If you have decided to leave your 9-5 job and become a full-time freelancer, a number of things must be taken care of first. What are they? Well, the very first thought that comes in a mind of freelance web developer is how to start and where to start? You can go through a few tutorials teaching the basics of freelancing, but what really makes your star brighter is to add an individual touch to the project.

Communication is the key

The first and foremost task is to make a strong client base and that doesn’t happen in a day. Measure your strong points as a freelance web developer and promote yourself. Soon or later you will get recognition, which will eventually build a strong client base.

It may happen suddenly projects starts to pour in, what do you do then? You are a freelancer, you don’t have a huge team, and your resources are less. How will you tackle such pressure maintaining a fruitful relationship with your client?

Let’s find out what actually may help to secure the relation with your client.

Be open and communicative

The first and foremost rule working as a freelance web designer is to be very well communicative and open to clients. This helps to work in a smooth way without any obstruction. Daily work update, communication through mails or Skype, being available for your client actually enhances the work relation. A client can start to build trust by judging the freelancer’s gestures. Also keep in mind to talk about all works terms before starting the project as it helps both the parties to avoid any dispute arising out of miscommunication.

Learn to say No

Yes, you are a freelancer and you need freelance projects to establish yourself.

But it doesn’t really mean you keep saying YES to each and everything a client asks for or demands. Learning to say NO can be very helpful in different situations. Suppose you are asked by your client to finish a project within 5 days, whereas you need more than 8 days to complete don’t say YES just for the sake of getting the project.

If you don’t happen to finish the project within the said days, it will bring negative attention towards your profile. Also, if anything demanded by the client doesn’t fall under your expertise, don’t take such freelance projects. Incomplete or below quality work could leave a negative mark on your profile.

Fulfill your client’s expectation

A way to have a healthy relationship with your client is to fulfill their demands. Whatever they want, the design, features, tries to do according to their choice and wish. Also, there should be a proper understanding between the both of you, as sometime clients can demand some features which is beyond your caliber or may be above budget or would take much time, so it’s better to discuss all the relevant points and needs of the project. Together to work out a good plan to get better output from your hard work and what’s worth the client’s investment. In fact, sharing your knowledge and giving added suggestions for the benefit of your client may prove advantageous in future. According to a research held in UK, “The top performing agencies in the UK are masters at delivering strategic value to their clients. They charge more for doing so and require less people to deliver it. Clients love them for it and are happy to pay the extra fees.”

Meet deadlines

To maintain a good relationship with your client, one thing you must follow religiously, which is submitting the project on time. Try to complete the project within the deadline, or the days allotted to you. Maintaining a consistent work process, will eventually help to fall into the good books of a client. In fact, we can call many instances when satisfied customers repeat order and even suggest their peers to hire a freelancer.

Plan project accordingly

A project can be successful if worked in a proper way. Sort out a plan first, divide the work into parts. A proper planning can save time and ensure smooth workflow, whereas without a proper plan a person moves without an objective which often leads nowhere. Besides a freelance web developer should be true to himself, as fake promises or not being able to put up full dedication into a project might lead to negative publicity and a bad remark on your portfolio.