Discerning the legitimate prospective clients from the posers with ulterior motives.
With a contract signed and a plan forming, I sat there swirling the ice around in my whisky with hopes of melting it into another full sip. He sat across from me, suited and booted and as Wall Street as it gets, nodding hazily as I scribbled down our mutual deliverables for the project we were discussing. He claimed he wanted to write a funny yet useful guide to understanding investments and I was just the witty writer to connect the literary dots for him. 'You still with me?' I had to ask on several occasions. He nodded confidently and I got back to the matter at hand. I knew he wasn't drunk, he just wasn't listening. And when he hailed me a cab and leaned in for a Hollywood kiss, I lurched back and realized what so many of my female colleagues have before me: there was no project.
You can't fault a man for injecting a little creativity into his tactics, however it gets old quick when said tactics are infiltrating my professional life. I have been 'fake-hired' enough times to have developed an arsenal of strategies to determine and maintain the integrity of the female-driven deal process from start to finish. These tips will arm up-and-coming freelance femme fatales with the wherewithal to spot romantic attempts disguised as potential clients of yours.
1. Flirting while networking: use what'cha got, but network effectively.
- Carry cards with you. They are impersonal and send a message of professionalism. Don't get caught out there scribbling your e-mail address on a napkin!
- Follow up. Send a 'nice to meet you, when would be a good time to discuss Project XYZ' note. Throw flags on the field if he is hesitant to discuss business or set a meeting. The initial follow up dialogue is key in weeding out the rookies. Men with more experience with this will pass this stage, so it is important to remain aware and guarded throughout the project.
2. That first meeting is EVERYTHING.
So you've emailed your new connection and set a date and time to meet and discuss. At this point, your work should begin to speak for itself. Over and above sniffing out the men posing as prospective clients, having a well-researched and targeted proposal including references of past clients is just good practice. Coming prepared will afford you professional credibility, potentially deterring said posers from wasting your time any further. Additionally, if you are able to show a gap that needs to be filled (no pun intended), you also stand the chance of redirecting the intentions of said posers into an actual contract.
3. Talk money early.
- Be prepared to walk away. A very successful entrepreneur told me to never go into negotiations needing the gig. Keep in mind the lowest satisfying amount you are willing to take to do this work, and prepare to walk away from the work if your minimum fiscal expectations can't be met. Trust me, over time this will do wonders for your professional reputation.
- Opt for a milestone-based pay structure. Go a step further than the traditional half upfront, half upon completion pay structure. Take less up front if need be, and ask for increments as large parts of the project is completed. This will add a level of professional integrity and mutual accountability to the project.
4. SIGNED CONTRACTS: do nothing without one.
Once you've agreed on price and mutual deliverables, put it in writing and add a legal obligation for follow through. The vast majority of men merely trying to get it in will cut ties the point at which he becomes legally bound to a project contract.
Well alright!
If you and your prospective client have made it to this point, you my friend have yourself a legitimate, paying client. Long hours working side by side on an exciting project can sometimes lead to other initiatives. It is important to manage expectations and create an environment which fosters productivity instead of a steamy should we or shouldn't we? moment.
Photo Credit: allthingslawandorder.blogspot.com
5. Carefully select the location for recurring meetings.
If both of you lack access to a boardroom or professional space, cafes are the best option. They are a common spot for meetings, which begets a professional-esque environment, and they conveniently have wifi and plenty of outlets. Additionally, alcohol is not an option and any given bill is low enough that either you or the client can cover it without issue.
6. Create and stick to an agenda.
Small talk is the death of productivity and can often cause the meeting to dance dangerously close to murky, flirtatious waters. Stick to the agenda and work rigoursly towards meeting each objective.
Always have another meeting when this meeting is scheduled to end.
Even if you don't (wink).
7. Stay organized. Document everything. FINISH IT!
Keep your notes and documents in one central place (clouds, etc.), and ensure you are on track with the overall timeline. Ensure a sense of urgency is conveyed if you are falling behind. Enforce penalties determined in the contract to protect yourself from clients flaking on their deliverables.
Bonus tip:
We're all human and may share in a clients' romantic feelings. Even if he is dripping with qualities you dream of in the man you share bed linens with, firmly refuse any and all advances until the project is complete and you have been paid in full. I had a go-to line for clients I shared a mutual attraction with; something like when this book hits the Times' Bestseller List, you can take me out. Trust me, keeping that skirt zipped while finishing the project legitimizes your professional offering.
Women have to go the extra mile and fight for credibility as an entrepreneur. Using these tips will save you much time and disappointment by weeding out those with unprofessional motives early on, and ensure professionalism is maintained throughout.
