Every experienced freelancer knows that it is easier, cheaper, and less time consuming to convince an old client to rehire you than it is to find a new one. Whether you’re a freelancer, an SEO, a programmer, a web designer or a writer, the success of your freelance business depends quite a bit on your ability to retain clients for as long as possible. Unfortunately this is often easier said than done. If you are tired of working for short-term clients who disappear after the first contract is finished, this article contains some advice that you might find useful.
1. Always Send Your Client a Final Report & Seek Feedback:
Once you complete any project or deliverable, it’s a pretty great idea to send a final summary report & seek feedback from your clients. You can ask them to fill a short questionnaire as well so that they can quickly review your overall performance and tell you in which areas you need to improve. Furthermore, this reflects your professionalism.
If the feedback is mostly positive, let them know that you’re interested in working with them again. If it is not, tell them you’re willing to incorporate the suggested improvements in next projects.
2. Constant Contact:
In order to get rehired back by your old clients, you need to make regular contact with them. One good way of doing so is to send follow up emails to those clients on a frequent basis (weekly or monthly). Make sure to ask them if the delivered project is running smoothly or not. You can also ask them if they need you to update, redesign, or improve any part of that previous project. Plus, assure them that you’re interested in working with them in the future as well. In this way, you can possibly win more contracts from your previous clients.
3. Maintain Consistency:
The truth of the matter is that most clients prefer hiring someone they’ve already worked with (rather than hiring someone new). This makes your job much easier because all you need to do is please your clients with a consistent performance so that you can get more work from them down the road.
4. Regularly Update Your Portfolio:
It’s absolutely vital to keep your professional portfolio updated with all the work you’ve done for your clients. When old clients visit your profile, some of the stellar projects listed there may convince them to do another contract with you! Additionally, they will also know that you’re actively engaged in multiple assignments, you possess several skills, plus you’re also doing an outstanding job in all of those projects.
With these four simple & easy tips, you can improve the chances of getting rehired by your old clients.
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