Too often, writers feel pressure to respond to questions from clients and prospects . . . even when they don’t have enough information to respond adequately.
Questions such as:
- How much do you charge for X?
- Can you turn around an ebook in a couple weeks?
- Have you ever written a white paper on the topic of data breaches?
- Can you send me samples of case studies you’ve written about telehealth solutions?
I tend to be a people pleaser. So, for a long time, I would respond right away to these kinds of questions. Mainly because I believed that a quick response equaled great service.
But that’s a mistake.
In today’s podcast episode, I talk about why—and how—to dig deeper before responding to these and similar questions.
If you wish you had a dollar every time someone asked how much you charge, this one’s for you.
The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe in iTunes to get this show delivered straight to the Podcasts app on your smart phone, tablet or iPod.
We see other businesses respond to these kinds of questions all the time. You ask about their services, and they send a quote. They don’t even ask questions.
But you’re not a customer service line. Your job isn’t to automatically give prospects and clients what they ask for.
Your job is to give them what they need. And what they need and what they ask for are often two totally different things.
How can you better understand what they’re truly trying to achieve? Simple. You thank them for their interest and respond with a follow-up question.
It’s a give-and-take.
Because by digging just a bit, you do two things:
- You’ll be better equipped to answer in a way that’s meaningful.
- You’ll position yourself as a real pro who doesn’t just jump when they say “jump.”
By the way… whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Grab a free copy of my book.
It’s called Earn More in Less Time: The Proven Mindset, Strategies and Actions to Prosper as a Freelance Writer. The title says it all. 😉 — Click Here
2. Join my implementation program and be a case study.
I’m putting together a new implementation group this month. If you’re earning $5k+/month (or the part-time equivalent) from your freelance business … and you’d like to grow your income quickly with better clients … just email me at [email protected] and put “Case Study” in the subject line.
3. Work with me privately.
If you’re a 6-figure writer who’s trying to earn more in less time, with less stress, I might be able to help you get there faster than you think. Just email me at [email protected] and put “Breakthrough” in the subject line, and I’ll get back to you with more details.
