Become a Freelance Consultant

Trust is a fragile thing.

One wrong move, and trust evaporates in a heartbeat. So today, let’s review how to build trust as a freelance consultant.

Trust is essential to economic activity. The Nobel-prize winning economist Kenneth Arrow said in a 1972 paper that “virtually every commercial transaction has within itself an element of trust.”

Your clients must have trust in you before they are willing to engage in a business transaction with you. No one hands money or make promises unless they think that person is going to make good on his promises.

Over 20 years as a freelance consultant, I’ve made it a point to build trust with prospective clients so they become a paying client. Of course, trust is a two-way street: they must trust that I’ll deliver on my promise, and I need to trust that they will actually pay their fees.

During these years, I’ve made it a point to build trust with these steps:

1. Authenticity. No one wants to do business with a phony person. Even when I’ve really wanted to work with a company (or needed the money), if it wasn’t a good fit, then own up to it at the very beginning.

2. Credibility. You need to open up your Kimono, so to speak. In other words, reveal yourself openly. Share your accomplishments and your track record. Demonstrate through actions (not just words) what you’re capable of doing.

3. Listen. Hear what your prospective client needs. What they think they need may not really be the answer. Dig deeper. Offer ideas and suggestions. If you disagree, don’t be confrontational. Handled well, a disagreement can be turned into the client gaining greater respect for you.

Once you build trust in the business relationship, now you have a shot at getting the assignment. If the prospective client trusts you, your odds improve significantly of getting the business. But if there is no trust, then there may be little opportunity to ever get the assignment.