The issue is, none of my client ever agreed to pay for the research, and neither they needed consultancy.
The main issue is my network. I'm surrounded by people who expects to get most of the paid services for free.
And I'm sure that none of my client ever invested more than $1k on any freelance project.
I don't know how to approach those who pay higher.
If we talk about my expertise, yes I can provide excellent quality that meets global standards.
But I'm not getting paid according to my expertise.
I understand your frustration. I have faced and still facing similar situations, where customers are overwhelmed by a detailed proposal. I noticed this happens because most people don't read, but most of the times scan the proposals, even though the language and formatting I use is easy for them to understand, without "rocket science" technical terms.
Customers cannot simply say, "OK, create a website about pets," and expect you to grasp their expectations and needs immediately, while also recommending the most appropriate technical solution for their specific needs.
Here are some things I learned along my own path and I consider important:
- If you have a good and thorough customer relationship workflow, it will greatly help you improve your network and customers
- It's essential to explain to them that the preliminary discussions, where you gather information about their project, are an important part of the discovery and strategy process. This process requires time and effort, from understanding their initial questions to researching comparable websites and identifying the most suitable design for their niche. It also involves creating a content strategy and overall website architecture, as well as finding a pleasant and usable design.
- You will have to offer free first meeting and initial website inspection in order to be able to make a strong proposal, and this time might not always pay off. But it will get better in time.
Don't give customers everything straight away and always leave the insightful stuff for after the proposal has been accepted and the collab starts.
- Create your own website to offer services and add a clean portfolio that offers non-technical visitors a good first impression and content that's easy enough for them to compare with their actual needs. ( if this makes sense ) . Make your website impeccable and good looking and start promoting it on Facebook groups and such... your network will improve.
Sure, I could talk about each point for days, but hope you got the main points and this'll be helpful for you !
