Excellent Article – these are things I haven’t yet encountered and hadn’t even thought of. Thanks for the heads up!

Very good. I especially like the last point about communication with the client. In all my years dealing with clients, the most important thing you can do is clearly communicate with them. When some thing goes wrong along the way, it can always be saved by talking about it.

I love the idea about setting up a process too. I’m considering adding this to my site in the near future. Thanks Thursday.

Great points. Generally, I include a flow chart with each of my big jobs (eBooks or website content) and each section of the flow chart has its own due date. There is something about the platform of a flow chart that clients really relate to. I also make it clear that payment is due after each section is completed- that way, should something happen in the middle of the job- I’ve been paid for the work I’ve done.

A great Resource to startup as a freelancer or even better to a productive company.Really helps in making SOP of the company.
Regards
Umair Ahmed

This is a great article. It is such an important topic for new freelancers that it should be 10 times longer. Clients need to be educated from the word “Go” on the process that will follow and what their responsibilities are as clients. ie getting content to you on time! They also need to know that any variations from the process = delays = increase in budget.

I don’t have a process page on my website but I do have a 20 page document outlining every step and requirement of a new web project. It gets customised to each job and signed off before kickoff.

When you and your customer understand each other and the process you are both working to, your project will flow smoothly, you’ll have a happier customer and you’ll probably get paid quicker.

Fantastic article, and at a great time for me — part of my freelancing is creating websites for small business, and I’ve been moving up in both the size of the businesses I work with, and the complexity of the websites. I’d like to push things further in this area, and I think having a clearly set out process would help the client as well as myself … too often, I’ve treated each project as “completely different” from what I’ve done before, when there are common points which could save a few headaches (like having clearer timescales, clear office hours, and a process for mockups, feedback and revisions.)

Thanks, Thursday!

Ali

I think defining a process is especially helpful. I know it’s saved me some awkward conversations.

Thursday, I wholeheartedly agree that many clients need to be educated and I propose that, in addition to doing it one client as a time, you can do it to many at once as part of your own marketing and self promotion.

So, for example, you could be sending out a little email thingy (not to call it a newsletter) that highlights a recent project and gives a detail or two about the process, which, by the way, serves as education as well. Or you could tweat about a process detail in the midst of a project and if any of your clients follow you, they might learn a thing or two that way.

This also helps to establish that you are a professional, not one of those flaky and flighty freelancers many people just might automatically assume you to be.

This part of the article bopped me over the head:

“I keep thinking about one client in particular. I completed what was supposed to be the first part of a series of assignments and sent in my work — along with a standard invoice. In return, I received an angry email asking why I would ever demand payment in such a fashion and why I would put a specific due date on when I expected my payment. I got my money — but I lost the client.”

To which I say:

This sounds like a client worth losing. Why? Because in the business world, you do the work, you submit your invoice, and then you get paid. It’s how the guy who services my furnace works. And, come to think of it, that’s how things will run with the guys who are coming here to do some work on the house later this week.

Oh, I should also mention that the furnace guy and the “work on my house” crew expect to be paid before they leave my property.

Very good article. I think having a process in place is great. It not only helps the new clients, but also, it helps you be more productive, because you have a procedure that works every time.

Having in place a clear process has helped me keep a client for 10 years, and getting new ones. And because the new clients are not sometimes used to the idea of freelancing, as you mentioned it, it will teach them how you work. It also shows them that you are a professional who knows what he’s doing.

Adding an FAQ page has helped me getting new clients this year.

Great ideas I am going to add a process page to my web site. One of problems I have had in the past is that no matter how much documentation you have, it is difficult getting people to read it

Great ideas! I hadn’t thought of adding a process page to my site, but I’m seriously considering it now.

Very good article, I believe that a lot of what you were able to pin point is like you said, things we assume, neglect to clarify and these bad assumptions eventually leads to frustration from both parties.

In my practice, since I turned independent about a year ago, I know for a fact that a lot of arguments and disappointment from both sides comes from misunderstanding and bad assumptions. What I did to overcome those issues was building a project procedure with a detailed time line. Whenever a project comes in my way, I map down all the steps we need to go through before final delivery and what needs to happen during each phase. Working with such a protocol allows me (most of the time) to get a better commitment from the client’s party and am able to avoid a lot of costly delays.

Cheers!

Great perspective, Thursday. You are most correct: ‘Expectations should should not be based upon assumptions.” Thanks for the reminder.

Nice read Thursday. I couldn’t agree with you more about educating clients. I have actually added the following to all of my quotes/pitches when going after new work:

* 1 hour consultation to discuss the design process, your expectations, my expectations, both of our goals for the project, a rough timeline, deliverables, and milestones.

I can’t tell you how much this has helped. Whether it be a phone discussion or an in person meeting, it just makes the whole process that much easier when both sides are clear and upfront about all details of the project.

I love your writing Thursday, check me out at graphicdesigntwist.com and say hello!

Hello Thursday.

Very nice point about creating a process page where the client can understand the way you conduct business. I have an FAQ page on my website where I have tried to answer all the questions a client may have.

The key to keeping communication gaps at bay is regular communication. It not only creates an atmosphere of familiarity it also clears the doubts before they can cause damage.

Great article. I’m in the middle of designing my website now (current comps linked to on the left) and I fully agree with what you say about including a Process page.

A timeline is actually a great idea as well, I think I’ll implement that for new projects I take on – it’d be great to be able to show clients when they’re going to get their comps, etc, but more than anything it would help them understand how that if they procrastinate sign-offs or providing the content, then no, their site will NOT be completed in the 4 weeks that they wanted it in.

I think that Communication is the key. Be upfront about everything.

This is a great article with some really great tips. It can be easy for those of us who do something everyday to take for granted that everyone else knows what we know.

But I have to say, I can’t get over this:

“I keep thinking about one client in particular. I completed what was supposed to be the first part of a series of assignments and sent in my work — along with a standard invoice. In return, I received an angry email asking why I would ever demand payment in such a fashion and why I would put a specific due date on when I expected my payment. I got my money — but I lost the client.”

I don’t understand what the problem was or what right the client had to send an angry email. You did work, you submitted it to him/her, and submitted an invoice. I can’t think of a business or industry that doesn’t work that way. Objection to a due date? Calling an invoice a inappropriate demand for payment? I think you’re lucky you got paid for what you did and that you were freed from working with someone with such unreasonable expectations.

The article has banged on the target. Communication is very important. I follow a full educational approach and believe me it has really paid off. Infact one of my client was so impressed that he offered a full time job to me! He said that he wants a person who communicates and educates the client or a non-techie person in their own language.

Yes, the invoice is a problem with small clients. They feel that it has hidden charges if the charges are not explained. I make it a point that I send a timesheet along with an invoice clearly explaining even a small $1 charge. They are happy because they say it promotes transparency. They want to know exactly how much they are spending. So, I realised that transparency is the game.

Very good article and I can really relate to it.

Yes, having a defined process and timescale is essential if you want to be a professional freelancer not some half baked freestyler.

I think #1 smashed the head on the nail exactly.

It’s a great advise – and you could refer to this webpage everytime you get a new client.
Perhaps they don’t read it right away – but if the have questions, they could check to see if it’s explained on the webpage. And you could point hem in that direction, if you get the “question”. You could say: It’s all here on this webpage.

And alternatly, if the client gets angry or the likes – the webpage is your insurance! A kind of “I told you so…” “If you had just read the webpage as suggested/advised, you would know that…”

Nice article. Thanks!

Useful article to help control the otherwise runaway train that could end in disater between you and your client.

Communication is key. Though I shunned it before, I now try to talk to clients by phone (or skype) whenever I can upon obtaining a new client. This can take up some time at first since new clients like to be extra explanatory, but they realize your are a human.

I am a recently new subscriber to your blog. I just wanted to quickly give you a shout-out that this is far and away my favorite blog in my reader at the moment and the ONLY blog in which I read every post! Incredibly useful and thought provoking content. Keep up the great work!!

I agree that communication, even before you start, is vital. And then keeping those lines of communication open throughout the project.

I’m off to add a process page to my website, what a great idea.

Dealing with clients seems similar to being in a marriage. You both come in with your own ideas and how you think things should be done, and if you don’t communicate you’ll have problems.

Setting expectations up front is very good when working with clients, as well as keeping communication going throughout the process.

Communication is key in any relationship, professional or otherwise!

Great article. I loved the defining the process on the site idea. THX

I’m amazed you had trouble presenting an invoice to a client. Surely when talking about communication and of course the all important contract you agree before commencing a project, invoicing terms and conditions should be one of the highlighted things in your standard freelancing / work contract.

I’ve never had any issues with payments (apart from the occasional late payment) because I clearly outline that I invoice either at the end of a project if it’s less than a month long or on the last working day of each month for projects or engagements over a month long. In addition to this, I specify that payment must be made within 30 days of the invoice date otherwise it will incur a penalty charge.

It’s not difficult to include this in your standard terms and conditions and if you’ve clearly laid out payment terms in your contract, you really shouldn’t run into this problem.

I first thought of putting a “How I Work” page on my site after reading Michelle Goodman’s “My So-Called Freelance Life” (plugging it, because it kind of saved MY freelance life). My biggest problem though, is understanding what is standard or acceptable for a freelancer doing web design and front end development.

I picked up a few tips from the readers:
+ Create a rough time line of the project
+ Create visual representation of project for scope
+ Break project into chunks, set due dates and charge after each
+ Set expectations for when you’ll check in, get feedback and what kind of feedback you need, as well as number of revisions
+ Let client know your office hours
+ Create and review a map of all steps needed to complete project and what is needed on both sides for each step
+ Have a 1 hour consultation of all this before a project
+ Be clear, up front, and transparent

There’s an even longer list of things to make sure your client and you are clear on in that book and around the web, but I still feel really stuck on exactly WHAT the right process is (for web design in particular).

When and how do you bring up YOUR contract?
How many revisions should I limit to?
And other questions I don’t even know I should ask.

So does anyone know of an example, online or otherwise, of the freelance web design process?
Thank for the awesome article, Thursday!

I’m a Virtual Assistant subcontractor. This article How to Educate a New Client is exactly why I chose to stick with virtual assistants. They already know my industry so I don’t have to educate them right from the beginning they know what working virtually is all about. Communication is something I cannot practice in order for us to work well together.

I’m a freelance writer and I like to frame each new project with a detailed project briefing document which I write based on what my clients tell me. I find it very helpful as a way of pinning down expectations and smoothing the start of a new project. Here is a blog post about the brief format I use: http://www.badlanguage.net/better-briefs-for-writers.