For my next "Freelancer Column" in HOW, I'm expanding on some of the excellent ideas from Luke Mysse's CFC session, "Who's the Boss."
On the CFC LinkedIn Group, I asked for examples of how people manage their clients’ expectations, and it started a great discussion.
Luke just added 4 great tips. Here’s one of them:
Know what’s negotiable.
The less certain you are with your process, the more you leave the door open for negotiation and interpretation. For me, confidence equals success. If I come in with a presentation that is tight and terms that are set, I’ve given the client something to say YES to. I’ve set the precedent that I’m a professional and I have my act together. But when clients sense weakness, they pounce. I don’t think it’s malicious on their part, but it’s what happens. So I just don’t give them reasons to pounce. It’s not about being a bully; I know how to do my best work and it requires a certain level of pay and control…
Read Luke’s 3 other tips for managing client expectations, and join the conversation at the CFC LinkedIn Group.
