Missing Deadlines

Freelance Switch writes about the 10 biggest mistakes freelancers make. Notable is the first one about missing deadlines.

The problem with some freelancers is that they don't even set deadlines. Giving an estimate is fine when you're just talking, but once the deal is closed you should have a timetable that the client can hold you to. Once the deadlines are set, you should make sure you meet them, or, if in case you don't, the fault shouldn't be yours.

The best tip regarding this is to always underpromise and overdeliver. In "The Kobayashi Maru" Scotty says that he always give Kirk a longer estimate so that the Captain thinks he's a miracle worker when he does what he says he'll do in half the time.

The next best thing is to clearly delineate responsibilities in the timetable. Usually a project needs to be approved in stages. Give your client a deadline, too, for approvals. Make sure that you hold him to that one-day turnaround when it comes to commenting on your studies so that he doesn't throw the entire schedule off track. Let the client know that if he gets back to you a day late, that'll move the schedule back a day, too.