Business development is the most lucrative path as a consultant. However, if you can’t convert new business leads into commissions and payments, then it might not be worth your time.
Many business development agents have issues closing deals because of poor sales handling. This can lead to lower conversions for everyone and cause clients to go elsewhere for professional services.
There are many freelancers who sell services without any regard for the practice of common etiquette.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Establish clear communication etiquette to maintain professionalism in client interactions. |
| 2. Practice proper social media etiquette to build a positive online presence and engage with your audience effectively. |
| 3. Avoid common online etiquette mistakes that can harm your freelance career, such as unprofessional behavior or inappropriate language. |
| 4. Learn effective communication skills to foster strong relationships with clients and colleagues. |
| 5. Understand the importance of etiquette in freelance chat support and how it can contribute to your success in the field. |
1. Keep Your Tools Of The Trade Clean And Updated
You’re a businessperson, so it’s only fitting that you carry yourself, especially in the eyes of your client. To start, keep your computer or laptop clean and up-to-date (as should your software). Your desk should be neat and tidy; make sure that any physical materials, such as printed forms and documents related to business development, are in order (and, again, not collecting too much dust). Likewise, ensure that your phone is charged and ready to go.
Your backups should also be set up properly; have an extra charger on hand just in case you forget yours at home. Make sure there’s another way out of the building if there’s an emergency; these things sound like common sense but they bear repeating given how many instances of basic issues throwing off a successful freelance business development operation we’ve seen over the years.
Building strong online relationships is crucial for freelance success. Learn about the 13 online etiquette mistakes to avoid and enhance your professional image.
2. Take Care Of Yourself Physically And Mentally
In order to maintain a healthy work-life balance, you must take care of your physical and mental health.
This requires eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep each night, exercising regularly, and taking time to relax when needed.
Make sure not to get caught up in the excitement of working for yourself. Don’t overdo it! Overworking will cause stress, which can be unhealthy both mentally and physically.
Keep things in perspective and make time for hobbies that help you relax. Do things that make you happy!
3. Decide What Services You Will Provide
It’s important to decide what services you want to offer before getting started. You never know who may come across your website, so start by thinking about the things you enjoy doing most, and then decide how much time and money you want to dedicate towards freelance work. Deciding on this ahead of time will help you avoid becoming overloaded or underpaid when taking on new clients.
It also helps when potential clients ask what it is that you do. If someone asks what services you provide, but you don’t have a ready answer, it will probably make them second guess whether or not they would like to hire you.
I’m not saying that it’s impossible to break into the freelance world if you don’t have a plan sometimes the best ideas are born out of spontaneity but having a strategy in mind can only help to ensure your success down the road.
Effective communication is key in freelance work. Explore our 10 communication etiquette tips to ensure clear and professional interactions with clients and colleagues.
4. Treat Your Freelance Work Like A Business, Not A Hobby
Like any other business, freelancers have their work hours. If you’re working from home, then it’s crucial to set up an office space that can help you become productive.
A study by the University of Illinois found that a decluttered room allowed people to focus on specific tasks more than they would in a cluttered room.
According to the same study, participants performed better and were willing to spend more time on the task in an organized room. This implies that having your own office space will allow you to focus and treat your freelance work like a business rather than a hobby.
Your freelance office doesn’t need to be big or fancy (although it would be awesome if it is!). Just make sure that you have everything that you need for your productivity: ergonomic furniture, good lighting, internet connection, and so on.
5. Don’t Be Nervous About Charging What You’re Worth, Or Getting Paid At All
This is something that I hear from a lot of new freelancers: “I don’t want to charge them TOO much, but I want to get paid.” That’s fine; it’s understandable that you want to be paid for your work. But just know that if you feel nervous about the price or amount of money involved in the project, you should probably consider upping your price.
When I started out as a freelancer, I was so worried about finding work and keeping busy that I would take any job I could get. While this can sometimes pay off, other times it’s more likely to backfire on you.
If you are overworked and underpaid in the name of keeping busy then there will come a time when demands on your business may mean sacrificing yourself for no good reason.
If you find yourself underpaying yourself relative to what others are charging for their services then this will also have negative consequences on your business: You may not have enough cash on hand to pay employees and overhead or invest in growth opportunities like marketing and sales campaigns;
You may not have enough profit left over after paying expenses like employee salaries and rent/mortgage payments; This will lead directly to my next point!
6. Make Yourself Available In A Variety Of Ways To Potential Clients
You might be sitting there thinking, “Okay, but what if I don’t check my phone all the time?” or “If someone wants to talk to me, they can just email me.”
But you should be using a combination of methods to reach out to your clients. You also need to make sure that it’s easy for them to find your contact information and access different ways of reaching you at any given time.
No matter who you’re running your business for, your customers will want the simplest processes possible. If you want them to contact you by voicemail during business hours and by email outside of those hours, then put that on your website or in the signature line on every email that you send out.
If possible, include a direct link so they can call or text with one click. Being able to schedule video conferencing sessions is helpful too; there’s no need to go into a lot of detail about how often this needs updating and how important it is unless it’s not working well for both parties involved.
Social media plays a vital role in freelancing. Discover essential social media etiquette practices to maintain a positive online presence and engage with your audience effectively.
7. Know Your Limits And Be Prepared To Say No Gracefully When Necessary
You need to be clear about what you can and can’t do. Don’t be afraid to turn down work that isn’t right for you or the time to do it.
This might be a tough one, especially if it’s your first project and you feel like saying “yes” is critical.
But saying “no” is part of being an adult, and sometimes you have to say no even when it means turning down money. It doesn’t mean that you won’t get more opportunities in the future, nor does it mean that your customer will never return quite the opposite, in fact!
8. Be As Polite And Professional As Possible In Every Interaction With Clients
You should always be as polite and professional as possible in every communication with clients and potential clients. That means returning calls, emails, and texts quickly (unless you have a voicemail message that says when they can expect a response). You should also respond to comments on social media posts promptly so you don’t seem uninterested.
If someone has contacted you about freelance work, it’s because they want your help with something. So even if the timing isn’t convenient for you whether it’s because of your mood or schedule you should still use the most professional language possible.
For example, if you’re feeling under the weather but need to communicate with some clients, it’s polite to let them know ahead of time so they can plan accordingly but still get their work done on time.
9. Promote Yourself Through Social Media Channels And Your Website
But don’t go overboard with marketing gimmicks or other annoying tactics that could backfire on you by putting people off instead of inviting them to find out more about you and your business development services offerings.
Promote yourself through social media channels and your website, but don’t go overboard with marketing gimmicks or other annoying tactics that could backfire on you by putting people off instead of inviting them in to find out more about you and your business development services offerings.
Instead of posting a bunch of sales pitches, try providing useful tips and information related to what you do and what your target markets care about. Don’t post too often (unless it’s justifiable).
Don’t spam people with emails every day or multiple times a day, either. If they want to hear from you again after the first contact, they’ll let you know. Your goal is to educate potential clients so they become interested in talking to you further, not annoy them with irrelevant content and too much self-promotion at once.
Are you interested in freelance chat support? Learn how to get hired and excel in the field with our comprehensive guide on freelance chat support service.
10. Do Some “Pro Bono” Work To Build Up Experience, But Make Sure You Get References First
Even if you are just starting out as a consultant, you should have a couple of clients who will recommend your services. The best way to get some experience and references under your belt is to do some pro bono work.
Pro bono work is when you do something for free (or at a reduced rate) in order to build up experience or give back to the community. Pro bono projects tend to be done for non-profit organizations or public institutions that don’t have very big budgets.
Some examples of pro bono work might include:
- Redesigning the website for a non-profit organization; or
- Creating a marketing strategy for an art gallery; or
- Designing logos and promotional materials for charities, sporting clubs, etc.; or
- Organizing events
- Writing articles on particular topics.
11. Don’t Ever Take Credit For Someone Else’s Ideas Or Hard Work
You have to be careful about using other people’s ideas, words, and pictures. If you are going to use anything you didn’t create yourself, it’s important to get permission. Taking credit for someone else’s ideas or hard work isn’t just unethical it can also get you in a lot of trouble!
I want to stress that I’m not trying to scare you with this point. In fact, the vast majority of people who need permission aren’t aware of how easy it can be to obtain. The owner might say “yes” because they’re flattered that you like their work.
Or they might say “yes” but ask for a fee (which is normal). Or they might decline and then offer an alternative solution (like hiring them as a subcontractor). All of these are good outcomes!
12. Be Flexible And Patient With Clients Who Are Just Starting Out Or Have Specialized Needs
Growing a business can be hard work, especially for new freelancers. We’ve been trained to think of our clients as fragile and needy, but we should remember that they’re just human beings like us, who don’t always have the best grasp of their own needs and expectations.
We usually assume that if a client has never heard of our service before or doesn’t know exactly what it is we do, he or she will need an extensive explanation before making a commitment.
In fact, this may not be the case at all: one recent project was really straightforward for us in terms of what was needed it mainly involved editing some text and yet the client didn’t seem to understand much about my role in the project until I explained it to him in more detail.
He seemed genuinely surprised when I told him how often I’d be available (hourly), how responsive and helpful I could be (responsive and helpful), and that he might even need me to do some additional research (research). Once he understood all these things, he decided to proceed with the project!
Starting a freelance business in online chat support requires careful planning. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to start a freelance business as an online chat support to establish your services and attract clients successfully.
Conclusion
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to freelance etiquette. As you spend time perfecting your craft, learning new skills, and building relationships with clients, what are some other rules that you believe should be followed? Leave a comment below!
And if you’re interested in learning more about how to grow your business development skills as a freelancer, get in touch with us at Toptal. We’ll be happy to help.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on related topics:
Professional Freelancing Etiquette: Gain insights into the best practices and etiquette guidelines for maintaining professionalism as a freelancer.
Effective Business Goals for Freelancers: Learn how to set and achieve effective business goals as a freelancer to enhance your productivity and success.
Freelancer Tips for Success: Discover valuable tips and advice to maximize your success as a freelancer and overcome common challenges in the freelance industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Much of freelance business development is about what to do, but just as important as knowing what not to do. Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you avoid some common pitfalls in the field:
What Is The Best Way To Set Up A Freelance Business Development Career?
It’s best to have a separate workspace so you’re in a proper mindset for your work and don’t get distracted by household chores.
How Do You Find Clients For A Freelance Business Development Business?
Networking events and social media are great ways of meeting new clients. Consider offering promotions like discounts or free consultations with every referral, or giving away branded swag with your logo on it.
What Are Some Tips For Managing Time When You’re Working From Home?
It can be hard to stay focused without an office environment but consider setting timers or apps that block certain websites until it’s time for a break (for example, don’t let yourself check Facebook until 11:30).
What Are Some Of The Best Ways To Advertise Your Services?
Once you’ve established the brand identity of your company, focus on email lists and social media because that’s where people go first when they want information.
What Is Freelance Business Development?
Freelance business development is a type of customer engagement strategy where you, as the business development professional, work with clients to help them find new clients and/or customers.
How Do I Get Started With Freelance Business Development?
First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that you have good customer service skills. You’ll also need a strong knowledge of your industry, the ability to network well with others in your field, and strategic thinking skills. You may also want to take advantage of some training courses on how to use social media effectively for marketing purposes.
What Should My Next Steps Be Now That I’ve Read This Article?
Start by reading up on some best practices for working with clients in this field. Once you’re familiar with what’s expected from both parties when it comes time for paychecks or invoices to be issued then it’s time for action! Get out there and start networking with people who are already doing what you want to do someday too!
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.