Whether you operate a firm or are a freelancer, you’re probably in constant pursuit of new opportunities and new clients. Finding a stable client relationship can be a struggle in many cases; between those who only need a one-time partnership on a project to those clients that turn out to be too picky, prime opportunities can be few and far between. Knowing what to look for in a client and how to evaluate each opportunity is crucial in saving you both time and frustration. What exactly should you be looking for in a client when evaluating whether a relationship will work? We’ll discuss a few examples of ways you can do so in the following article.

Have a Trial Run

Whenever you first engage with a potential client, it is important to explore the dynamic of the working relationship and figure out what is expected. This is why so many people and firms decide to engage in a “trial” relationship before committing to anything serious via contracts or agreements. We recommend that you start out with one or two particular small jobs, in order to ensure that the work being offered is to your liking and the requirements are within your expectations. If you find out that the client is too demanding or the line of work doesn’t fit with what you had expected, then you can always walk away from the arrangement with no hard feelings. This will help prevent any bad blood between entities and may even leave the door open for different types of work in the future from that client, depending on the situation.

Verify Expectations

Every freelancer, firm and client alike has expectations for what work will entail. Some businesses require technical expertise on a subject when pinging users with their content, while others will only need a basic understanding of multiple issues in order to provide a service adequately. Before committing to any agreement, ask the client in question to outline exactly what will be expected from you. This can be anything from deadlines and quotas to style and formatting. By having this outline ready from the start, you’ll be able to assess whether their desires fit with your overall work-flow, and can make an appropriate decision.

Fully Discuss Payment

Perhaps the biggest point of contention between clients and firms is the stipulations over how pay will be handled. Particularly true in the case of freelancers, using a common, agreed-upon payment method can be difficult in some cases. Verifying that your client will be able to pay in a method that is amenable to your existing business is crucial in ensuring an easy and stress-free relationship. Before your client starts pinging users with your projects and content, make sure that they also agree to terms on how often they will pay. Will you insist on payment after each job is completed, or at set intervals? Will you bill by the hour or by the project? These are important questions that should be clarified before accepting any job or engaging in work with any prospective client.