The Best Internet SELLER THE NORTHERN PEARL www.thenorthernpearl.com

Lesson 4 Revision Policy Set Buyer Limits  Ask for Help  

Revision Policy  Flexibility is important in this industry because every order is unique; however, the biggest area of contention with flexibility surrounds buyer revisions. Your top priority as a freelance seller is going above and beyond to impress buyers and build a consistent customer base. Of course, your work should be up to snuff with the initial delivery but there are some customers that request revisions. Here are the two big points that you need to consider:

Revision Policy  ☞ If the revision request stems from an error that you made, you must fix it. There is no getting around this issue and buyers will immediately discredit you if you aren’t willing to edit poor work or sloppiness. It’s easy to take these buyer requests personally as an attack on your work or the time that you spent on the issue but you have to see it from their perspective. Mistakes happen and they don’t only exist in the freelance sphere. Resolve the issue quickly, apologize profusely, and offer a special perk for their troubles; any reasonable buyer will be happy with your dedication to customer service and praise your revised delivery. 

Revision Policy  ☞ The other common revision issue is much harder to resolve and centers on inconsistency in the buyer’s request or a blatant disregard for your limits as a seller. The only way to deal with this scenario is to set up a clear policy before the event occurs. Clarify any inconsistencies, over-reaching, or vague requests before starting the order and demand that the buyer confirm their requests and understanding of what you will provide. Again, with your delivery you should make it clear how your work relates to what was requested and provided for you as well as your policy on revisions moving forward. It’s usually easy to spot a difficult buyer from the beginning of the process and you’ll know when you need to really bring out the red tape and set buyer limits on revision. If that still doesn’t work then it’s good to know, at the very least, that you have canon fader in writing for further challenges against unruly buyer revision requests. FAQ sections are a great place to clarify your limits and they provide something to point back to later. 

Set Buyer Limits  Freelancers generally attract small businesses and start-ups who are looking for affordable prices on high quality work that they need. This is great for everyone! That is, until buyers become entitled to free or sweat-shop grade work. If you’re just getting started and dying for sales you may be a target for these kinds of buyers because they know that you need to build a reputation somewhere. Remember that your services are valuable and that no one can threaten you or exploit your work. Be clear in your descriptions about exactly what you offer and remind the buyer of your policies as an independent seller. 

Set Buyer Limits Not all of the buyer limits are designed to control unruly or malicious customers. I have limits in place to ensure that I maintain a reasonable limit on my work load and am never pushed to a point where I am unable to deliver top-notch work. For example, at times when I have been very busy, I have requested that my customers stick to a limit of 4 writing orders per week and also required that they add on expedited delivery for each article in a multiple quantity order so that I am rightfully compensated for the additional time to rush their order. Simple limits like that ensure that you aren’t strapped with a 75 piece logo design order due in 3 days out of the blue or have a buyer add on a measly $5 extra fast delivery boost and then expect that have the giant order delivered within 24 hours. Communication is key here and you just have to be up front about your requests before the orders are placed and ask that they respect your sanity, which most reasonable buyers, again, will. As a professional seller delivering professional work, you should write out copyright statements or install some kind of legal protection for yourself to combat theft or misuse. Always encourage your buyers to ask questions about what rights you retain on your work so that there is no confusion. A quick conversation with legal counsel may help you protect your business, yourself, and your portfolio.

Ask for Help  You’re doing the right thing by reading this business advice collection! Whether you’re planning ahead to get into the freelance game or you’re just not seeing the results that you’re hoping for, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Other sellers can be amazingly helpful because they’re going through many of the same challenges but you should also respect their right to silence because they may be a little wary to give away all of their secrets to the competition. Never beg for help or expect a magical band-aid to fix your business model, but if you bring up a specific problem people may be willing to give their advice and aid. Customer service can be a fantastic resource for you but it’s important here as well that you don’t expect them to wash away all of your problems. Wherever you’re working, customer service has to play by the rule book and can only do so much to resolve seller-buyer disputes or take down slanderous feedback. It’s important that you’re patient and polite with them. Put together your most compelling case (quoting stated buyer limits here is key) and don’t be afraid to ask for help because, in my experience, they are very understanding.