When you are a business owner/freelancer, there are few things that are better than landing a great client. Ones that ask great questions, respect our work and make us feel happy to have chosen the entrepreneurial route. Conversely there are bad clients who have unrealistic expectations, are unimaginative and often just plain clueless.

Of course, as the service provider, it is also incumbent upon you to provide an exceptional service. Having a client is not dissimilar from being in a relationship and for both sides to get the most out of it, you must also be responsive, respectful, fair and transparent.

1. CLEAR EXPECTATIONS:

A good client does not leave you guessing about what they want, when they want it and what they intend to pay for it. Additionally, they understand your abilities, constraints and limitations and work with them.

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2. APPROPRIATE INVOLVEMENT:

Good clients are closely involved with the project at hand, without micromanaging. They provide the framework and expectations for the work that needs to be done, are available to ask and answer questions, yet respect your expertise and knowledge and trust you to make the right choices.

3. PASSIONATE BUSINESS OWNERS:

My favourite clients are passionate about their businesses, and love (or at least like) what they do. Passionate people are more concerned with producing a quality product or service and will do what it takes to achieve that goal. They are also less likely to be negative in their business interactions.

4. SENSE OF HUMOUR:

While this isn’t essential, a sense of humour can be a useful communication tool. It helps to diffuse the frequent tensions that arise when the client expectations are different from your own. It also makes meetings a lot more fun.

5. RESPECT FOR YOUR EXPERTISE:

A good client will genuinely respect what you do (that’s why they hired you), and will come to you for advice on matters related to your field of expertise rather than waiting for the last minute or blaming you for things outside of your control.

6. WILLING TO SPEND ON RESOURCES:

A good client will understand that sometimes you need additional resources to do your work effectively and will be generous in providing (or paying) for them. While in many cases, this is your responsibility and built into the price that you quote them, there are times when the scope of the work demands an adjustment.

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7. COMMITTMENT TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP:

A good client will honour their committments, remember your conversations (note: it is always good to have email communications when possible) and pay on time without haggling after your price has been established. They will not try to bargain or wiggle out of your agreement, whether implicit or explicit. They will also understand if the scope of work changes and be willing to incur the additional costs.

8. FAIR AND FLEXIBLE:

A good client will understand that challenges often arise which might mean that workflows are disrupted and deadlines might become challenging. As long as your communication about any issues that arise are clearly communicated and you are both interested in finding a solution to the problem rather than assigning blam.