Playing Hard to Get: The Key to Landing Clients?

As a freelancer, you’re always hustling to find new clients. You attend networking events, scour job boards, and maybe even have a few cold calls in your repertoire. But what if I told you that the key to landing clients may be playing hard to get? Hear me out…

When you’re first starting out, it’s easy to feel like you need to take any and every client that comes your way. After all, you need to build up your portfolio and get some skin in the game, right? While that may be true, sometimes it pays (literally) to be picky.

Let’s say you’ve been contacted by a potential client who wants you to do a project for them. They’re offering a decent rate and the project aligns with your skillset. But here’s the catch: they want the project done yesterday. Is this really the kind of client you want to work with? Probably not.

Clients who are unreasonable about deadlines are more likely than not going to be unreasonable about other things as well (like pay, communication, etc.). So why set yourself up for failure from the get-go? It’s better to politely decline this type of project and move on to something that will be more rewarding—both professionally and financially.

Quality over quantity should always be your mantra when it comes to clients. It’s better to have a handful of great clients who you can build long-lasting relationships with than a ton of one-off projects with clients who are nothing but headaches. Not only will this lead to repeat business (and bigger projects down the line), but you’ll also avoid burning out from working too much.

🍩 Just the Sprinkles

The next time a potential client contacts you with an offer that’s less than ideal, don’t be afraid to play hard to get. Trust me, it’ll be worth it in the long run!