To build a better freelance business, get better clients.

That sounds likes a no-brainer, but it’s not. A lot of freelancers are focused on quantity over quality. The transactional mindset they begin with turns into a routine.

When you’re in that cycle, your goal is to fill your schedule with as many freelance jobs as possible so you can get more money. What you don’t realize is that all of the jobs you go after are on the same level, so to earn a lot more, you have to work a lot more.

But eventually, your schedule gets full, so you can’t add more work, and that means you can’t make more money.

The freelancers that work the most aren’t necessarily the ones that earn the most. And when you’re filling your schedule without regard for the clients you’re plugging in, you’ll often grow slow, or not at all.

Who’s A Better Freelance Client?

If you want to take it up a notch reach higher and get clients that pay more for work that requires more.

If you’re writing ten $50 articles a week right now, when you look for more freelance jobs, apply for some that pay $100 an article.

Over time, every freelance business should aim to earn more in less time. That’s real growth.

But, it’s not just about the money. Better clients are also those who want products that make you exercise your full potential and challenge you.

Any business in any field that wants to be in the winners’ circle needs work that makes them level up. Freelancing is no exception.

When you have clients that allow you to earn money without exerting yourself, that’s not a steal, it’s a setback.

While you’re skating down easy street, others will be honing their skills, getting new ones, and building better  freelance businesses. One day you’ll look up and find out that what you’re offering is either out-of-date or at the low-end of the market.

That means instead of you growing, the market outgrew you.

Don’t let it happen.

When you apply for freelance jobs, take some risks. Pursue projects that help your finances and your skills grow.

Related: More Work Is Not A Better Rate