Retaining Customers at Your New Home-Based Business
You can do everything right when you start your home-based business, but if you neglect the last task on the list — retaining customers — you’ll have to work a lot harder. Here’s how to retain customers- and hopefully convert them into retainer clients!
Starting a Work-from-Home Business
Micala Quinn is all about helping moms working from home grow their businesses. She has lots of advice to give because she learned the hard way — all on her own. She wants other moms to have the benefit of her experience and to use her victories — and her mistakes — to learn how to achieve more in less time.
There are many steps to starting a home-based business, and once you have launched it, there are more steps for keeping it afloat. You’re likely aware of this, but you may not know exactly what they are. The truth is that techniques vary depending on the business you’re venturing into.
One thing is for certain, however, and it applies across all industries: It’s much easier to retain the clients you have than to get new ones.
Brainstorm how you can WOW clients.
The most important client you will ever land is your very first client.
Yep...I don’t care if clients 2 & 3 are Jeff Bezos and Jennifer Aniston (okay...maybe I DO care about that…) the point is that once you land your first client, you will have no trouble landing your next (and next. And next. And next!) client.
If you can land one client, you can land twenty.
Why?
Confidence. There is no better feeling than landing your very first client. It is your proof that freelancing is real and that you can do it! You will carry that confidence forward into your networking groups, job applications, and discovery calls. You are in demand, you are valued, and you are worth it!
A working system. If you’ve signed your first client, you have all the proof you need that your client-landing strategies are on point! Whenever freelance newbies are having trouble landing their first client inside Overwhelmed to Overbooked, I will often ask them to examine every part of their client-landing process. We look for patterns like are you booking discovery calls? Are you hearing back from job submissions? What groups are you networking in? What does your portfolio look like? Usually, we can make one small tweak to that “sticking point” and get that newbie over the hurdle. Once you land client #1 then you know that your strategy is working...and it’s super-easy to replicate that again and again!
Referrals and rate raises. Here’s another top-secret freelance fact: land and wow one client in your targeted industry, and chances are that client can help you land more! Biz owners know and talk to each other-- and if you are consistently adding value and nurturing your very first client...they will be more than happy to sing your praises! Whether it’s a local client that can spread the word to other small business owners or an online influencer, happy clients can quickly become your best referral source. All you have to do is under-promise, over-deliver, and ask! One more #protip? You can raise your rates for every new client. You can start by bumping your rates up by $5 or $10, but as you gain experience and confidence you can start doubling, tripling, quadrupling your starting rate!
Plan out your onboarding process. Make sure it’s super simple for clients to sign your contracts & pay you!
Ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid of constructive criticism! Ask your clients after the first project or during the middle of your first retainer how things are going. Did they envision this project or your work style looking different? Be open to changes and tweaks as you go!
Freelance Coaching Online
There are people with less experience than you enjoying more freelance success than you right now.
Why? Because they got tired of doubting. And decided to try.
What about you? Are you ready to try? It ALL starts with my free work-from-home resources. Download your freelance starter kit today.