Clarify This: Asking Questions of Your Clients is Vital
There's no need to be anxious about checking what they need
Some content creators are wary about asking questions of their clients. They're concerned that by checking certain areas, they might be "found out" as someone who isn't knowledgeable or experienced. Instead, a freelancer might guess at what a client means, and make incorrect assumptions. That's an issue, because if you don't accurately understand their requirements, you might get things wrong and deliver work that's not what they need.
I'm here to tell you that it's almost never a bad idea to clarify things with your client. It's much better to check, rather than take a guess and make a mistake. In all of my time freelancing, I've never regretted confirming my understanding or asking questions. It helps me deliver higher quality work, which leads to better relationships, repeat work, and happier clients.
Let's explore how to do that.
Why you should ask questions of your clients
Some freelancers may not get all of the information that they need upfront when working on a job for a client.
If you’re not sure what the requirements are for a job, don’t be afraid to directly ask your client for clarity.
It’s much better to get confirmation, or answers to your questions, than to proceed on incorrect assumptions and make mistakes in your work.
Clients will not generally mind being asked for further information, especially if it means they will get a higher quality deliverable as a result.
When you’re asking questions, be direct and concise—make it easy for your client to respond to you.
As you’re taking on work, document your understanding in an email back to the client, so everyone is clear on what’s required.
Share your work through your engagement with a client, as close collaboration can identify and resolve any issues early in the process.
Benefits of clarifying information with your freelance clients
You can be confident that you understand your client's needs and the requirements for the project.
You'll be completing work based on good information, which means you'll deliver a better outcome.
Strong deliverables and good communications help to build trust and can lead to repeat business from clients.
Documenting your questions and answers means you'll have everything in writing, so you won't need to rely on your memory when you're deciding how to proceed.
How to ask your client questions to clarify your work
Create a checklist of the information you typically need to complete high-quality work on a project.
Consider using a briefing note or a similar method to gather that information at the start of a project.
Ask your client to provide this information upfront, and review it when you get the request for work.
If you think that there are any gaps or you're not sure of exactly what's needed, note that down.
Get in touch with your client and lay out your questions clearly. Be concise, and ask them to confirm your understanding or provide further information as necessary.
Document your understanding back to your client, so that everyone's working to a common understanding of what's needed.
If questions come up during the project, get in touch with your client to confirm your understanding.
Frequently asked questions
Won't my client lose respect for me if I ask questions about the work?
Probably not. Remember that it's in a client's best interest to have you complete high-quality work for them. One way to ensure that quality is for you to check that you understand everything clearly. A client is going to be much happier spending five minutes answering your questions, than spending a few hours being frustrated because you've not delivered what they expected.
Do I need to double-check all of the information I get from clients?
Only if you don't understand all of it, or you want to clarify some key points. Many freelancers know how to ask questions and gather information at the start of a project, especially if it's the type of work they've completed many times in the past. If that's the case, and you're confident you know what's expected, there's no need to double-check with clients.
For example, I use a "briefing note" for freelance writing requests. This is a document that I've created that gathers all of the information I need to produce work. Things like the topic, keywords, audience, key points, etc. This lessens the need for me to ask follow-up questions, although I will if I'm not sure about something.
So, if you're uncertain, then clarify and follow up. If you know what's expected, proceed with the information you have.
How do I make it easy for my freelance clients to answer my questions?
Keep things clear and obvious. Ask questions and clarify key points in a direct manner. If you're asking a question, explain what your understanding is and ask your client to check that you have it right. Clients are short on time, so making it easy for them to answer will be appreciated.
Hi paul, what do you thing about non native becoming b2b writer..do i have to know too much vocab or 20000 something will be good for basic writing