The idea of becoming a freelancer looks much simple and straightforward, but actually there is much more than you think.
Between delivering your services and finding the clients, there is one most important factor which many freelancers miss. This factor is “How do you qualify the client before they waste your and theirs time?”
Importance of These Questions
This is the point where asking qualifying questions comes in. As a professional freelancer, it is essential that you carefully guard yourself from time-wasters. (Time-Wasters are those people who will enquire about all of your offers and services, but at the end of getting full details they end up telling you Sorry, we don’t have the enough budget for this.)
Here it needs knowing what important questions should be asked to ensure that the client you are working with is the right fit for you. As it removes the possibilities of misunderstandings later and also ensures that the client feels that you are the right choice for him. Thus, this is equally satisfying for both parties the service provider and the client as well.
In some cases, depending on your niche, industry and the way your business model is set up, you can automate some parts of this process also, by enabling clients to share their expectations and budget with you before you have one-two-one consultation with them. This will ensure to decide whether you can work with them or not.
I am sure you are familiar with this process, if you have worked before in project management. Before starting a project, project managers always begin with a scoping exercise to identify the basic and important requirements of the project based on stakeholder’s needs. This practice sets expectations on deliverables, and ensures that everyone is on the same page, while also giving the sufficient room to create the needed resources and finalize a budget.
12 Questions for Freelancers to Ask the Clients in 2024
As a freelance professional, there are 12 important questions you should ask your potential clients – whether engaging with your clients at a network event, LinkedIn or anywhere else, that ensures you are the protected as a freelancer and that they are happy with your services.
These essential questions are:
- Will you be the decision-taker for this project? If not, who is the decision maker? How will I contact with them moving forward?
- What is your estimated budget for this project?
- What are your goals and expectations?
- Have your ever worked with a freelancer on this project before?
- After the completion of the project/task, ask your client “Do you have any questions? Are you clear on how the entire process works?”
- What is the extent for this project’s scope?
- What is the limit/deadline?
- Is there anything you want to share with me before commencing?
- Which platform you will use to transfer the payment, and what is the expected timescale within which I will be able to receive the payment?
- How do you prefer to communicate and share requirements and ideas regarding this project? Should we communicate via email, WhatsApp, team chat, etc.?
- Do you have any preferred tools you would like me to use to complete the project?
- How did you reach out to me? (Note: this question is not too much important. This is for market research purpose only)
Asking these questions helps you to guide your clients through the process of working with you. This will help clients envision clearly what are their goals, so no time is wasted. And empowers you as their service provider to work and cooperate with them in the way is most suitable you and your client’s mutual needs.
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