How often do you find yourself promoting your freelance services to a particular client— just for the said client to later lose interest? The truth is closing a deal, and turning an interested client into a regular client, comes with many obstacles. Every reply can literally make or break the deal. What are these obstacles? How can you overcome them? In this article, I’ll tell you exactly what you need to do.
Obstacle #1: How much are your rates?
The answer to this question is either a clincher or a deal breaker. If you quote a price that’s too high, the client might walk away. At the same time, you can’t accept extremely low wages. So, how can quote a fair price, and reel the client in? Well, you can justify your rate by specifying the services that you offer.
Here’s an example:
I charge $0.12/word for ghostwritten articles. This rate includes pitching, research and content creation. I can give you research-backed quality content and get you published in some of the most authoritative blogs in the industry. I can also transform your ideas into words, while you gain all the credit.
Obstacle #2: I Can’t Afford Your Services
Let’s say a client wants you to write a 2000-word blog post. You charge $50 for a 500-word article but your client can’t afford to pay you $200 for their 2000-word project. So, what do you do? You can either walk away…or negotiate. Instead of a 2000-word article, ask if it can be a 1000-word article instead.
What’s important is to get the client to witness the quality of your work in the first assignment. Who knows? After you knock them off their feet, they might assign you to higher-paid assignments.
Obstacle #3 Unknown Meeting Times
Let’s say an editor replied to your cold email, and expressed their interest in a short meeting. Unfortunately, they’re too preoccupied with their own schedules so they hesitate to set up a meeting time. So, how do you get to the next step? You can take initiative and set up a meeting time yourself.
Here’s an example:
Hi [client name],
I just wanted to check-in to see if you’re still interested in a short 15- to 30-minute call regarding my freelance services. Would you be available at 9 am, Eastern Standard Time (UTC-05:00)?
Please let me know. I will be happy to discuss how my services can be of help to your business.
Thanks,
Monique
Most clients hesitate to set up a meeting time because they’re not sure how long the meeting is going to take. If you specify that the call would only take 15 to 30 minutes, then they might be encouraged to take a short call. In addition, if your client is not in the same country as you, then remember to specify the time in their timezone.
Obstacle #4: No Response
Still no response after one week? I bet you’ve experienced this one way or another. Sometimes, clients respond to your initial cold email but, after a few dayss, they’re dead silent. At other times, you pitch a publication but, after 2 weeks, there’s still no response. Fortunately, you can solve this dilemma with a simple follow-up email.
Here’s an example:
Hi [client name],
I just wanted to send a quick follow-up to see if you received my pitch from last week. Please let me know if you are interested and I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks,
Monique
Most editors don’t answer emails the minute that they view it. They’re preoccupied by their current tasks, and eventually forget to reply. With a simple follow-up email, you can politely remind your client to send an update. Take note that you should only send follow-up emails every 4 to 5 days. This way, you won’t be mistaken as an annoying spammer. Do not send more than three follow-up emails. If they don’t respond to any of those, they’re either not getting your emails (because of spam filters) or they’re just not interested.
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Monique Danao is a writer and content creator with an expertise in marketing and SEO. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her enjoying funky food and listening to music. Check out her website or follow her on Twitter @monique_pd.
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