One of the great things about being a freelance professional is that we get to make our own rules. We can design the kind of business we want.
But unfortunately, most of us don’‘t do it. We follow the crowd.
We see how other people do it, and we follow the same path without even thinking about it.
We can, however, take inspiration from businesses in other industries and see how they’re making and breaking their own rules.
Thomas Keller Restaurants
Recently, I read an article about Thomas Keller’s restaurants.
You may already know of Keller. His Napa Valley gem, The French Laundry, is notoriously difficult to get into. You have to book months in advance.
More recently, his restaurants started requiring diners to prepay for their meals at the time of reservation.
This is no joke, as you can easily pay $1K for dinner for two.
You have no idea what the chef will make that night. Maybe the feature will be duck, and you don’t like duck. But it doesn’t matter. You still have to pay in advance.
Sounds daring, right?
But guess what? There’s been no drop in demand. His The restaurants are busier than ever.
Keller figured out that he could make his own rules. And so, he’s doing just that.
And now other high-end restaurants are adopting this model of pre-paying for meals at the time of booking.
Make Your Own Rules
You can also make your own rules.
You might decide that:
- You’ll insist on doing a separate messaging engagement with a client before taking on any web copy refresh project.
- You won’t write a white paper without a separate white paper plan engagement first.
- Your payment terms are net 15 days.
- Client calls must be scheduled in advance.
- You’re not available for rush work.
- You won’t start on projects with new clients without a deposit.
These are just examples, not necessarily recommendations. Your specific rules need to make sense for YOU.
Look, not everyone will be okay with your rules. But you’d be surprised at how many clients and prospects will be just fine.
So, get clear on your standards. And insist on those standards with every client.
Because you won’t be happy with a business that just follows the crowd.
By the way… whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Grab a copy of my book for ESTABLISHED writers.
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2. Download a free copy of my book for writers who are NEW TO FREELANCING.
I’ll show you the 3 things you need to do to get your business off the ground safely and land your first paying client faster. — Click Here
3. Join my implementation program and be a case study.
I’m putting together a new implementation group this month. If you’d like to work with me to grow your income quickly with better clients (and become one of my new success stories) … just hit reply and put “Case Study” in the subject line.
4. Work with me privately.
If you’re a 6-figure writer who’s trying to earn more in less time, with less stress, I might be able to help you get there faster than you think. Just hit reply, put “Breakthrough” in the subject line, and I’ll back to you with more details.
