Making "First Contact" with a Client

Making "First Contact" with a Client
The day has arrived! You've started your business and you're about
to discuss a project (or order) with your first client.
So.what do you say?
Forget the fact that you really want or need this client. Forget
that you'd do just about anything to get the job. Remember that you
are now a business. Remember that you are in business to make money
(and, hopefully, a profit).
Don't Be Too Personal
You should definitely be friendly and personable, but don't be too
personal. Your client doesn't need to know your life's story. Keep
all conversations on track by sticking to business. Answer questions
with truthful answers---don't promise the moon, because you'll be
expected to deliver it.
Congratulations! It Looks Like You Are Going to Get the Job!
Communication with the prospective client is going very well, and
you are confident that you are going to get the job. Now is the time
to have the "How am I going to get paid?" conversation.
Always keep in mind that you are a business. You want to be paid.
You have an expectation as to how and when the client is going to
pay you. Don't be bashful about beginning the discussion:
"I'm looking forward to this opportunity to work with you. I do want
to talk about how I'm going to be paid. My expectation is that
you'll pay me immediately after I deliver the finished job. I
normally send an invoice along with the job, and ask that you pay me
upon receipt of the invoice. Is there any reason why you won't be
able to make immediate payment?"

If the job is going to be on-going for several weeks, you might like
to broach the subject of being made on an interim basis:
"For jobs like this that are going to last more than 3 weeks, I ask
to be paid for work done to-date at the end of each week [or "for
each segment of the job as it is finished"]." Is there any reason
why I would not be able to be paid weekly [or "after I send each
segment"]?"
The objective here is that you cannot shy away from having this
conversation. Again, remember that you are a business and you are in
business to make money. That means you expect to be paid. Don't make
the mistake of working for a client who is unwilling to talk about
making payment. You can be flexible and understand that sometimes
companies have a set procedure for paying invoices, but the bottom
line is to have a clear understanding of how and when you are going
to be paid before you take the job.
Should You Take a Job that You Don't Think You Can Handle
Regardless of how "hungry" you are for the work (or how desperate
the feeling that you really need to get the job), you do have to be
mindful of your limitations. If the client is asking for the
impossible, and you have some immediate doubts that you can deliver,
then be realistic enough about yourself and your capabilities to
turn down the work.
It is also possible that you could do the job, but the client wants
it sooner than you know you can finish it, or wants to pay far less
than you are asking. Once again, don't be afraid to say that you
can't take the job with the time or money restrictions imposed by
the client.
Know How to Negotiate
Try to maintain a positive attitude, while you are turning down the
work:
"I understand that you need it by Thursday, but I cannot have it
done by then. I can get it to you by Friday afternoon. Will this
work for you?


"I appreciate the fact that you are working within a tight budget,
and I'd like to accommodate you, but I'll need at least $XXX to be
able to the whole job. Perhaps there is a specific section that you
definitely need to have done, and we can work out a deal for that."

As you can see, the idea is not to actually turn down the work. Try
to negotiate for a different deadline or a different portion of the
job that you can do. This indicates to the prospective client that
you have some flexibility and that you are making a good effort to
accommodate the need for your service.
Should You Take a Job that You Really Don't Want to Do?
There's no bigger mistake that you can make. If your brain starts to
raise warning flags about the job before you get to the end of the
conversation with the client, then you should pay attention to them.
For whatever reason, if you don't feel immediately comfortable about
taking the job, you should walk away from it.
Don't feel as though you need to justify your decision to the
client. If you just would rather not take the job (too challenging,
too much work, not enough pay, you get a feeling that you might not
get paid, etc.), then simply state that you are unable to take on
the job:

"Now that I understand the entire scope of the job, I find that I
just won't be able to do it for you. I do appreciate the opportunity
to talk with you about this project."

If you don't think there is a middle road, then don't even attempt
to negotiate for a different deadline or to tackle just a portion of
the job. Your first impression is almost always your best
impression.
Be An Instant Success!
Follow through on your promises and meet your deadlines, be
confident about yourself, and be reasonable about your abilities.
Don't be shy about being business-like when dealing with prospective
clients. Take the jobs that you feel comfortable taking, walk away
from jobs that give you a bad feeling. You'll establish yourself as
being reliable and as the "go-to" person who can get the job done! Jan K., The Proofer is freelance proofreader and copyeditor. Visit
http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's
proofreading and copyediting services and Jan's other free
resources. Please visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for
free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005. All rights
reserved.


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