

First potential client. Tips for the first meeting? - nickthemagicman

Hi All.<p>I have a first potential client for a web development project.
I was just hoping for any tips for the first meeting.<p>Thanks in advance.
======
brudgers
It's a sales call. Your first priority is to qualify the lead. The work
matching your skills is a part of it. More important is "Will I get paid, and
if so, how much trouble will it be?"

In terms of preparation, write up a draft contract now so that all that is
left are:

\+ Describing the scope.

\+ Describing the fee.

\+ Describing the retainer.

\+ Minor negotiations over terms and conditions.

Invoicing and payment terms are critical. How often will you invoice? How
quickly must a client pay? What happens if the client abandons the project?
What happens if you decide to 'fire' the client?

Payment is what separates clients from leads and tire kickers. Insist on a
retainer. Insist that it is applied against the final invoice. Insist that it
is enough to keep you from becoming upside down. It should work with your
invoicing cycle - i.e. if it's two weeks worth of your work, then your
invoicing cycle should be two weeks. If the lead wants a 30 day payment
window, then your retainer should cover 30 days.

Any non-payment should be grounds for terminating the contract without
prejudice. Have an interest rate for unpaid invoices that is higher than the
worst credit card. You do not want to be the client's bank.

Require mutual indemnification for consequential damages.

Require mediation prior to any legal action. Arbitration is ok if the amount
in dispute is over $10,000 or so. For less, don't include an arbitration
clause.

I say all this so that you can give a fee immediately to close a sale - i.e.
walk out of the first meeting with a retainer in hand. That's hard to do if
you don't know what a proposal looks like and it's hard to write a good
proposal when you are focused on closing the sale and thinking about the
actual work. Preparing a proposal should just be a matter of looking at the
work on offer.

A couple of other things:

\+ Know how much the project needs to pay. If you can make $21,000 in three
weeks, it doesn't so much matter whether you work 200 hours in that month or
160 or 240 when you're a one man shop with one project.

\+ Be prepared to walk away. Go with your gut.

Good luck.

~~~
redtexture
> \+ Be prepared to walk away. Go with your gut.

You should consider this potential client and project as merely one of many to
come. You do not want every job, nor every client. It's OK to make this
meeting a learning opportunity that does not work become an agreed project.
There will be more in the future. Perhaps you will work with this person a
year from now.

Your larger task is to figure out to have enough inquiries and potential
clients so that you are able to pick and choose your clients and your jobs
without regret.

------
reuven
If this is your first freelancing client ever, then my guess is that just
getting the client, and being able to demonstrate that you were able to
deliver, is probably a good first step. Your goal, in such a case, is to
convince the client that you're the right person to do this job.

Remember that the client probably doesn't care about technology. So don't say
"I use Ruby on Rails," even if you do. Say, "I use technologies that will let
me accomplish your business needs quickly. If and when those needs change,
I'll be able to adapt the software quickly, too." The client's business needs
should come front and center.

Don't over-promise, which is something that we all do way too much. (I've
learned to temper my optimism over the years.)

Find out what the budget is for the project, if you can. Ask what the goals
are for this project. Again, don't just ask about the software goals -- what
are the business goals? How will he judge the success?

Don't give a price or time estimate in the first meeting. Say that you need to
go back home (or to your office, or wherever) to review things. Tell him that
you'll likely have more questions before you provide him with a proposal.

And when you do offer a proposal, I've become convinced (although haven't
switched to it myself) that weekly billing is the way to go. My fellow podcast
panelist Curtis McHale wrote it up here:
[http://curtismchale.ca/2013/05/23/weekly-pricing-for-web-
dev...](http://curtismchale.ca/2013/05/23/weekly-pricing-for-web-development/)

And above all, relax and try to have fun. There are oodles of potential
clients out there. If you mess it up with this one, I promise you that you'll
be able to find someone else.

~~~
nickthemagicman
You are awesome and supportive and the advice is great. Feeling a little more
optimistic about this! Thank you!

------
mattwritescode
Dont say anything stupid. Seriously!

I know of a number of people who were so excited to get there first meeting
that they screwed it up by saying or doing something stupid.

Other things, dont over extend yourself.

If the project is going to be too big rethink if you should take it on. If you
are seen struggling with the work, missing deadlines they are a customer lost
for life. A client will come back to you in the future if you make the excuse
`we cannot take this piece on due to other work` etc (a white lie never killed
anyone (well hopefully it didnt)).

Also dont look to keen and offer the world. It is easy to look too needy for
the work. The best thing to do is write down on a piece of paper:

\- your hourly wage and do not shift from this. Clients will try to get the
best deal possible by possibly not telling the truth about previous prices

\- The services you offer.

\- Your working process. By this i mean how you gather the information to
complete the work. Some companies / clients state they have a particular way
they want the data or requirements gathered. Keep to the way you gather the
information and state it is the best method for you. It will help you in the
long run.

