But, for some reason, it’s not always that straightforward. Some clients might skip questions or answer them incorrectly, while others might want to skip answering the form altogether. Here are some free tools that can make the process easier for both parties:

SurveyMonkey

The first time I heard about SurveyMonkey I knew I could use it to improve the response rate — and the quality of responses — for my client questionnaires. It’s been very useful to me even if I’m only using the free version (the paid monthly plan is $19.95 per month). There are limits to the free version though, such as having only 10 questions and 100 allowed responses per survey. Still, I find that these limits are more than enough for small projects.Your client’s contact information (name, address, email, web site, etc.) is all considered as one question.

One practical feature of this service is that you can identify which questions are optional and which ones are required. When I send out client questionnaires via email, some important fields are often left unanswered, but that hasn’t happened since I started using SurveyMonkey. And, when you’re done working on the project, you can use it to send a client satisfaction survey as well.

Writeboard

Writeboard by 37signals is another app I’ve used for sending client questionnaires. Unlike answering your questions via email, clients don’t have to copy and paste anything or do much scrolling. They just have to type in their answers after each question. This makes it useful for other types of written collaboration as well, such as asking your client to make specific comments on copy, proposals and other text.

Now, why use something like Whiteboard over more feature-rich online writing apps such as Google Docs? First of all, I find that the clean and minimalist interface is more reassuring to clients who aren’t tech savvy. They aren’t worried about clicking the wrong buttons since there’s only one (“Save this Writeboard”). Also, it’s easy to send an invitation that your clients can just click and visit — no need for complex instructions on how to access the app.

The only disadvantage I see is that you can’t analyze client responses collectively and make reports. Still, the simplicity and straightforwardness of the app is enough reason to try it with your more technologically challenged clients.

Your Own Web Site

Alternatively, you can host a questionnaire on your own web site by programming your own form and uploading it. Even if you don’t have programming skills, there are many free apps that can help you do this such as Email Me Form, WuFoo, and MyContactForm. While they also have paid plans, the free plans have enough features for most client surveys.

In the end, the solution you use must depend on your clients. Whichever is easier and faster for them is likely to be the same for you.

What tools do you use to create and send client questionnaires? How have they worked for you?

Image by svilen001 from sxc.hu

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The project milestone sheet is an incredibly important document for freelancers and their clients. It defines all the most important tasks, who is assigned to them, and when they are due. In other words, it serves as the map for your entire work process. As Darrell noted in a previous post, even small projects need to have these milestones set.

So how can you create a milestone sheet that works?

Deliverables and dates. The most important items on the milestone sheet are the deliverable items that will come from both you and your client. From planning to development to project conclusion, every significant step should be noted.

Apart from the developmental stages of the project, here’s what you should include:

• Contract signing;
• Payment schedules;
• Submission of existing relevant documents from the client (previous marketing materials, business vision and objectives, etc.); and
• Ample time for the client to review your work and send feedback.

If you’re located in a different timezone from your client, identify the timezone that the schedule is based on. This isn’t such a big deal when there’s only a 2-3-hour difference — unless the project you’re working on has strict hour-by-hour deadlines. But for time differences of more than eight hours, I usually set the deadlines according to the client’s timezone by default. For my own schedule, I also have a personal copy based on my own timezone.

Identify the client’s area of responsibility. You can do this through color differentiation when there’s just you and the client (a trick I picked up from Justin Hartfield’s post on Freelance Switch). If you’re working with multiple people, it might be better to tabulate the schedule based on deadlines, the expected item, and the name of the person responsible.

Include consequences of deviating from the schedule. The end of the project milestone sheet should also clearly describe the consequences of failing to follow the set schedule. If delays in providing one deliverable will impact the rest of the scheduled items, make that clear. Don’t make this the “fine print” of your schedule. It should have the same font size as the rest of the text on the milestone sheet. After all, it’s equally important.

Make sure the client reads it. To increase the chances that my client reads the milestone sheet, I attach it to an email that doesn’t bring up any other issues. The email simply states something like “Attached is the schedule for the project. Please read it carefully and let me know if you want to make any adjustments. Is the time frame adequate for you?”

A short message like that works for the following reasons:

• You’re talking about one thing only so your clients won’t be distracted with other issues;
• You’re calling it a “schedule,” making it sound less intimidating to non-corporate clients or clients whose first language isn’t English; and
• The client can’t answer your parting question without looking at the schedule you sent.

Follow up. I might come off as repetitive, but for typically forgetful clients, I mention the milestone sheet every time I’ve completed something. I also tell them what comes next, whether it’s additional work I have to do or I’m waiting for something from their end. The frequency and phrasing of your follow-ups depends on the client. When you’re working with clients who are more attentive to schedule, sending out frequent and repetitive reminders won’t be necessary.

If there’s a deadline looming for something that your client is accountable for, such as comments on a draft or payments, it helps to send reminders a day or two before the due date. For tech-savvy clients you can do this through your project management software. In most situations, sending email reminders is enough.

By applying these tips, you can make large projects more manageable, and tasks easier to track. Also, with a good project milestone sheet, even the most difficult clients become easier to work with.

Do you use a milestone sheet for your online freelancing practice? What tactics have worked for you so far?

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One important benefit of qualifying your clients is that you don’t waste your time.  You get the clients that you want to work with, you’re paid the rate you want, and both parties have realistic expectations.  You don’t spend hours working on a proposal that your client eventually rejects because they realize that you weren’t on the same page after all.  If that scenario sounds familiar, then it’s time to start qualifying.

What criteria can you use to qualify clients?

Price

The easiest way to qualify clients is based on price.  This means that you’re trying to avoid clients who will try to haggle you for prices that are below your bottom line.  While negotiation is part of any business, it’s also important to work with clients who understand your worth.

Does your branding and online presence reflect your price?  If you’re one of the highest-paid online freelancers out there, can your potential clients know that based on your site design?  When they look at your portfolio, do they see that you’re only working with the biggest names in their industry?

The same applies if you want to be the more affordable option, you’d want to make sure that this is reflected in your marketing materials as well.  Your affordable rates should at least be hinted at in your website, if you can’t state exact figures.

Stage of Development

There are businesses that are mature, while there are others that are so new that they’re asking you to design a website when they haven’t figured out their target market yet.  Do you want to work with startups that are still figuring out their identity, or do you want to work with established businesses?  Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Startups can be exciting because you’re part of the birth of something new, but you might encounter multiple revisions under a low budget as the company tries to figure out what works.  Established businesses, on the other hand, might be more straightforward with what they want, but they may be hesitant to change their old approach to some things, even if this approach does not work.

It’s up to you to judge where you’ll thrive, the conception of something new or the revitalizing of something old?  Incorporate your answer into your branding so that you can be there for new clients during the stage where you can be of most help.

There are also businesses that are under a problematic stage, and they turn to you. If you like these types of challenges, that fine.  But know that while these problems can be simple and superficial, that’s not always the case.

Some problematic businesses are dysfunctional throughout the organization, and yet their owners think that a simple website redesign or a new press release will be a fix-all.  They want hire you because they think you’ll give them better profits, when all you can give them is a band-aid solution.  They actually need stronger marketing efforts, a new image, or a more productive system – something that may be out of your expertise or job description.

Unless you’re an expert at what your client truly needs, you’ll never be able to provide the solution that can help them the most.

Branding

When qualifying your clients based on branding, you’re judging the character of their business because you want it to match your own.  The benefit of qualifying clients on this level is that you truly understand their business.  You understand their vision, culture, and ideas because they are similar to yours.

If you’re the more laid back type of web worker, it might be more difficult for you to work with clients who are corporately competitive.  They might call you every hour and expect you to pick up 24/7.  Or if you’re a formal type of person, maybe you’re not the ideal freelancer to work with “Poop Jokes Inc.”, since you might not “get” the spirit of their business.  You’ll be out of touch.

While there are many criteria you can use to qualify clients, it doesn’t mean you have to use them all.  Just use the ones that are important to you.  Of course, this will lessen the number of leads that convert into clients.  But know that the ones who approach you will be closer to the kind of clients that you actually want to work with.

Do you qualify incoming clients?  How do you do it?  Is your approach direct or more subtle?  If you don’t qualify clients, how do you deal with the problematic clients that come your way?

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