Freelancers are in a new reality, where, on the one hand, the rules of engagement have completely changed, and on the other, there is more opportunity in the gig market than ever before. But landing new clients and keeping them happy are two different things. Once you’ve acquired a new customer, the next step is comprehensive onboarding — but many freelancers overlook the need to optimize this important process, thinking that it’s better just to dive in and start delivering value. Setting the tone right from the get-go has plenty of benefits. Good onboarding helps to prevent churn, maximize the chances of a referral, keep your gigs from taking over your life , and make sure your clients’ expectations are aligned with your own. And it’s all doable from start to finish with a refined, digitally-enabled client onboarding process. Check out these onboarding process tips and learn how to do it right. Get Aligned With a Solid Proposal The first step in onboarding a newly acquired freelance client is to offer an initial proposal and detailed price quote that will be the basis for an official contract . Sure, you can sell your services simply by talking about what makes you the right person for the job and outlining the specifics of the work you intend to perform, but it’s worth thinking about your proposal as being a pre-contract of sorts. Ideally, your project proposal should outline goals, expectations and anticipated outcomes, just as it suggests actionable steps and deliverables for achieving these outcomes. And if you use a tool like AND.CO, which has a powerful free version, to do this, then it’s likewise easy to generate a binding contract out of your proposal, with just a few clicks. Source: AND.CO If you handle onboarding in this manner, you’ll likely have some back and forth with the client before finding a mutually agreeable compromise between effort and resources, but it’s worth the effort, because in the end, you’ll have a customer who truly understands and signs off on what you intend to do. And once you’ve arrived at a clearly defined agreement, formulating an official service contract will be much easier, saving you valuable time and preventing misalignment at the next step of the onboarding process. Get It in Writing The sales funnel with a new client isn’t over until it’s made official with a contract. If you’ve already gone through finalizing a detailed project proposal, then getting a proper commitment nailed down shouldn’t be too difficult. Be clear about pricing, payment schedules, timelines and deliverables so that both you and your client are protected and in agreement. Aside from a signed contract, other documents you may need to get your client to sign include sales invoices or non-disclosure agreements. These may be required during onboarding or during the project, and delays in signing can cause delays. In today’s complex environment, it isn’t always possible to meet in person to sign documents, but fortunately, tech-enabled solutions enable online signatures […]
