Freelancers work with many different people, each with their own communication style. Rapidly adapt to different situations, remain clear on the goals and scope of a project, and ensure that the final project deliverable meets your client’s standards. Be fast, be thorough, ask questions that clarify, and demonstrate caring and understanding. Be extremely clear about your responsibilities, the client’s responsibilities, scope, deadlines, and everything. Do that, and your clients will love you, and THAT’S how you get referrals. Doing great work is important, yes, but that’s a given. It’s an expectation. You don’t get any bonus points for being a good designer. You get bonus points (and raving fans) by being a human being that clients love working with. Stay online and respond fast Make it your goal to eliminate as much waiting time on the part of your future client as possible. If the client is receiving multiple proposals, it helps to be the first. Create a proposal Before you start doing any work for your client, you'll need to send her a proposal for approval and sign an official contract. Effective proposals are about substance, not appearance. Create a simple proposal template with the following elements:Overview: State the objectives of the project in plain language Process: Outline the steps you'll take to complete the project Deliverables: Make sure the scope of work is clear Timeline: Share how long the project will take from start to finish. Divide it into milestones.Investment/Price Breakdown: Provide a cost estimate for the project Additional Terms Negotiate and close the sale Most clients have objections, and you'll need to put on your salesman hat and negotiate in order to close the sale. Here are a few key principles that'll help you succeed at sales:• Ask questions to uncover the real problem that led the client to get on a sales call with a web designer.• Show that you're on their side through sympathy and honesty. If you're not a great fit, don't try to force the sale just because you need the money. Instead, be honest and offer an alternative solution, such as a referral or helpful resource.• Explain your process. After you've listened to the client and diagnosed their problem, confirm that you can help them and explain how with an overview of your process. Set and maintain boundaries Communicating boundaries at the beginning of a project makes it easier to manage client expectations, stick to the services you’re hired for, and avoid dealing with imaginary or always-moving benchmarks. Here are a few ways to set clear boundaries as a freelancer:1. Write a contract that outlines deliverables and payment terms2. Make sure your invoices are professional and timely (which is a no-brainer with Webflow’s client billing tools)3. Respond during office hours, and not after 4. Ask questions and communicate often5. Respect client boundaries – lead by example Maintaining boundaries around working relationships helps prevent burnout and resentment. Solid communication will help you keep clients happy for years to come! Create A contract A good contract can make even the most difficult client much easier to deal with. It’s all about setting the right expectations and sticking to them. Never do freelance work without a contract, even if it's unpaid work. A solid contract offers protection in case something goes awry (such as unpaid invoices) and helps to establish important boundaries between you and your client. The elements to consider are -Timeline and milestones Scope of workCompensationLate payment penalties Conditions for additional work Possible conditions for unforeseen circumstancesMaintenanceYour business hours Keep your clients updated The communication process continues after signing the contract. Throughout the course of a project, you may have questions on aspects of the project — don't hesitate to ask. Better to clarify an issue early. Don’t deliver something your client doesn’t want. Excellent communication is a freelancing superpower - do all you can to make it your own. Strike a balance between communicating well and communicating sparingly. A freelancer who communicates well will always beat out one who can’t. Great communicator as a freelancer is just being) super responsive, and) communicating more than you think you need to.Overcommunicate.Only occasionally will you find clients who don’t want to be “bothered” by “update” communications. Keep them updated on the game plan and your progress.