Comments on: Hanging on to Dead Wood

By: Sal

Sal — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 16:43:52 +0000

I am in this situation right now. I have a client who has given me steady work for a while now, but the pay has not changed since I started writing for them. I know it is time to move on to better paying jobs, but at the same time, I am not sure how to ease the client into the change. I would like to offer someone who is just starting out as a replacement, but I don't know anyone.

How would you guys go about letting a client go who has always had work when you needed something to get through? The key is doing it without burning any bridges...

Any thoughts?

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:35:34 +0000

I'm loving it, Carrie! Good seeing you. :)

Jenn, exactly. I've educated a few clients on that point. Just as they are free to set their rates, I am free to set mine. And yes, they can negotiate, but as you say, there's a difference between negotiating and dictating. It's one more reason why I don't answer job listings - they dictate these ridiculous requirements (BA, Masters degree, ten years of experience) then tell you something like "Our competitive rates start at $1 an article." Really? With whom are you competing? Sweat shops in Indonesia?

Gabriella, spoken like a woman at the end of her last nerve. :) LOVE your list. The second point is one that some clients really don't understand - why don't WE want to invest countless unpaid hours into their dream, too? For the same reason they wouldn't do the same for my dream.

Great point, Eileen. I'm okay with them saying "Here's what I can afford - how much will that buy me?" rather than "Here's my budget, which is small because I spent a fortune on design." That's a lousy explanation for being cheap. And it should be filed under the heading Not My Issue.

By: Paula

Paula — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:33:27 +0000

Right now I have a client that I consider a fill in client. They expect a lot for what they pay, and are have very rigid rules. For starters, they want one source per 200 words of copy. That barely gives the sources time to say more than two sentences. It's also a red flag that the publication is fishing for new leads for their sales guys to approach.

I'm currently working on my third article for them. But I've learned me lesson: limit how much time per day I'll work on t heir articles. This time I had a longer lead time. In just a couple of days I've made 90% of my calls and completed five interviews. I was going to start transcribing this weekend to get ahead, but decided they don't pay enough to interrupt my weekend.

Another writer I know is juggling several articles for them right now. For one she has 19 interviews to transcribe (and possibly two more in the offing). I told her for that much work they better more than double the pay rate. I won't do anything that requires 19 interviews unless it's 5,000 words long and pays at least $1 a word.

I've already got this client on the back burner, and I'll have no qualms about firing them once I have enough clips in this specialize category to get better assignments in related fields.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:06:15 +0000

Jenn, I'm with you. The prospect who assumes that he will set the rates is not a prospect I'm even remotely interested in doing business with. It positions the writer as a hired hack, not a valuable consultant. Now, if someone says, "My budget is X, can you do it for that?" and I can't, that's a different thing, because there is at least recognition that the writer sets her own fees.

By: Gabriella F.

Gabriella F. — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:58:35 +0000

Hi Lori.

Mine are:

1. Like you said, clients who shift their requests repeatedly. I'm out. Can't make you happy if you don't know what you want.

2. Clients who think you're in their investment with them and must sacrifice, too. Nope, you're a business owner, and I'm a business owner. We're not partners. I don't risk my success if you fail. Pay me.

3. Clients who want me to crib stuff on the Internet. Are you kidding me? And this was from lawyers, who should have known better.

4. Clients who give me stuff I don't enjoy--unless it pays phenomenally. I won't be able to motivate myself, and it'll show in the work product.

In the beginning, I took a lot of crap. No more. I'm more confident I can be successful without the crap. I think that comes from experience and seeing that you can really be successful by holding your ground.

By: Jenn Mattern

Jenn Mattern — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:41:38 +0000

Great post Lori! The one that really gets to me is when other people think they get to set my rates. Um, no. I'm a business owner. I have something to offer. I decide what I'll charge for it. You decide whether or not you'll pay it. Negotiation is one thing, as long as it's fair (they give up some expectations if they want a lower price for example), but dictating what someone else earns is inappropriate. If you let clients tell you what they're going to pay you instead of setting your own rates for your own business, you're not really acting as a business owner — you're acting as an employee. And if you give up one right as an independent contractor, where do you draw the line?

By: Carrie Link

Carrie Link — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:03:54 +0000

Me Talk Pretty One Day is one of my very favorites!

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:20:23 +0000

Eileen, great point. There has to be some guidance (not a lot), and questions need to be answered quickly enough or our hands are tied.

Don't you hate that, Cathy? I don't mind them changing the deadlines, but lining everything up and then....nothing? That wastes our billable time.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:59:50 +0000

The start and stop – you get a call & they are all jazzed about getting a series of articles (or whatever) off the ground. So you set up the scope of work, fee,timing and then find the great urgency is now gone when you start the series and then stopped indefinitely. And the pattern repeats over and over again.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 13:14:24 +0000

Accessibility is a big one with me. I'm not a needy writer, and I don't constantly pester clients for direction or input. But I do need them to be involved by giving me enough background and information to work with in a timely manner. Occasionally, I need something clarified while I'm mid-project. If they don't respond to requests, if their voice mail box is always full, they are not someone for whom I can do a good job.