Your technical skills will only take you so far…
Building a successful portfolio career requires you to have customers — a word I far prefer to clients — who speak well of you. In many cases, these happy customers will be your best source of new business.
LinkedIn is just one place where your references can sing your praises, a great place actually because you eliminate the reciprocal reference (“you recommend me and I’ll recommend you”) that can undermine the power of a positive recommendation.
But keep in mind that as important as a great reference is to you, it may quickly become an after-thought to the person with whom you worked. So it makes sense to ask for the reference at some point during or just after the project and then provide some specific direction, particularly if the reference is going to be in writing for your LinkedIn profile or in a specific place on your website. Think about the questions you’d ask if you were looking to hire someone like you:
- Was he easy to work with?
- How much supervision did he require?
- What makes him different from his competitors (i.e., from others who offer similar services, particularly those who might charge less)?
- Did he show up when he said he would?
- Did he deliver what he said he would (i.e., Did he meet expectations or exceed them)?
- How were his invoices (e.g., clear, detailed, and reasonable for the work delivered)?
- Would you recommend him to others (or, under what circumstances would you hire him again)?
The technical aspects of your skills are important, but successful consultants are trustworthy. They deliver something unexpected, and they build relationships. Your references should reflect those qualities.
What other questions would help a client provide you with a great reference?
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