5 Unexpected Perks of Working With High-$$$$ Freelance Clients
It’s definitely not just for the paycheck.
It’s definitely not just for the paycheck.
There’s no middle class in the creator economy.
You’re either super rich or always living from paycheck to paycheck.
According to Signalfire, less than 4% of the estimated 50 million creators earn a living from their creations.
In one year of embracing this lifestyle of being a full-time writer, I’ve consistently made more money each month than I can spend. I’ve managed this even while investing in the most outrageous of luxuries.
True, I live in India, where amazing experiences are available for cheap. But this still puts me above the “middle-class” bracket where I don’t have to look at the price tag of something to order it.
I’ve created this wealth only because I’ve worked with amazing freelance clients who pay me a decent paycheck at the end of every month.
This might make you believe that having high-paying freelance clients will make you super rich.
This is true, but the biggest perk of having high-$$$$ freelance clients isn’t the money.
It’s a combination of five factors I’ll discuss in this post.
1. No Hassles or Delays in Payment
I saw a reel of a famous Instagrammer with 155k followers who makes a full-time living from brand deals and speaking opportunities she gets on Instagram.
But in the reel, she talked about the “dark reality” of being an influencer, which included screenshots with clients who ghosted after promising payment and having work done.
As a top writer on Medium in freelancing and side hustles, almost 40% of my monthly income comes from brand sponsorships. I’ve rarely ever encountered a client who delayed payment. There have been a few outliers here and there, but mostly, it was a smooth experience where brands were super responsive.
That’s one of the underrated perks of only working with high-$$$$ brands and clients.
You feel respected for your time and effort, and your expertise gets rewarded.
2. You Get Accelerated Feature Request Rights
I worked as a freelance writer for a start-up whose product I was a regular user of. There was a feature I wanted that would have made the writers’ job easier.
I talked to the co-founder and pitched my idea.
They took it into account, and within a month, the new feature was live on their website.
This is another underrated perk of working with high-paying clients.
You get a seat at the table that makes journey-altering decisions for the product.
Unlike in a 9-to-5 in major corporates, you can make choices that directly impact the product’s journey.
After all, who wants to feel like they’re banging at a closed door? When they try to have a conversation with their clients, no one wants to keep getting ghosted or left on “Seen.”
I feel grateful to have found such amazing clients right from the start of my career. I continue working with similar amazing people, and it has only enriched my journey as a writer so far.
3. You Get Social Media Clout
When your audience knows the brands you’ve worked for in the past, they know what you speak of has some value.
Your background adds to your credibility when you discuss your freelancing life on social media.
If you wish to sell digital products, your association with big names in your niche of choice gives you an upper hand.
It acts like the social media clout you didn’t know you needed. It brings you loyal readers and paid users of your future products and courses.
Social proof-building is only possible when you work with clients who have already established themselves as pioneers or thought leaders in your niche. It adds to your credibility and makes you more likely to build your niche on social media.
4. Association with them builds your personal brand
The articles I wrote for a client landed them at #1 on Google and Bing for several high-competition and long-tail keywords.
The co-founder was so appreciative that they took a screenshot and shared it on Twitter by tagging me.
This was a lovely surprise and something that felt well-deserved for all the hard work I’d put in while researching and writing. It forever burned their image in my brain as being kind and amazing.
It also associates my name with them on a public domain like Twitter, thus increasing my brand value. It clarifies to other brands how amazing it is to work with me and helps me price my services higher to future clients.
This win-win situation is only possible when you work with high-paying clients.
You get credit for your work. And you also get to elevate your brand value by association with them.
5. You Get Better Opportunities by Association
One of my former writing clients has introduced me to people that have generated months’ worth of steady income for me.
As a writer, that’s one fantastic perk of working with high-paying freelance clients.
Their recommendation and networking powers land you better opportunities.
Association with them builds your personal brand. Other brands consider it a mark of quality that you worked for one of their competitors/contemporaries. They find it easier to approach you for more writing work.
Final Words
Summing up, here are the five unexpected benefits of working with high-$$$$ freelance clients:
- You get payments on time without having to hassle and bargain.
- Your feature requests get accelerated and turn to reality sooner.
- You get social media clout.
- Association with them reinforces your personal brand.
- You get better opportunities through word-of-mouth recommendations.
Have you seen instances where your association with amazing clients landed you social clout, more money, or opportunities with better brands? Do share your experience in the comments.
If you’re curious about how to land high-paying freelance clients, I’ve designed a detailed 90-day action plan to shortlist, pitch to, and convert high-value global clients. 80+ writers have benefited from this framework so far. You can be the next.
