I like to pride myself on being able to take an unsure, and at times belligerent new client and turning them into a Victor believer. When people reach out to me for assistance, I do my best through an initial phone call to make them feel comfortable working with me. I let them know that I will treat their project as if it were my own. Not only will I deliver the goods, but I will do it at a reasonable price and with a quick turnaround. I have a proven record, and I am happy that many clients continue to use me on future projects.
About one out of four new clients will come at me with a tinge of distrust, possibly because they’ve been shortchanged in other work relationships, or they were not satisfied with a finished product somewhere else. I get it. They will have a lot of questions. They will want to make sure you understand their project, and they want to get their money’s worth. So, I spell out everything I will provide in detail in my invoice before we start the process of working together. Phone call made, invoice paid. Now we begin.
This is where it can be challenging for freelancers. Because of the one-on-one relationship, boundaries can be blurred as to what is expected of you. In a corporate setting, where rules are rigid with gatekeepers and thick contracts, the creative people doing the actual work are often shielded. They don’t have to listen to the banter of a demanding customer. But for us freelancers, some clients think it’s okay to, for a better word, make your life miserable.
Here are three examples of unruly clients, and how best to handle them:
1. The would-be client that asks a lot of questions.
Even though I produced a two-minute video that concisely details the process of book publishing with me, I’ve had potential new clients that go on for weeks with back-and-forth emails asking every question imaginable. Three or four detailed message responses should be more than enough.
Solution:
At some point you have to cut these people off. If you’re spending more time replying to emails than you would doing the actual work, it is a loss for you. When you are sure you’ve given enough of yourself, for free, politely end your last email with, “I hope I’ve answered your questions and you now feel comfortable working with me. I must pursue other work at this time, so when you are ready I will be happy to consider your project.” If they want to continue exchanging communications, tell them that you can provide more information with a consulting fee, and get the money up front.
2. The client that thinks they’ve bought you.
You’ve spelled out the work in great detail, but now the client wants you to do more than outlined. They want you to talk on the phone often about things that can be readily handled in an email. They want you on what seems like a 24/7 schedule, like you’re a doctor on call. What they really want is a constant handholding and reassurance.
This can be so stressful because it can feel as though they are using the intimacy of the one-on-one relationship to take advantage of you. You desperately want to please them, but they are making you do more work than you are being paid for. Sometimes, a lot more. And even if they want to pay you, it may not fit well into your current schedule and other obligations.
Solution:
You have to set strict boundaries from the beginning. Most clients are decent and seem well prepared. But even some of those can turn into monsters over time. Like a bad roommate that came in with a smile, you never really know how they will turn out.
Define deadline dates so work doesn’t meander over time and feel like a quagmire. We start on this day and completion must be on this day. Other clients are waiting and you can’t let something drag on. Put those dates in your invoice and make it clear to the client in writing. Always have a paper trail.
3. The client that wants to do your job their way.
There’s a reason why they came to you. They needed help and you have the skills to give them what they want. You know what it takes, down to the technical intricacies of working with certain programs and meeting technical specifications. But for some reason, they think they know your job better than you do.
Solution:
Again, define the process. Spell out each step and what is expected of them. Tell them that you are being hired to do the job for them, and to trust your knowledge. If they want to do it a different way, find out before you agree to working with them. If it’s going to take more time, or actually not work at all, let them know. And that they will need to pay you for extra, unnecessary steps.
Flexibility is key in working relationships, but it shouldn’t come to the point where you feel like you are being held hostage. Many of my first-time clients were relieved that the process ended up being so simple. They trusted me from the start, or I wrangled them in enough to get the job done right. Those end up being some of my best clients.
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