People say the hardest part of being a freelance writer or online business owner is raising money. While this is true, I think we’re missing something else from our list of “things we should be doing/knowing but not doing/finding”.
That is, what our customers think of us.
Yes, hearing the truth sometimes gives us a heart attack. The heart races at the thought of asking, “What do you think of me as a freelance writer?” What if they hate you? What if they think you write like a ten year old? What if they think you shouldn’t use as much “…” or that you haven’t written and delivered enough content? So many “what ifs”, no answers.
So go find them. Be brave. Enter soldier. You can live with it…for better or for worse.
Ask the customer how he or she found you? Through a website, a friend, or another freelance writer? What is your response rate? Asking them this kind of question shows that you care about the level of service you provide…it says a lot more about you than someone else who doesn’t care what they think as a customer. for them to assess your professionalism as a full-time freelance writer. I know you hate having to ask them this and wait there, trembling like a dead leaf on a dying tree, but you should know! Are you professional enough to handle the projects they give you?
Of course, when people hire freelance writers like you and me, there’s a really scary question… do you deliver on time? Time is of the essence for many people, and if they’ve given you a deadline from the start, ask them if they’re happy with the turnaround time. The good news is that you more or less know the answer to this question through email and checking your calendar. The bad news is that you probably don’t like what you hear.
There are other general questions a freelance writer like you should be asking your clients, but personally I think you should ask this one too: Would the client want to work with you on the projects mentioned above. How happy or fulfilled are they? Would they like to work with you again? Are they going to mention your name in front of people looking for freelance writing services in their lifetime?
Admittedly, the people who responded to your survey were either frustrated with you or excited about what you had to offer them. It’s a matter of finding out how many of them are satisfied with your service and how many are mostly dissatisfied.
Last but not least, I think there are two other things that should be asked. First, if they have any suggestions for future improvements. Second, they will consider giving your website a testimonial (positive, okay?). There you have it… a personal list of things I want my clients to judge me on.
