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dani_z
Community Member

Advice needed on handling prospective clients

Hello fellow Upworkers!

 

I need some advice on handling prospective clients in the interview stage. 

 

I am a book designer. Most of my prospective clients are people looking to have their book formatted for printing or designed for self-publishing. Often those are first timers. In my proposals I ask them questions about the sort of format they are thinking of, the style, if they've selected any online publishing platform etc. Later in the interviews, more often than not they have not decided on such things and I help them get their printing specs in orders, all of this before I have received a contract. It delays me receiving the contract to two weeks or so, during which the prospective client does miscellenious research and finishes the missing bits of their manuscript. I get the contract when it's time for me to get to work (i've only worked on fixed contracts so far). 

 

Two weeks ago, a prospective client was interviewing me for their job. They had not decided on a format or printing platform either. To be helpful and impress the client, I did some quickie research and sent them some links to suitable printing sites. After a few days of silence, I checked the job post and saw that they had rewritten their job description using the information I had given them and hired someone else.

 

This has made me dubious about my interview tactics. I know we should never do free work. Talking about the schedule, deadlines, scope of the project, price negotiations is fine. But the help I provide to prospective clients in the interview stage in the form of:

1. feedback on ideas they have

2. some research on printing and format (general print specs)

3. advice on things they can do to improve their manuscript

 

Does that count as providing free work? The prospective clients are very grateful for this and I used to think it would improve my chances of getting hired by them. It takes a while too, almost two weeks. Anything can happen in that time. They're interviwing multiple people. Is there an average or recommended time in which a person gets a contract? Meaning at what point should I press on the prospective client to send me a contract. I've only started on Upwork two months ago and I am learning by trial and error. Advice on this by the enlightened and the experienced will be great Smiley Happy.

 

Thanks!

Dania

2 REPLIES 2
amusawale
Community Member

Well what I would say is that you can explain to the client what scope of work and experience you will provide to them but don't lift a finger before you get that offer. A lot of clients just want free advice. Don't give it to them. Make them pay you for it.

dani_z
Community Member

Thanks, Annemarie! I didnt think of it that way, that my knowledge is part of the expertise I provide them. I will keep that in mind :).