When was the last time you asked?

Its not uncommon for most contractors to settle for the cycle where they feel apprehensive for a few weeks around the time of renewal, or just before the interview and relief when they are told they have the contract to settle into feelings of bliss, abundance, and euphoria... only to have the cycle start all over again two weeks before the end of their contract. Its the hopium approach to contracting

This approach to contracting can be shown by health experts that it is not the healthiest way of working your product. Nor is the best way of running your business. Far better to get more certainty and simply ask the customer how best you could serve them.

When was the last time you asked your customer?

What do I ask, what am I looking for? I hear some ask.

Well one way is to leverage off industry surveys such as this one on UmbrellaSupermarket

This gives you insight into what other contractors have found.

But that's too general, I don't have control over many of the things I imagine some will say.

Well I beg to differ. You have control over which umbrella company you choose to do business through and support. If you support those who support you with marketing trends to better target your specific product then in that sense you do have control. You have control in taking wider surveys and chunking them down to hone your specific product to your specific client market.

Your umbrella company would only be too happy to help you if it helps them. Each of your client surveys (collected from each contractor) helps build a far better picture for the umbrella company to serve their client and in turn for your product.