Building rapport (or a close relationship) with clients is one of the most rewarding things you can do to pave the road toward a successful freelance career. It helps you build trust and get more work from the same client for long periods of time. If you also want to have that kind of relationship with clients, follow these tips and learn how to build rapport with clients.

Learn To Communicate

The number one key ingredient to developing rapport with clients is good communication

  • Writing a good email is a basic life skill that you must learn to master from the very beginning
  • How you start your email could determine what kind of relationship you can build with your client

Be Trustworthy

Be honest and reliable.

Be Reliable

When you need help with something, call your best friend. They will always be there for you no matter what.

  • Show them that you can be reliable by being able to respond quickly and be there when the client needs you, no matter how busy you are.

Learn From Mistakes

Even if you do everything perfectly, there will be times when you make a mistake. Own up to your mistakes and learn from them.

Deliver On Time

Be punctual

  • Plan your projects ahead
  • Give realistic schedules
  • Meet deadlines
  • You will never be a reliable freelancer if you keep asking for more time to deliver a project
  • Make sure you follow through on all of your commitments

Don’t Apologize, Too Much

It’s fine to apologize once. But if you keep apologizing all the time, you will annoy your client.

  • Next time, if you’ve made a mistake that could not be avoided, try a different approach instead of apologizing

Also, Avoid These Mistakes

Be mindful about how you deal with your client

  • Some clients may try to take advantage of your good habits
  • Ask for feedback and learn from mistakes
  • Don’t let the client change you or your creative choices
  • Sometimes, you need to stand up for what you believe in

Don’t Make Excuses

Most freelancers make excuses to defend their choices when clients give feedback. Own up to mistakes and make sure it never happens again.

  • There are ways to accept criticism and explain your creative thinking to a client. But you need to do that through a discussion and by understanding their expectations.

Ask For Feedback

If you want to keep your client satisfied, you need to understand what their expectations are.

  • Ask how you’re doing and if they’re satisfied with your work.
  • If there is anything you can do to improve, show willingness to improve and get closer to the client.

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