How Would You Define Your Dream Client?
Here are five traits of dream clients:
- Always being on time: If a client is late to the meeting, it sets a negative tone for the rest of your session. Sure, we all have things that are out of our control, but if this happens more than once or twice, then it’s likely that you won’t be able to rely on that client being on time in the future.
- Doesn’t ask questions: you don’t want to have to explain yourself every step of the way when working with a new client. It’s time-consuming and can get old quickly. Ideally, they’ll know exactly what they need before they even sit down with you so that there aren’t any surprises along the way!
- A dream client trusts your judgment. They don’t nitpick every little aspect of what you’re doing. If you’re doing great work, they will be satisfied, and if you mess up, they will be understanding and give you a chance to fix it. They won’t second-guess your decisions or try to micromanage your work. They trust that you won’t make bad choices for them.
- A dream client explains things in a way you can understand. No matter how complicated the subject is, they can put it into layman’s terms without dumbing down or jargonizing it. It also means they don’t expect me to read their minds and instantly understand everything about their business or personal preferences.
- They pay on time: If they pay late or only part-way through the project, it’s hard to get any momentum going with your work and schedule other projects around them. Deadlines are important, they give you something to work toward, even if it’s just an email from a friend telling you how awesome your latest piece was.
Conclusion
Communication is the number one key to working with a client. When you understand your client’s needs, you can create a better product while offering efficient service. When it comes to your portfolio, you always want to be sure that you’re working with clients that you feel comfortable and confident in serving. Having a clear and precise idea of your dream client will make it easier for you to put together a portfolio and find paid work in the future, as long as your dream client is a realistic expectation for clients.