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As a freelancer, one of the most tenuous processes is finding new clients. Once you’ve gotten to the quoting stage, it’s likely that the client is happy with your portfolio and services, it’s just a question of whether or not they want to pay your fees!
As a freelancer, one of the most tenuous processes is finding new clients. Once you’ve gotten to the quoting stage, it’s likely that the client is happy with your portfolio and services, it’s just a question of whether or not they want to pay your fees!
The wait for a reply to a quote can be anxiety-inducing, and the urge to wait it out can be strong; following up might seem pushy, but it isn’t, and shouldn’t be perceived as a daunting process. It’s entirely acceptable, and if done well, could end with you gaining a new client!
While it’s often appropriate to follow up a quote if a prospective client hasn’t yet replied, it has to be done in a delicate manner, with an appreciation for the nuances of the situation.
You should take your time to carefully put together an email, making sure that you don’t come across as desperate, pushing, or unprofessional.
Before sending it, consider if you do in fact want to work with the prospective client; if they’re bad at communicating, they are likely to be difficult to work with.
If you get the feeling that this won’t be the only thing you have to chase them up on, consider letting them go. It’s one thing having to follow up a quote, but if you end up having to chase them for payment, you may be getting yourself into a whole world of trouble.
Should you decide they are worth the effort, it’s time to write the email. One of the most important things to focus on is the subject line. That will be what determines if the email is even opened – if it isn’t catchy and relevant, they won’t even get round to reading the contents of the email. Take your time, it’s important.
With the contents of the email, you want to be clear and straightforward, without being pushy and rude – it’s a fine line, but one you can learn to balance on. What’s important is to remember the purpose of the email – to see why the prospective client hasn’t replied.
Don’t beat around the bush too much, get straight to the point; if the person is busy, they’ll appreciate the straightforwardness, and will be far more likely to reply if they see an easily answerable question.
One of the best ways to carry things forward is with a CTA, a call to action. You can schedule a call or product demo, something that will add impetus and purpose to your interaction.
A CTA is hard to ignore, and will create a further opportunity to sell them your product or service.
Once you’ve written the email, keep it! Save it as a template for future use, because it’s not a question of if it’ll next happen, it’s a question of when. It may be frustrating, but that’s the reality of freelancing!