A good copywriter should be well practiced in the art of perspective jumping - not just in your marketing communication, but with your client relationships as well. While I was always pretty good at hopping into the minds of my own clients… I was never so tuned in to them as when I began outsourcing aspects of my own marketing.
Here is my take on what small business clients not only want, but desperately need from the people who we outsource our jobs to.
“The Small Business Client Wishlist” from Dina at Wordfeeder.com.
Small business clients wish that service providers would take the initiative.
I know that many freelance professionals wait there passively, thinking “Well, if my clients needed my services, they’d call or send an email.” The truth is that sometimes business owners can’t catch their breath long enough to say what it is that they want, let alone map it out in steps.
I guarantee that the next freelancer of mine who appears in my email inbox and asks for work WILL get it, even though right now I have no idea of what that assignment will be. Believe it; small business owners are THAT busy. If you’re looking for work, just say so. Clients do not spend time wondering how much work you do for other clients. We just like to know that you’re available for US.
Small business clients wish for marketing without ego.
Being on the flip side has allowed me to experience the unspoken friction that happens when clients make copy changes that copywriters don’t appreciate or agree with. There are two occasions where the copywriter has the right of way in this situation. One, is if the copy changes that the client implements might affect sales. (Let’s say the client deletes the call to action or deletes their own URL - yes it happens.) And two, if the client accidentally says something in the copy that blatantly makes them look unintelligent.
Otherwise, the copywriter or other type of freelancer must remember that, even though they may not always approve… the client gets the last say in what goes to print or what gets published on the website. It’s better to just accept this fact than waste your energy straining against it. Once the awkward dance is out of the way, the work can flow smoothly again.
Small business clients wish for trust based relationships.
The consultant should be able to trust that the client will pay the right amount, and on time. The client should trust that the consultant can get the work done to spec, while upholding the level of quality that is expected, and within a specified timeframe. The client and the consultant should trust each other in a creative sense; for example, maybe the client really does know the audience better than the consultant and therefore should make the executive decisions on the marketing.
Small business clients wish for consultants who can intuit their workstyle.
Some people are “I need it yesterday” types. Others approach everything very slowly, carefully and methodically - they don’t want you to make any sudden or unexpected moves. Some people really want a partner to hold their hand through every phase and stage of the project. Others just assign you the work and barely glance at what you turn around.
Then there are some clients whose workstyle and needs vary from hour to hour! (Maybe I’m one of them?) Each type of client - visionary, details person, budget-conscious, impulsive, harried, indecisive and so forth - requires very different handling. The key is to look for subtle cues, and be ready to adapt your pace and input accordingly. Clients love it when you match their workstyle.
Small business clients wish you wouldn’t fear them.
Fear prevents people from getting things done. It keeps them small and slows their professional and financial growth.
Fear of looking foolish stops freelancers from asking questions whose answers would help them meet the needs of their clients quicker. Fear of being wrong puts people on the defensive. Instead of owning up to whatever small error they may have made (hey, accidents happen), fearful workers cower away and play an avoidance game that causes projects to stretch on forever.
Busy professionals want fearless service providers who have the moxie to say “I think this copy could use a little something; let’s fix it.” We want to work with consultants who aren’t afraid to say, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand what you’re asking for” because they know that once they get over this hump, they can begin to amaze and delight their clients.
Small business clients wish for freelancers who communicate honestly.
There is nothing more frustrating than being told that your work will be taken care of by X date, only to have the freelancer pull a disappearing act for days, with no word of their whereabouts, situation or plans to return. This is a very unsettling feeling, from the perspective of the client. We’d rather hear, “Sorry, my tire went flat and I spent the day at the police station!” or “I apologize; I got caught up in another project!” than to hear nothing at all. Worst case scenario, we take the job back and farm it out to someone else; which is not an action meant to spite the freelancer, but sometimes a necessary move. Remember: it’s never personal, it’s just business.
Small business clients even wish you’d communicate it when we owe you money.
I’m sure there are some jerks out there who delight in screwing freelancers out of their rightfully earned pay. But the rest of us who just want to see the people who work hard for us get something out of it, would like to be reminded exactly how much we owe, for what, and on a regular basis. You are not playing the hero by being lax on invoicing; you’re just delaying the inevitable.
Small business owners never mind negotiating on price or other aspects of the work. We understand that it’s all about compromise. We love it when consultants are up front about their expectations; it helps us reach the perfect situation faster and more easily.
As a copywriter or other freelancer, you can “become” the client in your mind as a means of gauging their needs. But when you literally become the client, relying on others to manage critical aspects of your business… you gain this huge amount of respect and sympathy for the people you do work for.
That puts it all into perspective… and so when you switch back into your role as web marketer or copywriter working for someone else…. it makes you really WANT to be the best helper you can possibly be.
Copyright 2008 Dina Giolitto, Wordfeeder.com Copywriting and Marketing. All rights reserved.
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