What I’m reading downstairs: The Maytrees by Annie Dillard
What’s on the iPod: Late in the Evening by Paul Simon
Yesterday we talked about reasons to part ways with clients – and frankly, they have similar reasons, I’m sure. It’s all about meeting each others’ needs. And while it’s sometimes wise to walk away from a client relationship, that’s not saying every misunderstanding is grounds for business divorce. In fact, I think we should attempt to understand where our clients are coming from, and, when possible, come to some agreement.
So let’s revisit yesterday’s reasons for splitting up from a different perspective:
The pay is too low. Sometimes clients simply don’t know what to charge. Educate them. It’s okay that they don’t know and it’s okay that you’re too expensive for them. You may not come to an agreement with that client, but you’ll show your professionalism and maybe help someone make better business decisions in the future.
The parameters are ridiculous. So push back on them. If the client expects a complete article written, interviews included, in 2 hours, don’t agree to it then gripe about it. Tell them why that’s impossible, then quote the more realistic time frame. They may not realize the amount of work needed for the job. Again, educate them.
The stress is too high. There are times when you can control your level of stress. I was on a project once that turned out to be 90 times harder than both the client and I anticipated. I was killing myself trying to meet an October deadline. Then I realized the deadline was arbitrary. No one beyond the client was expecting it. Sure, he’d be disappointed, but better disappointed in delivery time than in quality. I finished it in March of the following year, and he was satisfied with the end result. The moral – ask for the extension, state your needs, and communicate any project parameters that are turning into too much for you.
The people you report to change. You started working with Betsy, but now Betsy and her friends are changing the focus of the project. Fine. Point this out to Betsy, mention that this voids the current contract (and full contracted payment is due right now), but that you’re willing to negotiate a new contract for a new project including her friends. One of two things will happen – Betsy will realize the error of her ways and you’ll be back to working one-on-one, or she’ll drop the project entirely, which still results in your getting paid. Notice I didn’t say Betsy is willing to pay for her friends’ input. Rarely does that happen. However, if Betsy is like one of my former clients, she’ll try sneaking in her friends’ edits and revisions. You’ll know them when you see them, for it will come out of left field. Just remind her again of the money due immediately and your willingness to sign a new contract with her.
The client dictates your rate to you. Unless the client has never worked with a writer, this is a deal breaker. However, there are clients who will set project budgets when they advertise. Have a conversation with the client about what they’ll get for that rate. If it’s too ridiculously low, don’t waste your time.
The client is a lousy business person. I’ve had wonderful clients who were disastrous to their own businesses. I managed to work with them despite their inability to organize the simplest of tasks. I devised a system of communication with one client in which I reminded her of our phone conferences (she’d make them then forget about them – religiously), and I’d tack on an additional fee to the project because I had to organize her in order to get my own work done. And of course the checks were always late, so I learned to add the late fee at the outset, knowing she’d ignore it later, knowing that I’d spend three months without payment. She never questioned the line items, either. As I said, a lousy business person.
The client is focused too much on your hourly rate. Then simplify it. Give the client one flat rate for XX hours of work. Add the option of tacking on to that rate should the project suddenly appear to have a long tail.
Like I said, not all clients are worth saving, nor will your tactics guarantee success. But sometimes a little extra effort can help you reach an agreement you’re both satisfied with.
Have you managed to change a lousy situation into a good one?
3 responses to “Change the Things You Can Change”
Most of the time, I educate someone practically to death and they still insist that my rate for their project is too high or that my suggestions are just ridiculous. I only have so much patience where that's concerned, but I do agree that educating them is a good idea. Someone, somewhere may get a clue, you never know.
The one you have listed about the parameters being ridiculous has been a huge issue for me. Since I had a bad start in the biz, I now am more careful about how far I will go to please a client. Some black-hatter wannabes tend to push the envelope . Asking me to write 6 articles is one thing. Asking me to write one article and then finagle 5 more to be slightly different than the first (they seem to think you can't figure out that they're talking about article spinning) is another. I have to draw the line somewhere or I can kiss my biz goodbye.
Amen, Wendy. There IS only so much we can do. And while there will always be a few who will never get it, there are those who may. Mind you, I said may. Sometimes they're just set in their ways. 🙂
I'm with you on the parameters. If it doesn't make sense or seems impossible, I'm pushing back. If they balk, I'm gone. I can't be everyone's miracle worker. There's rarely anything in that equation for me other than heartburn.
Lori, learning when to say no to a client or learning which clients to avoid working with was unexpectedly one of the most important freelancing lessons I've learned. I've faced it all (as I'm sure most of us have): low pay, ridiculous parameters, and definitely high stress jobs.
Sometimes it's simply a matter of educating them and explaining how you work. Then everything is hunky-dory. But sometimes what you said is true: "not all clients are worth saving."