Crank up the Karate Kid soundtrack. Clients from Codeable really are the best around, and nothing’s ever gonna keep them down. This isn’t some happy coincidence either, it’s exactly how Codeable was designed.
I mean, they’ve hand-picked the top 2% of applicants since day one — ensuring quality above all else.
Fast forward to today and they’ve created a family of the most talented WordPress developers in the world. As you can probably imagine, the best developers prefer to work with the best clients. Shocker, huh?
But what if you’ve never outsourced a WordPress project before?
Well, lucky for you, the experts on Codeable don’t discriminate against new clients. So, even if this is your very first time outsourcing a task, you’ll be welcomed here with open arms.
Now, there are some things you can do as a new client to establish yourself among the elite.
Over the coming days I’ll be releasing a lengthy two-part series to help educate those who outsource projects on ways to become even better. Specifically, I’ll cover a laundry-list of the most common red-flags that are surefire ways to turn the best developers away from you, and your projects.
Even though this series touches on some negative experiences, I want to stress that the vast majority of clients that I’ve personally worked for via Codeable have been nothing short of awesome.
You know, I’m talking about the kind of people you’d actually like to work for again.
But why?
Well, simply put, the best clients bring the best relationships to the table. And truth-be-told, the best relationships inspire the best work. That sure sounds like the definition of a “win-win” to me.
So that’s what every great client and developer has in common — great relationships.
Do I like making websites faster? Absolutely! Do I enjoy developing unique websites? Hell yeah! But, I can guarantee none of that will be any fun if we haven’t built a solid foundation for our relationship first.
If our relationship is lacking, work will actually feel like work, and that sucks for both of us.
So please indulge me for a moment while I celebrate some of my favorite clients, the ones I “work for” without ever feeling like I’m working at all. These are all six-star clients, I’m talking about off-the-charts awesome people. You know, like, the kind of people you’d actually enjoy sitting next to on a long flight?
Anyways, let’s take a closer look at what separates these great clients from the rest.
Awesome Client #1: Benjamin Mattson — United Heroes League
The one who feels like a friend — Well, “feels like” a friend isn’t quite accurate here, Ben has been an awesome mentor and friend of mine for almost ten-years now. Ben’s the reason that I never advise freelancers to keep their friends and clients separate. In fact, he’s why I promote the exact opposite.
Now, I’m not suggesting you go out and try to get work from all your friends unsolicited, that’s called spam.
However, if a friend of yours needs help with a project then you’ve already got a head start in the relationship building department. And for the majority of clients who aren’t already your friends use each of these opportunities to make a new one.
Establishing friendships is always in your best interest, even in a limited capacity. These friendships will motivate you to get out of bed in the morning and you’ll genuinely be excited to work with them.
Bottom line, if you’ve built real rapport with someone, it’ll show in your working relationship. Spend the time necessary to build real relationships with your clients. It’s the secret sauce to earning their repeat business, for life, without giving them a life-sentence to work with you.
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Awesome Client #2: Michael Helm — The Cozy Apron
The one who encourages creative freedom — I met Michael as he was ending a less-than-perfect relationship with another developer, so any hesitation to trust me would’ve been understandable. But Michael didn’t hesitate, we dove in head-first which exceeded my expectations in the best possible way.
Michael doesn’t make work feel like work. That’s because he welcomes creativity when solving problems. Having this creative freedom makes it feel much less like an assignment that I’m doing for someone.
And I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet, our conversations aren’t always about work! I have an open invitation to dinner in LA at their place — that’s one way you know it’s a good relationship.
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Awesome Client #3: Lisa Cavalli — Hip Latina
The one who nails the project briefs — When it comes to creative briefs, it’s a craps shoot at best.
But with Lisa, I never have to worry. I’m consistently amazed by how thorough the requirements are laid out in front of me. When your developer doesn’t come back to you with so much as one additional question after they’ve read your brief, then you know it was incredibly well written.
I’ve completed a dozen or so projects for Lisa now and that’s no accident. I’ll drop anything (well, almost) to take on a project from someone who knows so clearly what they need done.
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Summary
Here’s a few things that separate good clients from great ones.
Great clients show up with a game-plan. They’ve done their homework and they respect my time.
Now, not every client makes the honor roll right away, and that’s fine too. If there’s any confusion about a project at the beginning, a quick consultation usually clears things right up and then we’re off to the races.
As with all things, some education may be necessary in order to become a great client. I’m here to help!
I’m always looking for more great clients too. So, if you’re having issues with your website or if you’re just looking for a certified expert opinion, click the button below and let’s talk about it.
To date, I’ve completed over 500 projects for awesome people via Codeable who’ve left me equally as many perfect five-star ratings. This many great relationships didn’t happen by accident, let’s start ours today!
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