fol-low business trends in the news and watch whereinvestors and the government are putting their money.

Second, look at what you know. Whenever possible,don’t start from scratch. The foundation of your busi-ness should be rooted strongly in a subject you knowwell and in which you already have some experienceand connections. Even if you’re just starting out, you’lget farther faster by building on past employment, arecent pro-bono or freelance project, even a hobby.Clients don’t want to be your guinea pigs. If you cancondently say, “I understand your business and canhelp you,” your prospects will respond more positivelythan if you say, “Well, I don’t know too much aboutthis market, but I really like the things you make.”

For example, Denver-based freelancer LaurenHybinette started her business in 2010 with a focuson her personal passion—the outdoor industry. Andit’s working. “My clients know that I know their marketbecause I’m intertwined with every aspect of it. Thisprovides a win-win for both sides,” Hybinette says.

Third, look at the industries you’ve served in thepast. Unlike a major design rm, you don’t have excessresources and a vast experience base. Your clientsneed to know that you not only understand the spe-cic challenges that they face, but also that you have

You’ve heard the advice: Choose a target market for yourdesign business. But it’s a scary prospect to commit to oneline of work. Here’s how to nd the right t for you.


FINDING YOUR FOCUSF R E E L A N C E



explicit experience that will help them. For example,many companies in the health care market are cur-rently hiring contract workers—and they’re focusingtheir spending on technology (like administrative andrecord-keeping systems). If you have a backgroundworking with health care clients, consider also reach-ing out to the tech companies serving that market.

Fourth, look for markets that are growing. Don’tfocus on a niche that’s on the decline, no matter howmuch you love it. Keep an eye out for growth, whetherit’s happening in the markets you know or in relatedareas. For example, if the publishing world is in ux,consider the way it’s changing and nd the growthareas. (Hint: Think e-books and interactive publish-ing.) Or what about higher education? State universi-ties may be taking a funding hit, but private schoolsand for-prot online schools are expanding.

Finally, look for markets with money to spend.Unless you have a trust fund, seek prospective clientswith budgets and a demonstrated willingness to spendthem on design. Can they pay you what you need toearn? If not, don’t even put a niche on your short list.How do you know? Research an industry segment; ifevery company you run across has a poorly constructedwebsite and horrible business cards, you can sniff outa lack of emphasis on effective design.

START BROAD, THEN EVOLVEAs you go through this process, assess the temperatureof the markets and the responsiveness of the people bylooking for answers to these questions:

1. How many prospects are there (locally, nation-ally, globally)?

2. What’s the average project or purchase size?3. How often would they need your services?

For example, if there are thousands of prospectsnationwide, the average project carries a healthy bud-get and prospects have a need every quarter (like a reg-ular publication), it could be a very promising market.On the other hand, if there are 15 major companies inthe market, they would only need your services once a

year at most and have no history of investing money indesign, steer clear.

After you’ve done this initial research, select onemarket to focus on rst. Then, strategically choosethe most effective marketing tools for that segmentand carefully craft a targeted message that speaksdirectly to the needs of those prospects. Blanket thatcommunication across multiple media so you connectwith potential clients wherever they routinely turnfor information: social networks, e-mail, direct mail,industry blogs or publications, trade shows. Throughrepetition, your message will have a much strongerimpact and this group of prospects will start to trust

you, without even knowing you yet.Spend the rst six months assessing response to

see what’s working. Is your e-mail list growing? Are your posts on industry blogs prompting trafc back to your website? Have prospects heard of you when youmake that initial sales contact? Use this informationto hone your promotional efforts. And as your mar-

keting machine starts to generate results, take stockof whether your target category will keep you busyenough, or whether you’re ready to investigate anotherrelated niche. All of this takes time. Be patient.

Ilise Benun, founder of Marketing Mentor andco-producer of the Creative Freelancer Conference(www.creativefreelancerconference.com), helps cre-ative freelancers build their businesses.

www.marketing-mentortips.com.LAUREN HYBINETTE DENVER www.laurenhybinette.com

FREELANCE SPOTLIGHTDiane Stewart, Stewart Studio, Denver; www.stewartstudio.biz

I didn’t think it would be so challenging to decide on a targetmarket. I started with my existing clients: health care, nancial ser-vices and high-tech organizations. These industries are solid in the

marketplace, and I’ve made a good living with them over the pastseveral years. But something was missing: passion. I have a passionfor animals and love working with animal shelters, but there isn’tmuch money in that market, and I’m used to large corporate fees.

Then, someone commented to me on the fact that I love to do eventand trade show work, which brought me to trade associations as atarget market. Here’s an industry that needs help getting their mes-sages out to their members, creating awareness and raising funds.This was really starting to make sense to me. I started researchingtrade associations to see if this would be a viable market.

While all this was going on, I mentioned to one my nancial servicesclients that I was looking to build my business in a specic target

market. She invited me to attend their largest nancial event ofthe year to network and explore the possibility of nancial servicesbecoming my target market. I already had them as a client and Iloved what I did for them (designing trade show booths and sup-porting marcom materials), so I thought, “This is great, I’ll have twotarget markets: nancial services and trade associations.”

After spending a day in the expo hall talking with vendors andnancial experts, I learned that there are mounds of national andstate regulations that a designer needs to know and follow. It wassuggested I’d need an attorney to decipher all the legalese becauseof the ever-changing laws. It was clear to me that this wasn’t anavenue I wanted to explore. The more I thought about my nancialservices client, the more I realized that even though they are in the

nancial industry, they’re really a trade association. Score! They are,in fact, my target market.

I’ve settled on my new target market with trade associations andnonprots. Yes, it is a big jump from nance, high-tech and healthcare. But I’m very excited and passionate about my new direction.



5 Steps tofindingthe right

clients



A R T W O R K B Y B O B P E C K w w w . w a k e m e w h e n i m p r o f o u n d . c o m

The secret to closing a deal with newclients is ushering them through a step-by-step qualifying process that weedsout the tire-kickers. Follow this tried-and-true formula to nd the clients youreally want to work with. B Y I L I S E B E N U N

http://www.wakemewhenimprofound.com/

































If there is a secret to closing, it’s that you can’t closesomeone who isn’t closeable.

That’s why it’s essential to qualify your prospectsrst, so you only spend your time on the ones who aremost likely to actually become clients. This article willpresent a step-by-step process for qualifying prospectsso that your closing rate is higher and you don’t wastetime on tire-kickers.

Many creatives shrink away from selling—of whichclosing is the most important aspect—for fear of beingperceived as a salesperson or slimy (or both). But if youthink about it, all creative entrepreneurs, solopreneursor self-employed freelancers are commission-only sales-people—you don’t make a dime until you close thesale—and can therefore barely afford to avoid selling.It’s best to learn to do it in your own style.

The idea of qualifying—deciding if a prospect isgood enough for you—may be a foreign concept if

you’re in the habit of taking whatever work comesalong and/or blindly assuming that every prospectis a viable one. It’s your job to put your prospectsthrough a process to determine whether they’re quali-ed to work with you, just like they’re doing when theyapproach you. If you don’t, you’re putting yourself inan extremely vulnerable and desperate position: wait-ing to be chosen.

Qualifying is the process of nding closeable pros-pects and converting them to clients through yourstrategic marketing process. You’re not necessarily incontrol, but you’re guiding those prospects through yoursystem from one level to the next, as they become readyto focus on their needs, available to hear more and ableto give you increasingly more of their attention.

KNOW WHO’S QUALIFIEDIn order to be closeable, prospects rst have to be“qualied.” This isn’t about who is or isn’t good enoughto work with you. It’s not even about who you want towork with. Qualied prospects t certain objective cri-teria that you set for your business. You use that list ofcriteria to determine whether a prospect is a good t sothat you can do your best job. Here are some generalcriteria to serve as a basis to develop your own list:• Mindset: They behave like professional clients, notamateurs (and especially not like children), and theydon’t have mental obstacles to working with youbecause of your location or the size of your business.• Pricing: They’re aware of your pricing, because you’vtold them up front your general price range or they’veseen it on your website, and they can afford you.• Timing: Both their expectations and timeframe areclear and realistic.• Inuence: They’re the decision-maker or have enoughinuence over the decision-maker.

When you know who you’re looking for, it’s smuch easier to recognize them when you see them.(See the Web Extras at the end of this article for a linkto sample qualifying materials.)

Many designers claim to have trouble “closing the

sale” and getting the client to sign on the dotted

line. They sometimes even imagine there’s some

secret to closing that they don’t know yet.



PRE-QUALIFY THEMOnce you know who you’re looking for, you can use your marketing tools to pre-qualify prospects. The best tool to use is content marketing to draw the right peopleto your front door, your lead-generating website. This clearly positions your rm andquickly discourages the “wrong” people from knocking, while capturing the quali-ed prospects and ushering them smoothly into your process. If you refuse to use

your website this way, you’re destined to deal with unqualied prospects.Mark O’Brien, author of “A Website That Works” and president of Newfangled.

com, says, “An expertise-based approach to search engine optimization, paired withcontent strategy, makes your site increasingly effective as a marketing tool. Theprocess goes something like this: You add content to your site that interests yourprospects. Google indexes it and brings the right people to your doorstep. Once theyarrive, they’re convinced of your expertise through the mass of focused educationalcontent that seems to have been written just for them. They identify your site asan educational resource they need, and they act on a call-to-action form, which isbased on your content strategy (e.g., “Sign Up For Our Newsletter”). This strategyworks because, by the time the prospect gets in touch with you, they’re already wellon their way to making the decision to work with you.” (See O’Brien’s Interactivecolumn on page 80.)

Another effective element of a lead-generating website is a page where visitorscan get a sense of your general pricing. But there’s an ongoing debate about whetherposting your prices publicly is a smart business move since it can “scare off” certainprospects and reveal information that you may not want competitors to have. Bothof those things are true, but the benets may outweigh the downsides.

In a LinkedIn discussion on this topic, John Arquette, the vice-president ofDelphine, a letterpress invitation and design company based in Charleston, SC,wrote that, “Putting pricing up on our site was the best thing we ever did. It stoppedtons of time-wasting calls and e-mails about pricing from those who could haveweeded themselves out. Higher-quality prospects will not be scared away by generalinformation about pricing.”

On the other side of the argument is Jeff Fisher, a veteran logo designer inPortland, OR, who wrote, “My design business has been online since 1998, andfrom the very beginning I knew that I would never be posting prices online. Firstof all, the specics of each project vary so much that generic price posts might justcomplicate matters and confuse site visitors. Second, posting prices would elimi-nate the opportunity to have a business dialogue with a potential client. Those trulyinterested in my services contact me via phone or e-mail. ‘Tire kickers’ are quicklyweeded out by the initial pricing information I then provide. I have an e-mail that Isend out immediately upon getting any request for additional specics.”

You can hint at your price range or starting point more subtly by offering on yourcontact form a drop down menu that starts at your minimum. Most (but not all)with budgets smaller than that number will assume they can’t afford you.

Here’s one way to decide what’s best for you: If you need work and want to beable to decide on a case-by-case basis which prospects are qualied, then don’t postpricing. But keep in mind that it relieves you of the right to complain about low-quality prospects. If, on the other hand, you have plenty of work but want higherquality clients, post your fees, especially if they’re on the high side. At that level,

your time is more valuable and you simply can’t afford to waste it on those who can’tafford you in the rst place.

ARE YOUR CLIENTS‘AMATEURS’ OR‘PROFESSIONALS’?“Amateur” clients complain more, pay less andtake more of your time than “professional” cli-ents. To them, creative services are like fast food.They want the fastest and the cheapest. Theydon’t plan ahead and tend to have unrealisticexpectations. They’ve never worked with some-one like you and don’t know the cost implica-tions. They’re impulsive and disorganized, andtheir chaos readily inltrates your interactions.They think they know what they need; your jobis to execute what they have in mind. They don’tunderstand that you could provide a fresh, profes-sional approach. Learn to spot the amateurs amile away, well before you get involved.

After more than 20 years in business, JonathanCleveland of Boston-based Cleveland Design haslearned how to spot the unqualied prospectsright away. “One big red ag is when they showa sample of a brochure, for example, and ask ifwe can copy it,” he says. “That demonstrates noawareness of what a designer does.”

By contrast, one of the qualifying criteria Clevelandis looking for is a “global marketing mindset,”which means that his most qualied prospects aregood partners, forward-thinking and recognize thevalue of what the designer brings to the table.

“You have to listen closely and sometimes readbetween the lines,” Cleveland says. “Qualiedprospects with a global marketing mindset don’tcare where you’re located or what size you are.They trust you and they realize that doing busi-ness virtually is the nature of business in theglobal economy. The ones who think they need amultimillion dollar agency in their backyard willnever be convinced otherwise. So if they keepbringing up the issue of location and don’t seemconvinced that e-mail and Skype are good enough,or if we need to sit on a couch together to discussthis more than once, then they don’t have a globalmarketing mindset. With experience, you learnwhen to let those prospects go.”

If there is a secret to closing,it’s that you can’t close

someone who isn’t closeable.



USHER THEM THROUGH YOURQUALIFYING GATEWAYThose who make it through your pre-qualifying processusually arrive at your “gateway” by sending an e-mail,lling out your contact form and/or calling you to talkabout a specic project. They may ask right away fora proposal or a meeting, but don’t agree to anythingwithout putting them through your qualifying process.

No matter what you call this process—free consul-tation or critique, brainstorming session or preliminarydiagnostic—the goal is to assess their qualications,and that’s best done on the phone or via Skype in realtime. Use that time to nd out: Do they know whatthey need? Is their timeframe realistic? Can theyafford you? Develop a short list of questions or cheatsheet from the qualifying criteria developed in Step 1.

Once you’ve determined that they may be a goodt, you can even charge a fee for an initial consulta-tion, which is especially effective when the clientdoesn’t know what they need. You can and should bepaid for the strategic thinking that goes into scopingout a project—it’s actually the most valuable service

you can provide, especially with crowdsourced design-ers a click away.

Erin Pheil takes the paid initial consultation onestep further. Her Frisco, CO-based web design andstrategy rm Timeforcake.com offers a “Website Blue-print” which essentially replaces (and improves upon)the proposal process. “The client pays a at fee, usu-ally under $5,000, to have us do the exploration,” Pheilexplains. “We put together a blueprint containing allthe information they need to move forward with us ornot. The goal is to generate trust during the processso they of course want to go with us. But even if theyhire someone else to complete the project, we get paidwell for our work, and our clients get a tremendous

value. Plus, they don’t have to take a huge plunge andcommit to working with a company they’re not familiarwith on a project that hasn’t been scoped.”

ASSESS THEIR READINESSOnce you’ve identied the prospects who are quali-ed to work with you, the next step is to determinewhether they’re ready to be closed.

Often, it’s unmistakable: Their need suddenlybecomes urgent, which isn’t always a good thing forthe project, but that seems to be the reality of howbusiness is done these days.

Other times, it’s not always easy to tell if they’reready. Be sensitive to the signals without makingassumptions about what they mean. For example, youmay assume that because they were really excited inthe meeting, they will be a cinch to close. (Maybethey’re that way with everyone.) Or you may assumethat because they haven’t yet responded about yourproposal, they must have chosen someone else.(Maybe the project got put on hold.)

Don’t judge lack of responsiveness as a lack of inter-est; it might just be a lack of readiness. In fact, one ofthe traps many creatives fall into is mistaking excite-ment or enthusiasm for readiness. There are so manyreasons a prospect might be excited. They may want

very much to work with you without realizing they can’afford you—another reason it’s essential to talk aboutmoney early. Or they may not know how to say “no.”

Cordelia Norris, a graphic design freelancer inKnoxville, TN, has a lot of experience with excitedprospects who never convert into actual clients. “Ah

yes. In my experience, they’re typically small businessowners who have little experience working with aprofessional designer,” she says. “They love the idea ofdesign and are very social, but are ultimately commit-ment-phobic and can waste a lot of your time. I’m stilllearning how to spot the enthusiastic prospect. I thinkthat letting people know that you’re really busy and notcheap may help.”

To gauge actual readiness, it helps to have objectivequalifying criteria as in Step 1. Prospects are likely tobe ready if:• They’re open to continuing the conversation andreadily take your calls (mindset).• You’ve talked price and agreed to a budget (pricing).• Their need is imminent and they have a realisticdeadline in mind (timing).• They’re the decision-maker or have enough inuenceover the decision-maker (inuence).

Go through this checklist with each prospect. Andif they’re not ready, don’t be discouraged. Just get theminto your marketing system. Send them your e-mailnewsletter. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Followthem on Twitter and, when appropriate, friend themon Facebook. This will automate the process of stay-ing in touch and keep you on their radar until they areready—which could be months or, sometimes, years.



WEB EXTRASVisit HOW’s website for related information on nding the right clients,including:• sample qualifying criteria• a real-world client proposal• a podcast of Ilise Benun’s interview with Mark O’Brien• an excerpt from “The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money,” by Ilise Benun

HOWdesign.com/HOW-September-2012

CLOSE THE DEAL ON THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEABLEAfter all this qualifying—which is very labor-intensive but worth every minute—

you’ll end up with a batch of high-quality prospects who are ready or almost readyto be closed. This is what you want! What can you do to close the deal?

Let’s apply the same criterion categories to you:• Mindset: Don’t be cocky and don’t count your chickens before they hatch. The bestattitude to have is, “We’ve got plenty of irons in the re. This would be good to get,but we don’t need it. We’ll do everything we can, but if it falls through, there will beopportunities in the future.” Then focus your attention on someone else.• Pricing: Make it clear that you’re ready to negotiate if necessary, but keep despera-tion out of it and don’t volunteer any discounts.• Timing: Give them a deadline to nudge them toward a decision. Say, “We can holdtime for you in our production schedule if you sign the contract before the endof the month. But next month is looking very busy.” Provide a process for movingforward with language like, “Here’s what’s next if you decide to move forward.” Thisshows your professionalism.• Inuence: Continue to exert your inuence and remember that the ball is always in

your court. Keep looking for ways to demonstrate your enthusiasm and competence.So you see that, in fact, there’s no secret to any of this marketing and sales stuff.

It’s really a question of focus, hard work, persistence and effort, every single day.And you’ll know it’s working when you no longer say, “All I get are tire-kickers” or “Ican’t seem to close enough clients” or, the most common, “I need prospects/clientswith better budgets.”

Ilise Benun is a national speaker, founder of Marketing Mentor and co-founderof the Creative Freelancer Conference ( www.creativefreelancerconference.com).She works closely with creative professionals who are serious about growing theirbusinesses. Her most recent business tools for creative professionals include “TheProposal Bundle” (with 11 actual proposals to use as models) and “The PricingBundle,” as well as seven traditional books (visit MyDesignShop.com). Sign up forher free Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor at www.marketing-mentortips.com.

JOHN ARQUETTE JOHNS ISLAND, SC www.delphinepress.com

JONATHAN CLEVELAND BOSTON www.clevelanddesign.com

JEFF FISHER PORTLAND, OR www.jfisherlogomotives.com

CORDELIA NORRIS KNOXVILLE, TN www.lunacreates.com

MARK O’BRIEN CARRBORO, NC www.newfangled.com

ERIN PHEIL FRISCO, CO www.timeforcake.com

Large numbers set in Pompadour by LOST TYPE CO-OP www.losttype.com

PRE-PROPOSALQUESTIONS CHECKLISTWHAT YOU NEEDBEFORE YOU WRITEOnce you’ve qualied the prospect and decided it’sa good t for both of you, you’re ready to agree towrite a proposal. Adapt this checklist of questions(excerpted from “The Designer’s Proposal Bundle;”MyDesignShop.com) for your gateway process:

What is your budget?

What is the timeframe?

What are the big-picture goals of this project?

What is the specic objective you need to achieve?

How will you measure the success of this project?

What/who is the market for this project?

Who is the main decision-maker on this project?

What models are you using for this project?

Where is the source content coming from?

How much research will be necessary?

Are there specic technologies you do or do notwant used?

How does this project t into your big picture?

Have you ever done something like this before?If so, what?

barely afford to avoid selling.

http://www.howdesign.com/HOW-september-2012










http://www.delphinepress.com/

http://www.clevelanddesign.com/

http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com/

http://www.lunacreates.com/

http://www.newfangled.com/

http://www.timeforcake.com/

http://www.losttype.com/


http://www.losttype.com/

http://www.timeforcake.com/

http://www.newfangled.com/

http://www.lunacreates.com/

http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com/

http://www.clevelanddesign.com/

http://www.delphinepress.com/





You run your own freelance business so you can makea living doing something you love with people whowon’t make your life miserable. Right?

Even if that’s not your current reality, it couldbe—if you decide to be the boss. That means takingcharge of the way you run your business, rather thanletting your clients boss you around.

Isn’t the customer always right? To an extent.

Two skills can help you retain control of your work, your schedule and your sanity: No. 1, choosing theright clients and No. 2, managing their expectations.

You need both of those capabilities, because if youchoose the wrong clients, all your excellent client-management skills will have little effect. And if youmanage the right clients poorly, you’ll create avoidableproblems for yourself and for them.

Do your clients boss you around? If they do, it’s because you let them. These two skills will put you back in thedriver’s seat in your client relationships.


MANAGING YOUR CLIENTSF R E E L A N C E

http://www.creativefreelancerblog.com/

http://www.creativefreelancerblog.com/

http://www.howdesign.com/



SKILL NO. 1: CHOOSING THE RIGHT CLIENTSStart by accepting the fact that not every client whocomes your way is a good t.

Who is a good t? That’s up to you to decide, andthe denition changes over time. But we can say thatclients who respect and value your work and are will-ing—and able—to pay for it in a timely manner aremost likely to be your ideal customers.

Often, it’s easier to spot those prospects who aren’tright for you than it is to identify those who are. Thesered ags seem obvious, but if you’re feeling desperateor unsure about where the next job is coming from,

you’ll probably ignore them.

Watch for these warning signs:• Their rst question is, “How much does it cost?”• They want it yesterday.• They don’t answer your questions completely—

or at all.• They don’t know what they want or keep

changing their mind.• They don’t want to pay your rates, or they keep

trying to renegotiate the project fee.

Being the boss of your business means you stopignoring those ominous signals and politely declinethe clients who don’t t, so you can nd clients whodo and then get busy managing them.

SKILL NO. 2: MANAGING EXPECTATIONSAlthough you can’t control your clients, you can man-age their expectations. But you have to train themrst—which you’re actually already doing, whether

you’re aware of it or not. With every action, you setprecedents, which are very hard to change once they’rein place. Respond to their rst e-mail right away, and

your client will think that’s normal for you and cometo expect it. Turn a project around in a day because

you happen to have the time, and from now on they’llassume that’s your style.

If you want more control over your time, you musttrain your clients to work on your schedule. VeteranLos Angeles-area solopreneur Luke Mysse suggestsdedicating one day per week to focus on your business,with no client work or contact. “This may seem impos-sible at rst,” he acknowledges. “How will they wait awhole day when they can barely stand to wait an hourfor you to return their call?

“They will,” Mysse afrms. “If you set aside one daya week, or even one morning a week to start, they willeventually get used to your new schedule, especially if

you give them some warning so they can prepare.” What else can you do to manage your clients’

expectations? Here are several strategies:Put absolutely everything in writing, in detail. That’s

what Kristin Maija Peterson of Grand Ciel Design inSt. Paul, MN, does. “In our rst meeting, I outline theprocess so they know what to expect,” she says. “Oncethey sign off on a proposal, I back up my verbal pro-cess with written phases of the project and timeline.I include what needs to happen at the end of eachphase. I adjust my level of communication to accom-

FREELANCE SPOTLIGHTNeil Renicker, Renicker StudioTipp City, OH; www.renickerstudio.com

I’m learning that the most important antidote for client con-fusion or disillusionment is simply communication. It’s alsoimportant to be aware of your client’s communication styleand preferences. The challenge lies in being perceptive enoughto understand the way our clients communicate best. One ofmy clients is incredibly busy and fast-paced. I imagine himreceiving a large number of e-mails per day, so I try to ensurethat all of my communication to him is brief and to the point.Another client is painstakingly detail-oriented and organized.Repeating expectations, asking questions and clarifying withthis man is hard to overdo.

We should ask a few questions up front that will aid us inwisely communicating with our client throughout the durationof a project (i.e., “How do you prefer to communicate—in per-son/telephone/e-mail?”; “Do you welcome frequent updatesand appreciate keeping tabs on small changes to the project,or do you prefer I work in the background until your input ismandatory for progress?”). When in doubt, err on the side ofover-communicating.

modate their style and schedule—they know I’m therefor them. In return, they’re equally respectful of mytime and schedule.”

Recap key information verbally. Sometimes, puttingit in writing isn’t enough, because clients often don’tread a detailed agreement. So Heather Parlato, ofParlato Design Studio in Los Angeles, has learned topreempt potential problems by verbally highlightingcertain details. “I’ve learned to tell clients everythingup front,” Parlato says. “I tell them what my processinvolves, what a typical timeline will look like for theproject in question and the limitations. I’ll say, ‘We dotwo rounds of revisions to rene the content, and thatis included in the price. But if there are additionalrevisions that cannot be avoided, those will be extra, soanything we can do to revise as completely as possiblein those two rounds is best.’”

Most important, address the questions your clientsmay not know to ask. Parlato outlines the points inher contract that are most often misunderstood, espe-cially regarding payments, usage rights and ownership.“Clients don’t read the ne print, and they react muchbetter to what’s in the contract when it’s explained

verbally,” she says.Make sure their expectations are realistic. Parlato also

asks up front about the client’s expected results for theproject. “Often, my clients don’t have a rm successmetric they’re looking for, so I dene what I think we




can achieve,” she says. “I make sure clients know thatthe nal piece alone won’t double their sales. Discuss-ing this also helps me know if a client’s expectationsare putting too much pressure on the outcome of thisone project.”

Copywriter Deidre Rienzo, of Connect with Copyin Tappan, NY, also makes a point of determiningthe client’s goals at the outset. “If they start out withexpectations that aren’t realistic, or that I’m not capa-ble of meeting, then these expectations will be nearlyimpossible to manage,” she says. “So I start by talk-ing frankly about their goals. I want to make sureI’m equipped to give them what they want. If clientsexpect magic, I don’t work with them (unless I canmake magic for them).”

WEB EXTRAEstablishing rules and policies for your business—in writ-ing—will help you maintain control in your client relationships.Download a sample policy document:

HOWdesign.com/businesspolicies

Keep them in the loop. Constant communication isa key to managing expectations. You can’t read yourclients’ minds and they can’t read yours. That’s whykeeping clients in the loop is worth the extra effortand attention. Sometimes all it takes is a quick phonecall or an e-mail update. Rienzo sends a lot of mes-sages saying, “Your bio is 75% ready. I’m putting on thnishing touches and will send it over for your reviewon Friday. ”

Parlato also sends little reminders or check-insabout a project’s progress, especially if a problem cropsup, as often happens. “I contact them as soon as Iknow I might have to reschedule something,” she says.“That way, even if a milestone isn’t on the exact datewe’d planned, they know I care about their work andwon’t leave them with any surprises.”

Being the boss with your clients isn’t about beinga bully or getting your own way. “To me, it boils downto being a professional,” Mysse says. “Take control andlead others to greater prosperity and understanding. Abully sticks around and tries to force his way, no mat-ter how bad the t. Be a professional and know whenthings don’t t. A pro knows when he’s a bad matchand when to bow out.”



LUKE MYSSE ORANGE, CA www.lukemysse.com

HEATHER PARLATO LOS ANGELES www.parlatodesign.com

KRISTIN MAIJA PETERSON ST. PAUL, MN www.grandciel.com

DEIDRE RIENZO TAPPAN, NY www.connectwithcopy.com

If you want morecontrol over

your time, youmust train yourclients to work on

your schedule.

GET COMFORTABLE WITHDIFFICULT CONVERSATIONSBy Luke Mysse; www.lukemysse.com

People are always surprised when I dive right into an awkwardconversation with little or no fear. The truth is, nobody (myselfincluded) likes awkward conversations. But I would muchrather talk about the elephant in the room when there’s stillhope of getting him through the door instead of waiting untilhe grows so big that he punches the roof off the house.

Here are a few things that I’ve found helpful when approach-ing a tough subject with anyone, including a client:

RESPECT Regardless of how awkward or hurt you feel, a little respect forothers can go a long way. You blow your top and nobody wins.Be mad at the situation, yes, but not at the person. This takeshumility, but everyone wins when people are humble.

CLARITYBeing clear about how you feel and dening the desired out-come will help you keep some of the emotion out of it. Beingpassionate is ne, but if your emotions get the best of you,that’s when the false accusations start to y. If the situationwarrants, you may also want to put together a list of things tocover or solve in order to keep the conversation on target. Insome situations, this list can be e -mailed in advance to prepareeveryone for some elephant herding.

COURAGEIt takes courage, but approach the situation with the end inmind. How much energy and time is wasted avoiding awkwardconversations? The truth is that some things just won’t goaway on their own. You can wish all you want, but at somepoint that conversation needs to happen. The sooner you divein, the sooner it will be over, no matter the outcome.

http://www.howdesign.com/businesspolicies









How many times have you submitted a proposal andthen never heard from your prospect again? Or worse,learned that the project was awarded to someone elsebecause your price was too high?

If either of these is a common occurrence, you’reprobably wasting valuable time writing proposals youwill never win. The only solution is to learn how todistinguish the viable prospects from the deadbeatsbefore you agree to write anything. And that means

you have to nd out what the prospect’s budget is.But that’s a problem, because either you’re afraid

to ask, or you ask and the response you get is use-less. Either way, you’re back to square one. That’s themoment to do something different.

Discovering a prospect’s budget isn’t that compli-cated; it just requires some creativity and persistence.

It’s one more business communication skill you canlearn if you want to save yourself time and, moreimportant, anxiety.

After being in business for six years, AshleighHansberger and Sunny Bonnell of Myrtle Beach, SC-based Motto Agency have learned that skill. “Proposalwriting can be a huge waste of time,” Hansberger says.“We learned to talk more and write less, and to agreeon cost verbally before we put it in writing.”

TALK ABOUT MONEY EAR LY

Broaching the subject of money as early in the processas possible puts you in the driver’s seat. It positions

you as the professional you are, planting the seeds forthe client to trust they’re in good hands. It also allows

you to weed out inappropriate candidates. Your goal in

Do you experience a rush of anxiety when you send a pros-pect your proposal, hoping the price you agonized over isn’ttoo high? Here’s how to play the numbers game and win.


THE BUDGET GAMEF R E E L A N C E



the rst conversation is to determine whether you canprovide what they need and, if so, whether it would bea protable project for you.

Asking directly for the prospect’s budget should beone of many basic questions you ask to achieve thatgoal. It’s no different from “What is your timeframe?”or “What is your objective with this project?” Thismay seem obvious, but many people neglect to askthis basic question. (Some creative professionals don’taddress money at all, so when they go to bill the proj-ect, they nd themselves in a bit of a pickle.)

In the best-case scenario, and especially if you’retalking to a corporate professional, your prospect willsimply tell you their budget. Big-company clients don’ttake any of this personally, as many small-businessowners do. They know you need to know, and theydon’t want to waste their time reviewing a proposalthat doesn’t work within their budget.

Here are a few phrases to try:“What budget have you allocated for this project?”

The construction of this question presumes they haveallocated a budget.

“What do you have in mind to spend?” “What can you afford?”If they reply, “I don’t know”—meaning, someone

else has established a budget but your contact doesn’tknow what it is—they may be looking for you to tellthem how much the project should cost (you are, afterall, the expert here). If you sense this could be a viableproject, it’s worth probing to make sure you’re at leastin the same ballpark.

However, you should consider certain responses tobe red ags, such as: “I don’t have much to spend,” or

“We don’t really have a budget.” Those answers signifythat you should push to get a number before the endof the conversation so you can decide whether or notto pursue the work. You can say:

“If you’re looking for the most inexpensive designer,I’m not your best option. Can you give me a general ideaof what you can afford?”

FLOAT SOME NUMBERS Just because a prospect says they don’t know theirbudget doesn’t mean you can’t nd out what they’rethinking of spending. Call on your creativity: Throwout some round numbers to see how they react. Assoon as there are numbers on the table, people tend torespond, even when they claim not to know. Start with:

“I can think of several ways we could approach thisdepending on how much you want to invest. So tell me,are we talking about $2,000 or $20,000?”

Giving them a wide range, even if they didn’t knowtheir budget, will trigger a response such as “Well,we don’t have $20,000, but somewhere in the middlecould work.” This gives you something to start with.

If they say, “Well, $2,000 would be ideal but weprobably couldn’t go higher than $5,000,” then youknow to outline in your proposal (if you decide topursue the project) what they can get within thatrange. This alone will save you time estimating higheror proposing services they don’t need or can’t afford

You may worry that when you throw out numbers, theclient will automatically choose your lowest. Not so.Good prospects know that the lowest price indicateslow quality. If they afrm the low number, that may be

your cue to walk away.Plus, at this point you’re just trying to gauge bud-

get—you’re not quoting a price—so be sure to let yourprospect know that these numbers are not yet rm.

All of this back and forth should be done in realtime, either on the phone or in person, so you maintaincontrol over the conversation. Asking these questions

via e-mail doesn’t give you the opportunity to see ohear their reactions and respond accordingly, and istherefore much less effective. When someone e-mails

you to ask for your price on a project, call them imme-diately or reply via e-mail with a request for a phonemeeting to discuss their needs. Unless you don’t wantthe job, don’t respond via e-mail with numbers.

TRY A MINI-PROPOSAL FIRSTSometimes, no matter how you ask or how creatively

you probe, the prospect won’t reveal their budget. Onealternative is a mini-proposal. You can say:

“OK, I understand you can’t provide the budget. So I’mgoing to work up some numbers and a brief scope of work,and then present it to you before doing a full-edged pro-posal. If the numbers work, I’ll go ahead. If not, I won’t.”

This mini-proposal can be as short as a paragraphor as long as a page. It should include a recap ofwhat you discussed with general price ranges. Think“executive summary,” and make it easy to skim, with anemphasis on bullets and lists. The mini-proposal laysout a price that the prospect can respond to, withouttaking too much of your time to prepare.

LET’S TALK ABOUT MONEYThere are several ways to segue into the money conversation:

1. Be matter-of-fact. “We’ve talked about everything else. Now,let’s talk about the cost.” Note the use of “the cost” and not “ourfees.” This is about what it costs to do what they need done, not

what you will charge. Precise language makes it more objectiveand professional.

2. Take the pressure off. “It’s helpful to get the money thing roll-ing. We don’t have to settle it this minute, but I wanted to giveyou some ideas about what we should be thinking.” Note the useof “we,” which implies a collaborative process.

3. Give them your thinking. “Here’s how we think about themoney.” This approach implies you’ve given it thought and you’vedone this a lot, instilling condence and credibility.

4. Make a joke. “Here’s everyone’s favorite part of the conversa-tion.” A little levity goes a long way.



This process of getting the budget isn’t easy formost creative professionals, but it does get easier once

you’ve learned the art (and it is an art) of nessingquestions that will uncover the information you need.It’s a worthwhile habit to develop. And it’s your respon-sibility to yourself as a business owner, whether a solo-preneur or an agency owner, not to waste time writingproposals that you never get, just because a prospectdoesn’t know or won’t share their budget.

To run a successful practice, you have to be aclear communicator, especially when it comes tomoney. Some prospects may not be willing to sharethe numbers when you ask, and you risk annoyingthem if you push too far. But the more you welcomethese exchanges and learn how to communicate moreclearly, the stronger your nancial footing will be.

Put this into practice and you’ll submit fewer pro-posals, but all of them will be legitimate. The result:less time with tire-kickers and more time with seriousopportunities.



ASHLEIGH HANSBERGER MYRTLE BEACH, SC

www.mottoagency.com

FREELANCE SPOTLIGHTAimee Yllanes, Aimee Yllanes Design, Basalt, COwww.aimeeyllanesdesign.com

Some designers have no trouble when it comes to asking corpo-rations for their budget, but can’t bring themselves to pop the

question when talking to a nonprot. The myth about nonprotshaving no money is exactly that, says Basalt, CO-based freelancedesigner Aimee Yllanes:

“Grassroots organizations that are just starting out may nothave a marketing budget, but larger nonprots or those thathave been around a while have a budget for marketing. You mayneed to nd out what they need to focus on and then adjust thescope of the work.

“I recently worked with a nonprot that wasn’t used to payingfor design. When I gave them an initial price for their eventcollateral, they nearly fainted. But we worked it out so that thescope of the project was adjusted, not my fee. When I went backto give them a quote for next year, they didn’t complain aboutmy fee, even though it had increased due to an expansion of theproject’s scope. They realized the value I added to their eventand agreed to pay my higher fee for next year.”

excerpt growing your freelance business

Documents