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Looks Like The Projects Are Heating Up

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Just when I thought I might have to start standing on street corners to sell my services, emails started to come in one after another. Really it couldn't have come at a better time. As I was finishing up some projects, and moving into the support role, I began to think about business development.

As any freelancer knows, getting new projects is the most important and stressful part about being on your own. Your ability to be successful at landing new prospects is the key to you putting food on the table. In addition you have to be able to have more than one project going at a time, just one won't be enough, unless it's a big corporate account.

So I thought I might share with you how I do a presentation to a prospective client and hopefully win them over with not only my technical ability, but by showing them examples of work that I have done for clients. It's important to remember that when giving these presentations, you aren't just trying to sell your ability to create something, your selling the knowledge that you have within the industry. It doesn't hurt to be a "nice guy", personality goes a very long way.

#1 Appearance Matters

Rarely, and I mean almost never, do I wear a shirt and tie to a presentation. I don't want the prospective client to think I'm someone I'm not. I usually wear something casual that shows my personality, usually a t-shirt that's artistic. I never wear anything that could be offensive to someone else, or be mistaken for sloppy and lazy. I want to be myself and wear something I'm comfortable in. Wear something that expresses who you are, not who you think your client is expecting to see

#2 Call First

I like to meet all my potential clients in person if I can. However, before I meet them I always try to have a qualifying call to make sure they are someone that I would be able to work with. I don't want to have to travel a far distance only to find out that there is no budget and the work isn't something that I do. Having a short conversation with a potential client first can eliminate a lot of headaches and allows you to get more information out of them then you had expected. It's sometimes hard to understand exactly what someone wants when reading an RFP (Request For Proposal), so this little chat will help you better craft your response. This could actually be the piece that allows you to get a leg up on all the competition.

#3 Be Honest

This should go without saying right? Why would you go in and misrepresent yourself. It's only going to make you look bad and potentially ruin a good relationship with a client, not to mention the inability to get follow on work. 

#4 Get Time-lines

Find out what the clients expectations are. You may have to change them very quickly if they want to work with you. Most clients want to be aggressive, so it's in your best interest to think things through before giving a response. Ask a ton of questions, because you need to know the answers. Don't ever sign up for something you "think" you can squeeze in. Murphy's law will eventually catch you.

#5 Is There Budget

Don't leave a meeting or a presentation without knowing if there is a budget or not. Don't let clients or potential clients tap you for all the information you have unless they are willing to pay. I personally have been used to pricing information for an internal project by a company. There are companies out there that will bring you in just to see what they should being doing on their website and then take that information and do it internally. Not everyone is honest with their intentions, which makes that feeling out phone call all the more important.

As you can see there are a lot of things that go through my mind before I sign on to do a project for a company. Keep in mind that you want your potential client to know you want to establish a relationship with them. People move jobs and you want to make sure your good name moves with them.

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