a single source, nothing corroborates it

Keep in touch after the invoice is paid

The relationship is the asset and the deliverable is not, so budget attention for the period when nobody is paying you. Put dated check ins in the calendar with a specific reason for each, contact past clients with no pitch attached, and stop scoring people by how likely they are to buy, since the value is who they know. Report back to whoever introduced you once you have beaten the objectives, so they get the credit and do it again.

The method

1. 01

   At delivery, put a series of future check-in dates for that client straight into your calendar, each with a specific reason to make contact.

2. 02

   Treat the client relationship, not the deliverable, as the asset: repeat work, referrals and references all come from it, so budget attention for after the invoice is paid.

3. 03

   Judge success by whether the project hit the business goal, not by whether it shipped, because clients who grew are the source of referrals, repeat work and case studies.

4. 04

   Aim to be recorded as an investment rather than a cost, because the client whose business grew because of you is the one who hires you again and refers you on.

5. 05

   Stop scoring each person by how likely they are to buy: the value is that they know people who will need you later.

What it returned

• 2008

  Dunn calls his early portfolio a graveyard: he wrote the code he was paid for between 2008 and 2010 but has little to show because he did not help the businesses succeed.

• $100k

  Brennan works with already profitable companies where one or two weeks of segmented personalisation and automation work can return over $100k within a few months.

• The model was a follow-up app Dunn's team built for an estate agent: reminders at two weeks, one month, three months and the one-year anniversary, based on the fact that most owners resell within five years.

• This produces fewer but much higher-quality leads; with contract renewals he needs only one or two new clients a year to stay at capacity.

Sources

• Why Most Freelancers Set Their Clients Up For Failure (And How To Fix This) - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · How To Make Sure Your Clients Thrive · 2014-08-28
• How Freelancers Can Kickstart Their Audience - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · Step 2: Talk to people about their business/goals, and find ways to tie it to your business · 2014-09-04
• What Should You Ask Of Your Clients Prior To Roadmapping? - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · What Should You Ask Of Your Clients Prior To Roadmapping? · 2016-11-03
• How To Socratically Question New Project Leads - Double Your FreelancingBrennan Dunn · doubleyourfreelancing.com · How To Socratically Question New Project Leads · 2017-01-01
• How to Find Consulting ClientsGreg Kogan · gkogan.co · Alternative to Finding New Consulting Clients · 2015-10-21