The little things add up

Although clients pay me to write, there are many other smaller things I do to ensure their project goes smoothly.

Here are some of them.

Aiming to reply to client emails within the next business day

The sooner I reply to client emails, the faster their projects can move. Replying promptly also builds trust, especially if you don’t work with your clients in person.

But because I also have work to do, I don’t spend my whole day replying to emails. If their email comes in after a certain time, I’m getting to it tomorrow.

​I previously wrote about my email policies here.​

Reviewing my notes on clients’ preferences before submitting work

As I work with clients, I make notes of their expectations and preferences.

These include things found in formal documents they share with me, like style guides. They also cover smaller things I pick up while working with them, like “Client prefers using ‘like’ instead of ‘such as'”.

Then, before I submit my work, I review these notes and adjust my writing accordingly.

For example, sometimes I’ll be like: “Oh yeah, I need to link to the interviewee’s website in the intro section. I haven’t done this yet.” *goes to add the link*

The result?

I can better deliver work tailored to the client’s preferences, and they can spend less time editing the piece to their satisfaction.

(For bigger things, e.g. needing to write in a certain tone of voice, I review these notes before I start writing. So that I can get things right the first time instead of having to make major edits afterwards.)

Checking that every link I send to clients works

A couple of years ago, I submitted to a client a Google Doc link to a completed draft without granting him access to the file first.

Naturally, he couldn’t open the doc the first time. He wasn’t mad about this at all, but I was so embarrassed.

Ever since then, I’ve checked that my links are correct and open-able in my browser’s incognito mode before sending them to clients. Sometimes more than once, especially if it’s been some time since I last checked the link.

Stating my delivery dates

At each stage of the project where I’m required to submit a deliverable (e.g. an outline or a draft), I communicate to clients my delivery date if they haven’t provided a deadline.

This way, I make myself accountable to the client. I don’t leave them guessing as to when they’ll receive the work.

I’ve been on the opposite end of this, where the service provider didn’t state their delivery date until I asked sometime later. In between, I felt uncertain because I didn’t know when I could expect the work to be done, and I didn’t like it.

—

Doing small things like these takes time, and with many of them happening behind the scenes, clients may not realise the effort you’ve put in.

But they’ll remember how satisfied they were with your services. And they may hire you again.

What are the little things you can do today to improve your clients’ experience working with you?

More freelancer news

The new Gen Z male hustle

Independent media outlet Jom has published an in-depth article on how some Gen Z males are hustling towards, essentially, making lots and lots of money by starting a business rather than getting a conventional job.

It’s an eye-opening piece. Having outgrown my own Garyvee hustle phase, I would say hustling isn’t a new thing. But the societal attitudes and norms that influence it have shifted in worrying ways.

If you don’t have a Jom subscription, you can view the shorter version of the piece on Instagram for free.

Free income tax-filing workshop

With us now in the last quarter of the year (already??), it might be good to start getting your books in order for a stress-free tax-filing experience next year.

If you need help with filing your taxes, a free tax-filing workshop is happening next Thurs (16 Oct) from 7pm to 8.30pm at the National Library.

​More details + registration link here.​

The crackdown against foreigners freelancing in Singapore continues

To catch foreigners who are illegally freelancing in Singapore, platform operators have been asked to do facial verification checks on platform workers more often.

This is so that users cannot set up an account with the platform operator, and then let foreigners (or anyone apart from the registered user in general) accept jobs through the account.

Already, some Johor-based freelance creatives are feeling the effects of the crackdown, where they’ve cancelled upcoming gigs in Singapore to avoid getting in the crosshairs of the law.