Meeting with prospective clients can give them peace of mind and help you seal the deal, but it can also be a colossal time suck if not handled properly. In fact, many freelancers refuse face-to-face meetings because of the time factor and the potential for prospects to pump them for free information.
I've had some very productive meetings and a few meetings that went absolutely nowhere. Here's how to ensure that yours are the former type.
1. Prescreen clients. Jennifer at CatalystBlogger has a great post on how to prequalify clients, so I won't rehash it here. Basically, you want to ask questions to make sure that you're dealing with someone who actually has the authority (and the budget) to hire freelancers before you put on a suit and panty hose to schlepp across town.
2. Set parameters upfront. If it's a quick portfolio review and a few minutes of small talk, then you're probably not going to get paid for that time and it's up to you to decide the likelihood of a pay-off later on. But if you're sitting down with them for an hour or two of consultation time, then it's totally acceptable to quote them a consultation fee upfront. You might decide that it's not worth the drive for a one-off project and suggest a phone consultation instead. Or if there's the potential for ongoing work, then the drive might be well worth it.
3. Come prepared. Obviously, you'll want to do your homework on potential clients before you meet with them. Click around their website, Twitter account, and Facebook page. Also check out any press releases, annual reports, or mentions on outside blogs and media. And be sure to bring business cards. Depending on the situation, you might also want to bring a paper portfolio (I know, how very old school, but some clients still appreciate it). Mine is a simple black binder with plastic sheets. I have a variety of samples inside the sheets organized by type and I can easily remove the pages if the client wants copies or if I decide to switch out my writing samples.
4. Listen more than you talk. I can be a Chatty Kathy at times, but I've learned to shut up and listen so I understand the client's needs. By asking intelligent questions, you position yourself as someone who's interested in their work and receptive to their input. Then you can tailor your responses to the information you've already gathered. I like to take notes so I can refer back to them later, but plenty of freelancers prefer to actively listen instead. And, if you can get away with it, don't give them a quote on the spot. Take some time to run the numbers so you aren't pressured to sell yourself short.
5. Establish next steps. Oftentimes, you won't leave a meeting with a firm commitment, but you should at least leave with an idea of what happens next. Do they expect a proposal or quote from you? Are they going to review your samples and get back to you? When do they anticipate starting the project? Ideally, you want the ball in your court so you can dazzle them with your follow through. Whatever that step is, be sure it's clear to both parties so you aren't stuck in limbo.
Your turn! Do you ever meet with prospective clients? Or do you stick to phone and email? What tips would you add?
Flickr photo courtesy of oooh.oooh