“What’s one rule you make for yourself as a freelancer?”
This month has me thinking love letters to my clients and what it is exactly that makes them so special. Adding to this, the question above popped into my LinkedIn feed, along with a most interesting discussion. The non-negotiable that responders mentioned most was to work only with clients they enjoyed. Amen to that!
When it comes to project work, there’s a familiar concept known as the Iron Triangle: You can have it good, fast, or cheap…pick two. In the early years of my entrepreneurship, I decided something similar for Adunate. I would only take clients that met at least two of three criteria: 1) be willing to pay the price of my work, 2) share my values and interests, and 3) most importantly, be enjoyable to work with. Now, 20 years in, I realize I’m blessed with clients who are actually all three. I love them so much!
Good Clients are Like Mardi Gras Beads
My husband and I recently vacationed in the south, where Mardi Gras celebrations are happening anytime, anywhere during February and March. What fun! For the sake of analogy, my clients are very much like this strand of beads. When we collaborate, we string together our ideas, goals, solutions, energies, and skills. The result is a strand that’s more creative, more effective, and more successful than the sum of its parts. It’s gestalt in its truest form.
Good clients make for great projects. My best clients are excellent communicators of what they need. They know who they are and what they want to accomplish. If they’re unsure of any of this, we explore together and make keen discoveries.
Looking back over the decades, one of my greatest blessings are the friendships I’ve made through my clients. Because I’ve directed my business niche toward my interests and values, my clients and I share a great rapport. We’re open to each other’s viewpoints, even when they differ. We have respect for one another—they for me as a marketing professional and I for them and the work they’re doing.
My greatest admiration for my clients is for their caring attitudes. Over the years, I’ve been blessed to work with churches, schools, cooperatives, mutuals, nonprofits, and for-profits. Those that look beyond themselves and toward a greater good are the clients I love putting in my calendar.
Thank You Everyone!
To all my clients, I say thank you. I couldn’t have made it 20 years without you. You’re the best and I love working on your projects!