Questions tagged [communication]
For questions about professional communication as a freelancer.
110 questions
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Is it helpful to use a virtual second phone number as a primary contact for clients?
I've often regretted giving out my personal cell number, but sometimes it's simply necessary. So I'm looking into alternatives. There are companies that offer phone numbers that ring on apps on your ...
user24353
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How do I effectivly an profitably, make a career out of independent freelancing?
I've been researching a lot about freelancing, an to my surprise, I'm a little interested in becoming an independent freelancer! In accordance I am inquiring on how to become a successful freelancer ...
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Using a "pseudonym" online and on clients?
If my legal name is A, but I go online as B, then when should I let my clients know that my name is not B, but A, if that's needed at all.
Do I clarify right away "hey, just letting you know that ...
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Working in a Team of Freelancers
Taking on projects from time to time, I often wonder whether the scope of these projects would be better suited for two freelancers or even a team. Would you team up with other freelancer to increase ...
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Client continuously wanting me to justify my work
In 2019 I created an online store for a friend of the family that knew I was in the business. From the get-go, I knew how this project would turn out as the very first thing I was asked was a discount....
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Safest way to send Credit Card information when communication is through email
I'm a freelancing web developer and want to offer clients a complete setup of all services, including account creation and service subscription so I can give them the end product without them having ...
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How to say "How long will the interview process take?" without being rude?
I have 1 year of experience working as a freelancer and on average, the jobs that I find are usually very fast in the communication and bidding process. An average communication goes like this:
>&...
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How to reject a project that does not fit with my skills or goes beyond my skills in order to keep your client for future projects?
I am having problems with how to reject this kind of project for my clients. As an example, a recent client that weeks ago I did a C Project for him arrives again days ago needing help in a project ...
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How to work with a micro-manage client
I have work with a client for nearly a week and I am really stress to cooperate with him. I apply for a blog writer for this job through a freelance platform. I have a feeling of being controlled, he ...
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How often I have to update my progress working freelance?
I am working right now with a C code for a client. I let her know that when I reach 50% of progress She will pay the first part. However I have now 80% solved because I want continue my work without ...
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How to handle bids over project budget
As a Client, I posted a project I needed done on a freelancing site (Upwork, Freelancer, etc). I have had a few bids that go over the listed budget (30% over). I did mention in the description that ...
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Is it ok to publish job openings on my LinkedIn profile to try to earn hiring commissions?
I receive many contacts from recruiters on LinkedIn.
Some of them genuinely ask if I know somebody who could be interested in the position(s) offered, and they sometimes mention that I could get a ...
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How to refuse providing CV/resume?
I have a static page where I describe expertise and services provided and sample work. Whenever I get approached by potential clients or recruiters I'm being asked for my CV/resume.
I tried to delete ...
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What are some techniques to get past Human Resources to talk to the person that needs help
First of all, if my approach to this is a waste of time (mine or the client's) or unethical, let me know because that's more important to me.
I'm a programmer with management, product management, and ...
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Freelancer taking away a client from a full-blown media agency: How to price the work?
I am asked to make a proposal to a client who is moving on from working with a digital media agency (wasn't happy with the services) to working with me, after I demonstrated a proof-of-concept of a ...
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How to convince customer to buy its own products
I'm an hardware developer and I design PCBs board for my customers, usually on specific orders. I mean, I don't have a "catalog" with available products. When a customer needs a circuit he asks me a ...
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Signed contract to complete work that I can no longer provide
I signed a contract to produce technical training content and videos at a time when I was available to complete it.
I have about 10% of the work completed.
Due to circumstances that I cannot ...
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How do I reply back to my freelancer if he is not maintaining deadlines and delaying the project?
I am working freelance for a client, and I have around 30 articles to write for him.
I decided to outsource 10 of those articles to another freelancer (from Freelancer.com). I have informed my client ...
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Clients with 1-2 days long project asking for daily updates since I was offered the project
It seem to be happening to me often. I have just started freelancing remotely. For now, I am targeting small project (1-7 days long).
Usually I try to keep a small backlog of projects so I am not ...
user22286
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Social Media Portfolios
I'm just starting to come round to the idea of using social media, and as I'm not a big fan, I want to use as few profiles as possible, on my prefered platform which is Twitter.
My main area of work ...
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Graphic designer tapped to work on multiple projects. Best way to charge? Retainer? Hourly? Per project?
I’m a graphic designer and I’ve been tapped by a previous client to work on multiple projects. The projects are mostly packaging design and product label — my role is to think of the concepts, make ...
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How to set a project completion deadline for a project that already got extended out?
I was hired to update a website for a client, based on a designated list of tasks. The client paid fully upfront, and we set a rough "loose" project completion estimate at 3 months. It was a fixed-fee ...
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How can I justify my opinion about app release?
I've started a new project with a college classmate. We wanted to develop a mobile app, which we thought wasn't invented yet. Doing some research, we found out that the idea already existed; and it ...
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Non-billable hours if you're expected on a bench with unclear timelines
Somewhat related to If I am working on an hourly project with variable hours per week and I am blocked on a task, should I bill for the time spent blocked?, but if you have a corp-to-corp client that ...
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Advertise through email
So I'm starting a basic business of consulting for web, mobile, desktop, games development. I have seen some business website around my neighborhood that really need rework or upgrade, so i was ...
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Social Networking As A Multi-Niche Freelancer
As an individual, as I'm sure most of us are, I have an extremely broad range of interests. Anything from Nature and wildlife, to rock and heavy metal lifestyle interests ( bands, tattoos, beer, ...
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Client wants me to take a portfolio project off my website
About 18 months ago I completed a brochure design for an old client. I added a few spreads of it as mockups to my online portfolio. The booklets contain text written by my client — helpful information ...
user15733
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Junior Graphic Designer here. Am I being low-balled by a client who I've worked with for the past 3 years? How to remedy the situation?
I hope you bear with me. This is going to be quite a long post. I want to lay out my situation in detail in hopes of getting advice as to what I should do and how to approach it the best way possible.
...
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Is it okay to prospect my customer's customers?
Here is the situation: I have been working full-time for a customer (let's call him A) over the last month and most of this time was actually spent on projects from a single customer of them (let's ...
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Viability of a plan to get experience and to grow portfolio
I am a young iOS programmer with a good amount of experience. I have been doing iOS programming for five or six years I have a couple finished apps on the App Store that are very aesthetic and that I ...
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How to tell client I cant do any more changes till they pay invoice?
I am new to freelancing. I have developed a project for a client. I am waiting for the final invoice to be settled - fixed price project. The client has requested revision changes 3 times. By revision ...
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Is it unacceptable or not wise to email clients during the weekend?
This Exchange question here: Staying in contact with clients when I have a different sleep-wake rhythm (being a night owl or living in a different time zone) deals with the subject quite well, but it ...
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How to answer to new client's requests while having no time to work for them?
As you may have already read I had health problems, I was K.O. for 3 weeks and it was a big problem for my job for many reasons... I am still having right now hard times to keep up with previous ...
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Leaving my best longterm freelance client for a Job offer, what's the best way to end this?
I'm a full stack software engineer who have been freelancing for a client for 2 years, it turned to a remote job but we never agreed on any contract she just keep sending tasks and I do them and bill ...
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Guides for clients to learn to save files to online cloud storage
Every once in a while, I get a client who keeps sending me files over text and email and all kinds of other means.
It becomes a mess and when I bring up that it takes 20 minutes to find all the ...
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Is there any tips to get projects for junior graphic designer like me
I'm starting to design from 2012 and I have made some design for some event (I'm the committee of the event) and sometimes I created it in my spare time. But, why can I get some money from it so I don'...
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Where to find people for colloboration
I want to get some new experience working with different people around the world. So, I'm looking for some sort of a collaboration site, where people looking for designers/developers etc and ...
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Using generic email address for account registration
Up till now, we've used [email protected] in the past for all vendor account profiles. But it was also utilized for NOC alerts and became a virtual catch-all for a slurry of notifications. We are ...
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Should I provide information to the client before proposal is accepted?
So, there is some knowledge you gain from your career and this information is important and valuable because it save the client big money.
For example, for OTP verification with a mobile number, ...
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Someone contacted my client and created a conflict, how do I handle it?
First things first:
I worked with company in a project for client, where I was simply a developer that did the tasks defined by company.
client then decides that he wants to make his own team after ...
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What to include in contract to identify the end of work?
This is my first time making a website for someone else who will be paying me. I am writing a contract to have him sign but am stuck on one part. The question is so simple I have trouble phrasing it: ...
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What's the best cold call pitch for a freelancing software engineer?
When I cold call a hiring manager for the first time, what exactly is the best thing for me to say after they answer?
I've been a contract software engineer for 25 years. Times are always changing.
...
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What should I say to others in an endeavor when a client isn't making payments?
I've a web development client who has fallen behind on payments. While working out with the client how to handle the situation, others involved in the site have sent work requests. What (if anything) ...
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Client not Responding from more than last 36 Hours
I recently got my first project on Up Work, i had a lot of communication with two of the people from their side on Skype and i have been working on their project from previous week, i have developed ...
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Declining freelance job after already accepting
Yesterday I met with a potential SEO client. We verbally settled on a price and both walked away happy, but now I'm having some serious second thoughts. I don't think that I can meet the promised ...
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Being clear about the way I work
Lately, a couple of clients have been taking way too much of my time, in tasks such as:
extensive, totally pointless meetings
endless discussions about assets sizing (basically they aren't sure ...
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What does it mean when a client stops communicating after receiving a proposal?
A possible customer from NY contacted me with a request-for-quotation. I replied back with an estimate in hours and money, defining several elements of the project.
Before that, we exchanged some ...
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Police Checking Service
I have been asked to get a police check prior to being awarded an I.T. Dev Contract. I really want this job, but need to provide this check as soon as possible to. So my question where can i go to get ...
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How to deal with client's delusion to be a good graphic designer
This happens to me once in a while, and I do my best to convince the client for his own business greater good, but this time is getting serious...
I am developing a web project for the client (it's a ...
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Managing client expectations when estimated time is more than expected
I've received requirements for a project, from a possible new client.
Thing is, he expects it all wouldn't take more than 2 weeks.
After spending some hours doing an estimate, I know there's no way a ...
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