Make Your Own Lane: Why You Should Never Pick Such Projects?

When I write these blogs, I try and make sure, I do not sound preachy or super instructive because all I am trying to be is proactive – protect you from same grave mistakes, save your time / energy and keep your motivation to pursue this intact. I also kind of keep my tone neutral when I comment on certain project briefs, that I get to see on various freelancing portals.

We share these on a case to case basis as we have a growing virtual team of BECKON Aspirants in different modes. They are most likely to find this helpful and proactively work out a way to manage such queries from prospective clients.

In the BECKON Learning Community,  the beginners can be in any of the following modes:

1.   Reading mode – These members self-learn by reading different sources including a beginner’s guide for online working.

2.   Learning mode – These team members are working on their skills with one on one support from BECKON Coach to refine their offerings and deal with clients with more confidence

3.   Delivering mode – These are associated with local or global assignments however the project lead who is training them on this live job is front ending the client. This is entirely a collaborative effort.

Each of these members, in different modes cannot initially gauge what they are getting into when they respond to project like the one indicated below:

Project Brief

I'm looking for someone to finish this proposal

Here is what you need to consider before you respond:

1.   Reading Time

If you want to figure out what is wrong with client's current proposal, you have to read it end to end for a quick gap analysis. A proposal can be anywhere between 8 to 10 pages. Do you want to offer this at no cost – Your first impressions of the draft – Good, Bad or Unacceptable!

2.   Research Time

The amount of research time required to deliver as per client's expectations

3.   Rationale Time

You will never be able to figure the exact rationale first draft writer had when the content story board was created.

  

For all you know, the first draft writer delivered was as per instructions he received from client. You cannot expect the client to ever admit his own mistake to you – if at all there has been a communication gap from his end. 

If he does admit, you can treat this as a fresh assignment and get started. You can completely ignore the earlier outline to begin with a fresh perspective that is relevant now. The client should be able to call out now – what exactly he wants or trust your expertise

Based on your conclusions, you may want to probe client for further inputs before even considering the project.

1] If the client is not happy with the existing draft and needs a better version, can he articulate what changes he needs? What he finds missing in the first draft? If he is not crystal clear about his needs and edits he wants, you can be sure he is relying on you to do something with the document.

2] The client may have his own learning requirement. While discussing the order, you can assess if he knows his mind or is in two minds about the draft. If he is not clear, you educate him based on your expertise. Whether you want to do this business coaching for free as part of relationship building or as a paid order so that he gets a sample of your thinking horizon – it is absolutely your call.

The point here is – you have to know why the first draft did not satisfy the client.

Stay away from freeloaders

Some portals empower buyers to claim refund if they are not satisfied with delivered content. If the client is not able to clarify what the draft proposal lacks, he is probably just running the same document through another pair of expert eyes - for free.

I am not sure how neutral was that? I am sure you got the message by now –

1] Stay miles away from any kind of messy document created by someone else.

2] If you really have  to clean any mess, it better be your own because, that will at least be part of your learning experience - a revised version of your own work, is any day a subtle skill enhancement.

Connect with us here if you are unsure about any assignment - if you should proceed and execute or just drop it due to lack of adequate direction for the right output