As any self-employed person will testify, nothing quite beats being your own boss.
However, that’s not to say it doesn’t come without its pitfalls.
We’re not talking about the lack of guaranteed annual leave or all of the paperwork you are now responsible for, but rather those troublesome clients that may have been dealt with by “someone else” in your past life in employed work.
The trick is to spot the red flags before you sign on the dotted line. With that, let’s now look at some things you can try to ensure that you only end up with the very best clients.
Do your own credit checks
Some clients might be a dream to work with on the day-to-day tasks, but when it comes to the small matter of finances, they are a nightmare.
Before you agree to work with anyone, do your own credit checks on them. This will not only give you some peace of mind that they are good for the money, but it will also help you to spot any potential financial red flags that might crop up further down the line.
Of course, credit checks don’t always have to come in the official form. Sometimes, it might be as easy as reading their reviews on Google or their platform of choice. A quick glance over recent feedback will probably show you if they can be trusted.
Create a qualifications and accreditations checklist
For some of you, this won’t matter. However, for some industries, it will be essential. For example, let’s take a retail store considering renovating its premises. In these cases, it’s no good enlisting a company that doesn’t have the relevant public liability insurance in order. After all, this is your reputation on the line.
The same can be said of qualifications, accreditations and anything else that falls under the “paperwork” category. If it’s not up to scratch, you’re opening yourself up to a world of trouble.
Get everything in writing
This one should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway.
Make sure that you get everything in writing before you start work. This includes the job description, the price, the schedule and anything else you can think of. The last thing you want is to be left in the lurch because your client “forgot” to mention something important.
In an ideal world, we may all rely on a verbal agreement. Unfortunately, many companies are happy to forget these when the going gets tough. Make sure you are protected from all angles.
Have an exit strategy
Even if you are 110% sure that a client will be a dream to work with, it’s always good to have an exit strategy.
This could be as simple as a get-out clause in your contract, or it might be a little more complex. Some companies may even turn to a short-term contract to test the water.
Either way, it’s always good to have a plan B, just in case things go wrong.
