Communicating With Your Employers

Communication is the key to a successful project that generates great reviews.

Dec 12, 2022 • 3 minute read

Paige R.

@paigeradice

Social Media, Systems & Client Manager

Copy to clipboard failed, please try again after adjusting your permissions.

Copied to clipboard.

Why Communicating With Employers Is The Key To Better Reviews

Communication is the key to a successful project that generates great reviews. As a freelancer, you need to consistently communicate with your employer throughout all stages of the project. This looks like managing expectations, fostering integrity to build trust, and keeping the employer in the loop on the project’s progress.

As a new freelancer, this can feel overwhelming at first, but with a few tweaks at different points in the project, it can actually be quite straightforward.

Before the Project is Awarded

Before you land the project, the employer is already getting a feel for the kind of work you could deliver based on your pitch. So in your pitch, highlight why you’re best suited to the project: maybe it’s about the projects you’ve already got under your belt, past experience, qualifications, skill sets etc.

This stage is all about building confidence and credibility - but make sure you’re honest with the employer and yourself about what you can deliver. Nothing’s worse than setting unrealistic expectations in your pitch and failing to meet them. So instead, do this:

Open discussions with a friendly disposition

Remain professional but not overly formal

Don’t be afraid to sell your abilities and experience

Give employer samples of your work

Showcase any testimonials you have

After the Project is Awarded

Once you have been awarded a project, it’s time to get straight to business. You need to accept the project and get the milestones set up immediately. If the employer doesn’t initiate a discussion, it’s up to you to get it started. Explain how you will approach the project and break it down into tangible deliverables. Each of these deliverables should be set up as a milestone. Once this is done, project work begins. The most important things to remember are:

Accept the project immediately

Discuss deliverables and help the employer set up milestones

Get straight to work and clearly communicate timelines

During the Project

The most important thing during this stage is keeping the employer in the loop. Tools like Freelancer Tasklists, can assist you in doing this. Asking for feedback along the way also shows that you care about delivering the project they desire and can lead to more positive reviews later on. People like to work with people - so maintaining the relationship throughout this stage is essential. To do this:

Be customer-oriented in your approach

Regularly update the employer on progress

Manage milestones using Tasklists

Ask for feedback as you complete parts of the project

Upon Project Completion

The project is done! But don't forget, this isn't just any ordinary work. If you want to build a strong reputation on Freelancer.com then reviews should be requested from the employers you have worked with. Sometimes employers can be forgetful - so don’t be shy and ask them for one. Here are some tips to help: