TL;DR
Michelle, Tribe Leader of TribeSoGather shares her experience on every freelancer's work challenge: Client cutbacks in freelance work.
Given the option to react negatively, she focused on brand integrity, adjusted priorities, and communicated with the client professionally.
Entrepreneurs are encouraged to focus on being resilient, avoid bitterness, and remember their reasons for becoming entrepreneurs/solopreneurs/freelancers..
Reframe the client relationship and remember that their decision is not personal.
Challenges in Freelancing
It is unpleasant to read client emails informing me that they will be cutting back work volume because they want strengthen their internal capabilities.
Even though I could see the logic in their decision, I took it personally and got emotional over the email - feeling anger as an immediate response.
There were dramatic actions I could take to demonstrate my displeasure but as a professional freelancer, those were not actions I would want my client to remember me for.
To keep, or to burn?: My Professional Response
After half a day to process my thoughts and emotions, I did these 3 things:
Focus on my brand: I reminded myself that as a freelancer, I had to represent myself to the best of how I wanted the client to remember me: A partner of integrity and professional standards whom they could trust to deliver quality outcomes.
Review my priorities: I considered my options in light of the changes and took control of my narrative, reviewing what value I could benefit from the new arrangement. Previously, fee volume was a priority. Moving ahead, the priority would be to maintain access to their private network to gain invaluable insights. As they say, knowledge is power.
Communication and Realignment : I opened communication channels with them, reaffirming my support as their partner. I took the opportunity to remind them of their recognition of my contribution as “one of their best contractors”,. Lastly, I shared what would be my preferences moving forward.
As a business owner and Solo, we are resilient. Bitterness and anger are our enemies. They do not work in our favour and sabotage all the good we labour to achieve.
Useful “Self-Reminders for Solos”
Remember why you decided to be an entrepreneur and freelancer. Is it to write your own narrative and march to your own beat? Focus on that.
Remember that the client is not your friend.
All the informal exchanges are just part of the supplier relationship management.
It was a business decision. It is not personal.
Reciprocate by managing them as a client.
This means, if they aren’t adding value to you, drop them.
3. Avoid doing anything that will turn the client against you.
a. Because you'll never know when that action will come back to haunt you.
b. Rewrite that email/text/call.
c. Say “Thank you for the update. Look forward to opportunities in the future.”
Move on. Source new work to replace the lost income.
Every setback is an opportunity for growth.
Be Resilient
It took me a very long time in my entrepreneurial journey to reach this point where, rain or shine, I keep a cool head, look into the face of the situation and shout “Is that all you’ve got?”
After so many setbacks, I've learnt that whatever comes - I will emerge stronger, wiser, and more unstoppable than ever!
If you want a tribe to uplift you, or need reassurance as you navigate your journey as a Solo, consider joining our face-to-face support meeting, or register for a virtual support meeting where we share encouraging battle stories like this so that we never feel like we are alone.
Go Solo, Together!
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