Successful freelancers are not only great at what they do but are able to recognize what their clients need as well. Tailoring your product to the needs of the buyer and building long-term connections are what makes you a good professional. But meeting your clients’ expectations is hard, especially if you don’t realise exactly what kind of client they are. There are a lot of different types of clients you will encounter in your freelancing career, and it is important to learn how to work with each type of client to achieve client satisfaction.
- Overview of Client Diversity in Freelancing
- Importance of Understanding and Adapting to Different Client Types
- Types of Clients you will Encounter as a Freelancer
- Types of Clients you want to work with
- Conclusion
Overview of Client Diversity in Freelancing
Being a freelancer means being a business owner. And as a business owner, it is your responsibility to make, maintain and grow client relationships. One of the best things you can do to have strong client relationships is have a diverse range of them.
Having client diversity involves working with people from different backgrounds and industries as well as those who have different working methods. The benefits of doing so includes:
- Reduced risk: Working with different kinds of clients reduces your dependance on any one of them. This is crucial in times of economic downturns or industry changes.
- Improved skill set: Dealing with different kinds of clients allows you to enhance your skills (both hard and soft) and broadens your expertise and knowledge.
- Improved networking: A diverse range of clients equals more networking opportunities and referrals.
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Importance of Understanding and Adapting to Different Client Types
Different clients require different things – some want quality, others want speed. Some let you handle all the details, others want to be in full control. This is why it’s important to understand the various types of clients and have strategies in place to deal with them. The benefit of doing so includes:
- Improved communication: Adapting your communication strategy according to your clients needs improves client relationships and helps build trust.
- Improved client satisfaction: Understanding who your client is allows you to meet their needs and specifications which can result in client satisfaction and in turn, repeat business and referrals.
- Efficient project management: Understanding the way clients prefer to handle projects allows you to manage deadlines effectively.
- Improved problem-solving: Knowing your client allows you to address any potential issues in a way that agrees with them and their expectations.
Types of Clients you will Encounter as a Freelancer
Our list introduces the different types of clients that you will encounter as a freelancer – often in a curious mix – and the best ways to deal with them.
#1 The Micromanager
This type of client constantly seeks updates and details. They will want to be a part of the project every step of the way and will often question tiny details and manage your work throughout the entire process.
To deal with this client, you will want to set clear boundaries right from the beginning. Make it clear early on that you are the expert and that they hired you for a reason. Additionally, make it a point to provide them with regular but concise updates in order to build confidence and establish a trust-based relationship.
#2 The Idealist
This client is known to have high, often unrealistic, expectations and a vision that can be difficult, if not impossible, to meet.
Handling this client involves managing expectations with clear, actionable goals and providing them with realistic timelines. Also, if there are any issues or constraints with the project, it’s important to communicate them with the client early on.
#3 The Non-Communicator
The non-communicator is the type of client who rarely responds to messages and is hard to reach. When they do reappear, it is often with a sense of urgency.
The best way to deal with this type of client is to establish communication channels that are acceptable to both parties. In addition, you should set clear deadlines for responses and be proactive in following up.
#4 The Perfectionist
This client often demands high levels of detail and perfection and expects flawless results. This often leads to endless revisions on your end and can cause you to become frustrated and, in extreme cases, lead to burnout.
To avoid this, define a clear scope of work and set limits on the number of revisions included. Be detailed in quality standards upfront to avoid the need for extensive changes.
#5 The Negotiator
This type of client constantly seeks to lower costs or negotiate terms aggressively. They often require you to break down your costs and tend to be inflexible on any scope changes.
The best way to deal with a client of this character is to clearly outline your pricing structure and provide justification for your rates early on. It also doesn’t help to be flexible where possible to help both parties.
#6 The Delegator
The delegator is a client that assigns tasks without clear direction or involvement. This can lead you to work on multiple tasks at a time with no clear detail on the overall project.
To deal with this, seek clarification on roles and responsibilities and request detailed briefs whenever possible. Also, ensure that both you and the client have a mutual understanding of deliverables.
#7 The Visionary
The visionary is the type of client to have a broad and innovative idea but no practical details to follow through with it. They expect their ideas to be translated into something that often pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. Visionary clients also often tend to change the direction of projects in a quest to create something revolutionary.
Handling such a client requires you to work closely with them to break down the vision into actionable steps. Provide them with structured guidance and gently offer expertise on what is feasible and what isn’t.
#8 The Skeptic
Skeptic clients are naturally cautious and tend to doubt your capabilities or the value of your work. They pay close attention to every aspect of what you do and require more assurance and evidence of your capabilities than other clients.
Make sure to showcase your portfolio and to provide testimonials or case studies for this type of client. Also, ensure transparent communication so that you can build trust and provide them with regular updates to help alleviate their concerns.
#9 The Budget-Conscious
These types of clients want to pay the least amount of money possible for your services. Often, they focus primarily on minimising costs and may be reluctant to invest in quality.
To deal with a budget-conscious client, make sure you emphasise the value and return on investment of your services. You could also offer tiered pricing options, making it clear what services different price points include.
#10 The Perennial Client
This type of client frequently returns with new projects or requests but at the same time may also take your availability for granted. As your relationship with this type of client grows, they may also feel comfortable asking you for favours, leading to unpaid work and scope creep.
The best way to deal with perennial clients is to establish boundaries and clearly define project scopes. Also, ensure that each project is appropriately valued and regularly review and update contracts when necessary.
#11 The Detail-Oriented
This type of client focuses heavily on minutiae and specifics oftentimes where it starts to overwhelm you.
To deal with them, make sure you provide detailed project plans, maintain thorough documentation, and ensure that all requirements are explicitly agreed upon before starting any work.
#12 The Hands-Off Client
The hands-off client provides the initial brief but then gives little-to-no input and relies heavily on your initiative for the remainder of the project. They may prefer almost no updates and rely solely on you to manage the project.
To deal with this type of client, be proactive in seeking feedback and set clear milestones for them to review. In addition, provide them with regular updates to keep them informed.
#13 The Chronic Late-Payer
This type of client is unfortunately common and is one who frequently delays payment or has issues with financial management. Since chasing payments takes time and effort on your part, this is probably the worst kind of client to deal with.
It’s essential that you establish clear payment terms with all clients. In case you cross paths with a chronically late-paying client, send them regular reminders, and consider using contracts with upfront deposits.
#14 The Know-It-All
These types of clients are the clients who seem to know so much about your work that you have to wonder why they hired you in the first place. It is easy to get intimidated by somebody who apparently has a lot of knowledge in your field of work.
Embrace their knowledge and respect it – genuinely think about their input for a productive working relationship.
#15 The Oblivious
This is the exact opposite of the know-it-all client. This client knows absolutely nothing about your field of work. They are the old family company led by the people who found it and suddenly decided they want a Facebook page.
The success formula: Be patient with them and go the extra mile by explaining exactly how your project will benefit their business. Treat them fairly and they will appreciate it.
#16 The Middleman
Sometimes you won’t be communicating with the actual client and will have to handle a middleman instead. This person will look to their boss for input and answers, which can make communication painstakingly slow.
Keep that in mind and plan ahead. Send questions in bulk rather than one at a time to speed up the process.
#17 The Indecisive
The indecisive client who changes their minds about the nature of your work every two days can be some of the worst ones to work with. The problem is that many times they don’t know what they want (or if they really want it). So you may also have to spend a lot of time answering questions.
To deal with indecisive clients, make sure you negotiate to be paid for all the freelance work you do, not just the portion that gets approved in the end.
In other words, any extra changes required outside of what you agreed on (project scope) will have an extra cost. Some will also be hesitant to decide whether to outsource and have your services or not, whether it would be better to train someone in the company, etc.
Here are some tips to convince clients to outsource and hire you.
#18 The Overseer
Last, but not least, you have the overseer. These types of clients are even worse than micromanaging clients. This is a client who will want to have their eyes on every single detail. They might not trust you enough or the project could just be extremely important to them.
To deal with overseer clients, pay attention and take their input seriously, but make it clear that you can’t spend most of your time explaining every keystroke because you will end up not doing any actual work at all.
| Type Of Client | Description | Strategies To Deal With Them |
| Micromanager | – Constantly seeks updates – Will question tiny details and manage your work throughout the entire process | – Set clear boundaries – Provide them with regular but concise updates |
| Idealist | – Has high, often unrealistic, expectations | – Manage expectations with clear, actionable goals – Provide them with realistic timelines – Communicate issues or constraints early on |
| Non-Communicator | – Rrarely responds to messages – Is hard to reach | – Establish communication channels that are acceptable to both parties – Set clear deadlines for responses – Be proactive in following up |
| Perfectionist | – Demands high levels of detail and perfection – Expects flawless results | – Define a clear scope of work – Set limits on the number of revisions included – Be detailed in quality standards upfront |
| Negotiator | – Constantly seeks to lower costs – Negotiate terms aggressively | – Clearly outline your pricing structure – Provide justification for your rates early on |
| Delegator | – Assigns tasks without clear direction or involvement | – Seek clarification on roles and responsibilities – Request detailed briefs whenever possible – Ensure that both you and the client have a mutual understanding of deliverables |
| Visionary | – Has a broad and innovative idea but no practical details – Often tend to change the direction of projects | – Work closely with client to break down the vision into actionable steps – Provide them with structured guidance – Gently offer expertise on what is feasible and what isn’t |
| Skeptic | – Naturally cautious and tend to doubt your capabilities or the value of your work – Require more assurance and evidence of your capabilities than other clients | – Showcase your portfolio – Provide testimonials or case studies – Ensure transparent communication – Provide regular updates to help alleviate concerns |
| The Budget-Conscious | – Wants to pay the least amount of money possible for your services – Reluctant to invest in quality | – Emphasise the value and return on investment of your services – Offer tiered pricing options |
| Perennial Client | – Frequently returns with new projects or requests – May take your availability for granted – May feel comfortable asking you for favours | – Establish boundaries and clearly define project scopes – Ensure that each project is appropriately valued – Regularly review and update contracts when necessary |
| Detail-Oriented | – Focuses heavily on minutiae and specifics | – Provide detailed project plans – Maintain thorough documentation – Ensure that all requirements are explicitly agreed upon before starting any work |
| Hands-Off Client | – Provides the initial brief but then gives little-to-no input – Relies heavily on your initiative for the remainder of the project | – Be proactive in seeking feedback – Set clear milestones for them to review – Provide them with regular updates to keep them informed |
| Chronic Late-Payer | – Frequently delays payment or has issues with financial management | – Establish clear payment terms with all clients – Send them regular reminders – Consider using contracts with upfront deposits |
| Know-It-All | – Seem to know more about your work that you do | – Embrace their knowledge and respect it |
| Oblivious | – Knows absolutely nothing about your field of work | – Be patient and go the extra mile by explaining exactly how your project will benefit their business – Treat them fairly |
| Middleman | – Not the actual client but a middleman instead – This person looks to their boss for input, making communication painstakingly slow | – Plan ahead – Send questions in bulk rather than one at a time |
| Indecisive | – Changes their minds about the nature of your work every two days | – Negotiate to be paid for all the freelance work you do – Any extra changes required outside of what you agreed on (project scope) |
| Overseer | – Wants to have their eyes on every single detail | – Pay attention and take their input seriously |
Types of clients you want to work with
We have only mentioned complicated clients so far, but fortunately, you will also find wonderful clients. These are those who will become regular and unconditional clients like the appreciative or the enthusiastic client. They are happy with your work, the value you provide and for them, you are the leader in your sector.
They will recommend you to others, give you “free” publicity, and will remind you why you chose to create your own business and work as a freelancer.
These are the clients you should invest the most time with. Give them back the trust they give you by delivering your work as usual and think about small details that will improve your relationship with them.
Conclusion
There are many other client types, some more annoying than others. Learning how to adapt and focus on different aspects of your work will take you a long way.
It is also important that you know which type of person YOU are. Knowing yourself can help you when dealing with conflicts or difficult clients. If you know yourself better you also know what kind of person you like to work with and what types you have difficulties with the most.
Having happy clients is key, so do not miss these tips to deal with unsatisfied clients.
Try identifying the client type of a current client. Do they fit some of the descriptions above? Tell us about it in the comments.
