Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Freelancing Tips: Follow Up With Old Clients

Don't forget to follow up with old clients once in a while. Several times in the last few months I've had old clients return for more help. In two cases, I thought perhaps the clients weren't happy with the work or moved on with other writers but in both cases they simply didn't need my help for a bit. The fact that I touched base after their last order just to check in and not pressure them probably helped. If I had been given a clear "No" instead of a "Not right now." I definitely would have backed off. Reminding them of my existence probably helped keep my name in their minds to a degree.

As a freelance writer, I own my own little business and am responsible for producing the product for sale but I'm also responsible for selling it, for customer service, for everything to do with my little biz. It's important as a business owner that I try to nurture existing client relationships while going after new relationships.

This week I plan to share some daily tips with you instead of longer blog posts to give you some ideas or food for thought for your writing career.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great tip! I always find it useful to drop my clients a line to see how they're doing. More often than not, they reply with "I'm so glad you emailed -- I've got a project I've been thinking about..."

Being proactive usually pays off.

~Graham