I love a good natter about establishing client rapport. I was lucky enough to talk to the amazing folks at Rounded about what it takes to create great communication and relationships between freelancers and clients in June.
I sat down with Liam Carnahan and the team from Rounded as part of a generous sponsorship of the Freelance Jungle’s “Hug a Freelancer” campaign, a campaign run for both clients and freelancers as a new string to the bow that is Freelance Jungle advocacy aiming to foster better relations between clients and freelancers.
How to create rapport with your clients
Want to win long-term contracts and get more word-of-mouth referrals to your freelance business? The key to success may be building rapport with clients, according to Rebekah Lambert of Freelance Jungle.
The highlights on client rapport:
- Effective and frequent communication are your best friend. By maintaining open lines of dialogue, freelancers can promptly address any concerns and establish a foundation of trust.
- Proactivity is really important – especially when solving problems.
- Short and sweet emails are much better than novels. Check out my case for keeping emails to five lines to balance being concise and maintaining a friendly and approachable tone.
- Establishing clear boundaries is another fundamental aspect of fostering strong client relationships. By clearly defining expectations, project scopes, and deliverables, freelancers can ensure a mutual understanding with their clients, minimising potential misunderstandings and conflicts.
- Don’t be afraid to challenge unwanted behaviour. Be firm, take the emotion out of it, and politely and professionally challenging decisions or behaviours when necessary. This shows expertise and a commitment to achieving the best outcomes for both parties involved.
- Rise above emotional bait. Freelancers must maintain their composure and professionalism even in challenging situations. By avoiding emotional disputes and conflicts, freelancers can navigate difficult scenarios with grace and integrity, preserving the client-freelancer relationship. And even if you are dealing with oddball situations or politics beyond your control, at least you know your integrity remains intact.
You can check out more of the detail, get some handy phrases to use and more within the article.
Take a gander at the client rapport article and let me know what you think!
For more content like this, why not check out the Freelance Jungle’s blog section on Client Management?