Janice Cuban
Oct 19, 20172 min
Updated: Jul 5, 2019
A lot of times in Hollywood you’re as good as your last job”
-Liev Schrieber
OK, we’re not in Tinseltown. But as consultants, we can all learn a valuable lesson here: the way your last gig goes can dictate your future, so kick things off on the right foot. Here are some tricks I’ve learned over the years to save you time.
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Get the Work in Writing
This would seem a no-brainer, but many consultants start contracts without a written agreement and will “do the paperwork later.” Nope. If it involves money and time, get a record of it – whether your contract or the client’s, a signed estimate, or other legally- binding document. Don’t miss the nuances of your profession either. As a writer, one of the most difficult areas to gauge is how many rounds of edits. Sometimes it’s two, others it takes a village, so I bake that into each job. Think of your own industry and the “gotchas.”
Set Communication Ground Rules
Email. Phone. Text. Skype. Ad nauseam. Your client has preferences to keep in touch. Make sure you know what they are before you start work. They’ll appreciate that you asked. Forgo misunderstandings after you bombard him or her with emails and should have picked up the phone. For your part, if you have a commitment every Thursday afternoon from 4-6pm, let the client know before you start the gig. Also, be firm about your own preferences: years ago I had a client that called me for everything, urgent or not. Having a conversation at the beginning works wonders.
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Strut Your Stuff For Free
Once you check off these boxes, it’s all about the Liev Schrieber method: do your best work and you’ll probably get that callback on the next gig.