The foundation is functional benefit. We satisfy these needs during the first call:

• Do we look professional?
• Is the price suitable?

• Do we have good ratings and reviews?

The next step is meeting expectations the client has after we start cooperation:

• Did we prove to be professional enough?
• Do we meet the deadlines?

• Was the budget estimated correctly?

• Is it convenient for him to use the tools we have offered (perhaps it would be better to change the messenger or, for example, use notion instead of trello, etc.)

• Is the level of communication and transparency sufficient?

• Are we a team that can “cover any needs”. For example, if the client hired us for design, and then we can also do the development and write content or build a marketing strategy, then it will be super convenient. It is also important for service to communicate with customers in the correct tone of voice, which may be slightly different for each client.

The fourth step is trust. It is built over time of cooperation. What is needed for this:

• Meet all lower needs in hierarchy (as in any previous step of the pyramid, you need to cover the “lower” needs before moving on to the “higher ones”)
• Be careful with “personal information”

• Do not hide your “fuck-ups”

The next step is strategy. We develop it together with the client in order to:

• Show that we both are “on the same side of the barricade”.
• Prove that we are as much interested in the product as the client is.

• Transfer relations from “customer-executor” to “partners”. Clients often come to Upwork for one task, but even then, clients are looking for partners, even if they don’t know about it yet.