Why Freelance Developers Should Prioritize Compliance to Win and Keep Clients?

As the saying goes, ‘The price of security is eternal vigilance. ‘ This price is higher in web development as compliance is the industry’s core. You’ve probably heard it—ignorance is not always a blessing. Do you know how much you, as a developer, can lose by ignoring compliance during your projects? Millions of dollars. 

In software development, following compliance regulations is essential because it helps protect clients and their businesses from data breaches. New regulations like GDPR and CCPA/CPRA have been established globally in this digital-oriented world to protect users’ personal information. These rules are inflexible, and breaches can have severe consequences for you and your clients.

If you are wondering what compliance is and how it can help you attract and retain customers, we are here to help. We will dive into this blog and cover everything you need about privacy and compliance. Let’s begin with the introduction to compliance. 

Understanding of Compliance and Privacy

Compliance and privacy simply mean following the rules and regulations that keep users’ data safe and secure. Today, everything is going digital; therefore, much information and personal data about people is available online. 

Various governments have created privacy policies to secure this data. Violating these laws denies you the full job payment, resulting in several other fines and legal problems.

In case of a data breach or privacy infringement, you could be liable for hefty fines. For instance, a fine could be as high under the GDPR as about €1.64 billion (2022). Meanwhile, total penalties for GDPR non-compliance are expected to exceed €5 billion by 2024, indicating a significant increase in the financial costs of non-compliance. 

You must take a manageable risk as a freelancer. Remember, data protection for freelancers is as essential as your customers.

Thus, your freelancing career stands gravely at risk, with 60% of SMEs gone within six months of a cyberattack. Without compliance, you risk your client’s safety and your whole future.

How compliance helps: 

• There is no risk of incurring hefty fines or avoiding legal trouble.
• This reassures clients that privacy and security are taken seriously.
• In addition, it ensures that software systems are designed and implemented following legal and software security requirements.

Why Clients Care About Compliance

Compliance is essential to clients because it ensures their data is protected, trusted, and legally safe. Let’s see how compliance relates to them:

Client Expectations and Legal Obligations

What scares businesses is the legal liability. One fine or charge can cause significant damage.

Many industries are required to comply with strict data protection regulations. Therefore, many of these businesses seek developers to help them meet these requirements.

Often, businesses will hire you to share their burden, where you can provide a one-stop service that may include website development with an additional cookie consent banner.

How Compliance Helps Meet Client Demands

Following the rules shows your customers that you care about their privacy. This builds trust and gives them security. It also demonstrates your professionalism and credibility, which will help you win and retain clients. 

If your application is compliant, clients will understand that their information is safe. Therefore, this amounts to entering into a business relationship with you for the long term.

Industries Where Compliance Is a Must

For several industries, compliance is legally compelled. Non-compliance can lead to heavy fines, reputational risk, or even being out of business. Key examples of such sectors include healthcare, education, and many other high-profile ones. Here are some examples:

Industry	Compliance Requirements	Consequences of Non-Compliance
Healthcare	Protect patient information, e.g HIPPA compliance	Protect patient information, e.g. HIPPA compliance
E-Commerce	Secure customer data, including personal and payment details	Risks to consumer trust and potential breaches if compliance is ignored
Education	Protect sensitive student data under laws like FERPA and similar regulations	Failure to comply can result in legal consequences and jeopardise the institution’s reputation.
Telecommunication	Secure large volumes of client data in line with privacy laws like GDPR	Nom-Compliance can result in heavy penalties and breach of customer trust.
Finance	Safeguard sensitive client information like bank account numbers and credit histories. Governed by laws such as GDPR and PCI DSS.	Non-Compliance can result in enormous financial losses and legal repercussions.

Tools and Resources to Stay Compliant

 To remain compliant, freelancers require the appropriate tools. These resources make it simple to adhere to privacy regulations so that client’s data is not compromised.

Leveraging Compliance to Strengthen Client Relationships

Using the following tips, you can win and keep your clients by prioritising compliance.

Understand Client Needs

Gaining an understanding of the needs of clients is the core of developing customised compliance solutions. Here’s why concentrating on their needs yields tangible results.

Clients value privacy 

Companies look for developers who are aware of data privacy laws. They know any violation can result in huge fines, possibly hurting the brand image. They want to be sure that their data is safe against legal risks. In this context, how would you help them;

• Explain how privacy concerns impact business operations along with customer trust.
• Utilise tools like cookie consent banners to assure compliance.
• Demonstrate your ability to navigate privacy laws, making you an invaluable partner.

Customised Solutions

As a freelance developer, you can work with businesses globally. It is not easy to know the laws of each region as they differ. However, you build trust and expertise by following privacy legislation and providing customised compliance solutions. How it will help;

• To be informed of privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, etc.
• Build lasting relationships based on personalised, proactive services.
• Assure repeat business through a demonstrated commitment to ongoing compliance.

Offer Ongoing Support

Continuous support will provide officials with ongoing compliance and build a sustainable trust factor with your end users. Here is how consistent support affects:

Compliance is a Continuous Process 

The laws and regulations keep changing. Ongoing support services keep the clients complied with over time.

• Maintain current and compliant clients about changing regulations.
• Position yourself as a long-term compliance management partner.
• Protect your client from possible fines and reputational damage through continuous compliance.

Regular Updates

Offer routine checks and audits, and keep your clients informed of the changing aspects of their websites.

• Monitor client websites for compliance issues regularly.
• Proactively make changes to keep in line with new regulations.
• Strengthen client relationships by avoiding costly errors.

Become the “go-to” Expert.

Position yourself as the trusted person for privacy compliance updates and questions.

• Stay aware of the latest trends, laws, and what’s happening.
• Offer consulting and advice on existing privacy needs.
• Build a reputation for proactive, knowledgeable compliance support.

Proactive Solutions

Proactive solutions will help you be ahead of compliance challenges and evolving regulations. Here is the reason why proactive measures are essential for your business:

Don’t wait for problems to arise

Develop systems that automatically guarantee compliance with privacy, cookie banners and periodic privacy policy updates.

• Get familiar with automated systems.
• Ensure that there is smooth compliance without delays.
• Protect clients from legal risks to enhance trust in your services.

Regularly carry out audits

Check the client sites regularly to ensure they comply with privacy standards.

• Offer a review report to the client to ensure compliance with current regulations.
• Anticipate and address the vulnerabilities before they become serious issues.
• Assure continued compliance and emphasise the security of client data above everything.

Get ahead of the curve

Be ahead of date with privacy law changes and avoid any compliance gaps.

• Keep abreast of changes in privacy law and impacts
• Proactively update tools, policies, and practices
• Safeguard clients from compliance gaps and other unwanted risks, thereby ensuring confidence.

Build Trust with Transparency

Making cookies is quite an affinity with confidence, as it demonstrates to users that you respect their privacy. Here is how open communication empowers users with much confidence:

Be open about privacy measures

Clients would like to know how their data is being protected. Transparency in your methods builds trust.

• Be specific in sharing details about your privacy measures, including cookie management and secure data storage.
• Make sure your clients feel assured of how their data is being protected
• Through transparency, build trust in your compliance methods

Communicate well

Share with them the steps you are taking toward compliance, including managing cookies or secure data storage.

• Break down complex compliance steps into simple, understandable terms.
• Explain processes like cookie consent management or data encryption in layperson’s terms.
• Show clients you’re working harmoniously with privacy law by building them up with such facts.

Build confidence

Those clients who feel you can be trusted with their data are more likely to keep working with you.

• Emphasis on data protection assures clients that their information is secure.
• Show proficiency and reliability in meeting all compliance requirements.
• Encourage loyalty and referrals by consistently meeting and exceeding client expectations.

Winning and Retaining Clients with Seers Compliance Solutions

If you’re a developer or freelance professional with second thoughts about these tips for retaining and winning clients, you can always count on Seers. 
Join hands with Seers to constantly engage clients with long-term compliance approaches. Get 15% to 20% commission on every successful reference.

Feature	Benefit
Automated Updates	Stay Compliant without manual updates or intervention.
Easy Integration	Fast and simple to integrate Seers tools into any website.
Recurring Revenue	Earn 15-20% recurring commission on every client referral.
Customisation Options	Tailor the cookie banner to match your client’s brand and style.

Here is how Seers can help you;

Streamlined Integration and Compliance Management

Seers is an easy-to-integrate solution that enables freelancers to ensure their clients’ websites comply with privacy laws.

Easy-to-Integrate Banners

cookie consent banners offered by Seers can easily be integrated into a website to ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

Benefits for Freelancers:

• Freelancers don’t need to look at or alter privacy policies or the cookie banner themselves multiple times.
• Seers take care of all the updates, eliminating the need for endless adjustments.
• More specifically, Seers ensures adherence to the requirements at all times, saving freelancers time and energy when working on clients’ sites.

Recurring Affiliate Revenue

Seers offers affiliate marketing programs for beginners and Pro. They enable freelancers to earn passive, recurring commissions by referring clients to Seers’ privacy compliance tools. Freelancers can earn up to $6000/annum with 15% to 20% for each successful referral, making Seers offer one of the best paying affiliate programs.
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Benefits to Freelancers:

• Freelancers get a commission through Seers SaaS affiliate programs every time the client renews his subscription to Seers.
• It creates a recurring revenue stream because freelancers earn commissions with each client who sticks to Seers.
• The set-and-forget model will help freelancers earn passive income without exerting too much effort.

Automated Compliance Updates

One of freelancers’ most significant challenges is keeping up with regulation changes, and Seers solves it by providing timely updates.

Benefits for Freelancers:

• Seers automatically updates privacy measures based on the latest regulatory changes.
• Freelancers ensure compliance without requiring continued engagement of the client for updates.
• This saves freelancers time and stress, keeping client sites compliant without much intervention.

Client Retention Through Privacy Compliance

Freelancers must achieve long-term client relationships. Seers keeps clients satisfied and retained with easy-to-obtain and automated solution privacy compliance.

Benefits for Freelancer

• Easy privacy compliance tools assure clients, returning them for multiple other projects.
• Seers provide long-term compliance through a “set it and forget it” solution. This helps reduce client anxiety and increases satisfaction, thus staying in business long-term with the client.

Seers as a Value-Added Service

Seers may be marketed as more than a compliance tool; it may be a premium service that allows freelancers to stand out.

Benefits to Freelancers

• Freelance can personalise Seers cookie consent banners to suit the branding of the client’s website for a bespoke solution.
• Seers integrates seamlessly into the client’s workflow, ensuring no website functionality disruption.

Marketing Strategies for Retaining Clients Using Seers

Freelancers can use Seers not only for client compliance but also to strengthen business relationships through intelligent marketing strategies:

Strategy	Benefits	Actions For Freelancers
Position Seers as an Essential Legal Tool	Build Client trust by emphasising the legal importance of compliance	– Highlight the risks of non-compliance, such as fines and data breaches. – Explain how seers ensure legal protection for clients
Provide Customization and Smooth Transition	Enhance client satisfaction by tailoring solutions to their needs.	– Customize cookie consent banners to match the client’s branding. – Ensure seamless integration with the client’s existing website design
Create Subscription-Based Packages for Ongoing Value	Offer long-term value and ongoing service, ensuring compliance.	– Bundle seers tools with services like privacy policy audits and compliance checks. – Maintenance and regular updates are offered as part of a subscription package.