In order to make your business flourish, you need to have a constant in-flow of business opportunities. We often look for new channels to acquire new businesses and perhaps that is one of the standard strategies to keep your business get going. But not to forget the clients/customers list that you already have. In fact, your old client can be your one of the best sources to get repeat as well as referral businesses.

How to get that?

Your specialized skill set and quality of the work that you do can help you thrive in this utter competitive freelance business.

Any business experience can become a gateway to a world of new business opportunities. For instance, an old business associate can recommend your good services to other business associates and boost your credibility in the freelance business. Word-of-mouth publicity can actually help you acquire more work opportunities.

Here are some of the considerations that can help you increase your chances of getting repeat and referral business opportunities.

1. Commitment & Commitment

The most important factor to keep your clients happy and get referred for projects is to stay committed. Dedication and determination would build trust and credibility in the eyes of the client and he’d consider you for giving more business. Once your committed approach towards work gets recognized by your client, rest assured that he’d keep coming back to you and offer you lots of repeat and referral business.

2. Well-devised Project Execution Plan

An effectively laid out project execution plan ensures better results. So it is recommended to plan how you would execute the plan and utilize the available resources accordingly. A proper project execution plan that would fetch you lots of repeat and referral business must entail the below-mentioned steps:

a) Clear understanding of the project- Ask your client to give you a complete description about the project. Understand his requirements, needs, expectations and approach towards the project. Working on a project with clear cut strategy would fetch you lots of appreciation and repeat and referral business.

b) Effective collaboration - In case you need more clarifications on a work requirement, ask questions. Prepare a brief questionnaire listing all your important queries related to work and get them resolved. Send them through email, chat, project message board etc. The more you co-ordinate and collaborate with a client, the better your professional relationships become. This is very important aspect if you want to acquire repeat and referral business.

c) Under promise and over deliver- Make a crystal clear strategy for project execution and ensure that you deliver results beyond your client’s expectations. However, you must make sure that you are able to beat the deadline of the project. So it is recommended that in the beginning of the project itself you take some extra time in advance so that you are able to over deliver. This would establish trust and credibility and the client would feel that you’re a dedicated professional who would always execute the project with utmost dedication.

3. Focus on long-term goals

Working on a project is not a one-time affair, the client you are working with can get your more projects or repeated business provided you deliver quality-backed work results. Be passionate about the project you are working on so that you can carve a niche for yourself. A focused approach towards work can influence the client to refer you for more projects.

4. Keep him updated

Communicate project progress to the client from time to time; let your client know about your project queries and ask for feedback every time you achieve one milestone as this will bring a feeling of trust and responsibility in the eyes of the client. You can collaborate with the client effectively using tools like Project message board (PMB), Instant messaging (IM), Google docs, Email etc.

5. Meet promised deadlines

It is important to deliver the work you committed on time. Timeliness is one of the most essential considerations taken into account while awarding a business or referring someone. if the client gets convinced of your ability to finish the project on or before time, half the battle is one as timeliness and quality are the two major aspects a client looks forward to while working with a freelancer.

6. Add value

Good and valuable suggestions enhance the scope of improvement in the project as well as establish credibility. A good advice shows your enthusiasm towards making the project better and also makes your client feel satisfied that he is working with a dedicated freelance professional.

7. Don’t take clients for granted

If you are getting repeat business from the same client, don’t assume that whatever you deliver would be liked. Instead work hard every time, challenge yourself to come up with better results. Be consistent in delivering the best of quality and on time projects. You never know that same client bring more work or refer you to some other client.

8. Testimonials and Feedback

Ask your client to give his feedback on the services that you have rendered to him so that the testimonials can entice other service seekers to get in touch with you for their projects to be done. The testimonials and feedback from the client you’ve already worked with would reflect that you’re a trusted professional and you put in your best possible effort to deliver top-grade work results. This may entice new service seekers to give you their projects to execute.

Hope these considerations will add value to your freelance efforts. Please share with us your suggestions, feedback or views on the same.

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