Hey — it’s Temidayo.
There is this saying one of my Uni professors usually say in class.
It goes like this: “give them an inch, and they’ll take a mile.”
Well, today I’ll use this saying to talk about a smart strategy big freelancers use to land big, juicy gigs.
Let’s jump in.
✱ – Foot-in-the-Door Technique
Many big freelancers know that there are some gigs you can’t get right off the bat because it would scare clients away.
For gigs like this, they start small with and work their way up. That’s why it’s called the foot-in-the-door technique.
No reasonable guy with game would meet a lady today and ask her to marry him the same day or on the first date. That’s too much to ask, and too soon.
Instead, he takes her out on the first date. Second date. A few more dates. And then asks the big question. Simple.
That’s exactly how this technique works in freelancing. You offer a small, low-risk project or even a trial period to get your foot in the door with a client.
Once they see the quality of your work and how easy you are to work with, they’re much more likely to trust you with bigger projects.
It could be writing 1 blog post to get a contract to take charge of their entire blogging process.
Also, it could be designing 1 flyer to get a contract to take charge of their designs.
Regardless of what it is, this technique helps you:
- lower the barrier to entry for the client
- get a chance to showcase your skills and work ethic
- build trust and rapport with the client
You see, landing big fish clients is often about playing the long game.
Once you do that small project excellently, you’re in a much stronger position to pitch larger project.
