Working as a freelancer can be a dream when you have a good client. But it can be an absolute nightmare when you have a bad client.
Here are 5 red flags to help you spot bad clients before you agree to a project:
Red Flag #1:
Client promises future work to lower your fee.
I remember the first time a potential client used this tactic on me. He told me there would be a boatload of work to come after the first project. “We’ll be able to keep you busy for months,” he said.
That’s pretty appealing to a freelancer just starting out.
But don’t fall for it. The promise of future work is just a red herring to get you to reduce your fee. And chances are, all that future work will never materialize.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that clients are notoriously fickle. They always have big dreams and plans — but often get distracted and move on to “the next big thing,” which probably doesn’t include you.
Furthermore, if that work does indeed materialize, you won’t be able to raise your fees. Your client will demand that you do the work for the reduced fee you agreed to at the beginning. And do you really want to work on the cheap for a stingy client?
Bottom line: Never bank on future work a new client promises. And never lower your fee based on the mere possibility of a future project. Focus on today’s project and get paid what today’s project is worth.
Red Flag #2:
Client says, “It should be really easy for you.”
If a client comes to you with a potential project, and then says, “It should be really easy for you,” be cautious.
This statement reveals that the client doesn’t value your hard-won talent. It also reveals he is trying to get you to quote a fee based on the time it will take you to complete the task instead of the value you’ll create.
Unfortunately, anytime you’re working on an hourly basis, there’s a penalty for experience and efficiency. The more experience you have, and the more efficient you are, the faster you’ll get things done.
Therefore, if you’re charging only based on the time it takes you to complete a task, you’ll get paid less and less per project, and you’ll have to increase your project volume just to maintain your income.
I personally recommend that you charge by the project. Charge for your services based on the value you bring to the table. And don’t let a potential client make you feel bad (or lower your fee) for your experience and efficiency.
Red Flag #3:
Client pushes for a complicated payment schedule.
If I take on a new client, I get full payment up front. With clients I trust, I’ll let them send payment during the project or 50% up front, 50% on completion.
But a 50/50 split is as far as I will ever go.
I once had a client who wanted to split up a project into three payments. I don’t remember the exact percentages now, but it was something like: 35% to get started, 35% upon submission of first draft, 30% upon completion of edits and client satisfaction.
Guess what? This client withheld the final payment, claiming he wasn’t “satisfied”… yet continued to use my copy to sell new clients into an expensive mentoring program for 2+ years.
Another client told me she couldn’t afford my fee and asked if I would accept a down payment plus three monthly payments after that. I agreed.
I got the down payment, but — no surprise — she never made a single payment after that. And this was after she had assured me her credit was good, that she would never think of not paying me, etc.
Anytime a client wants an unusual payment plan, walk away, ‘cuz you ain’t gettin’ paid. At least that’s been my experience. Get your entire fee up front, or get a 50/50 split. Any fee schedule that’s more fragmented than that and you’re asking for trouble.
Red Flag #4:
Multiple people involved in approving your work.
The best working relationships I have, I’m working with just one person. Anytime I write something, one person has the final say. This is the way it should be.
On the flip side, if more than one person is reviewing your work, and each person has an equal say, then you’re in big trouble. Because you can’t please everybody. It’s impossible.
I recently had an experience where I thought I was dealing with one person, then found out too late that I was actually dealing with 4-5 people.
In fact, there was at least one person I had never met or spoken with reviewing my work — and his feedback was given considerable weight. Did this person know anything about direct response advertising? Of course not.
I once remember John Carlton talking about how he stopped writing for the big mail houses because getting copy approved by the board was such a nightmare. Five years later, I know firsthand what he was talking about.
Try to determine in advance who is going to approve your work. Make sure you know who that person is. And make sure nobody else has an equal say. Too many chefs in the kitchen spoils the soup, if you get my drift.
If you find out that your work will be reviewed by three or four business partners, watch out. You may be destined to fail before you even begin.
Red Flag #5:
Client is a poor communicator.
I was recently hired by two different clients. During our initial conversations, it struck me that neither one was a good communicator. They had difficulty expressing what they were looking for.
Against my better judgment, I accepted the projects. Here’s what happened:
Client #1 (a female) asked me to write the copy blind. My client had been hired by another guy, and she was acting as a project manager. So her client was the real client. Anyway, her client was too busy to answer questions, so I had virtually nothing to go on.
I turned in the first draft, which they didn’t like. (Duh!) Garbage in, garbage out, folks. This project went from bad to worse, and they never paid the second payment, even though I rewrote the copy four times based on their anemic input.
Client #2 (a guy) contracted me to write some postcards. He provided almost zero guidance and didn’t have any print-ready photos for me to use, even though these postcards were supposed to promote a live event featuring a number of famous speakers.
I wrote the copy, twice got feedback from his team, but heard nothing from him. Got the postcard designed, twice got feedback from his team, but heard nothing from him.
Finally, he dropped an “email bomb” on me and his whole team saying how displeased he was. Well, he had four opportunities to say something, and he didn’t. Not only that, he wanted “world-class design,” but was only willing to pay the designer $50 per over-sized postcard.
The problem with Client #1 was poor communication and an unwillingness to follow protocol (“just write the copy”). The problem with Client #2 was poor communication and a poorly trained team, compounded by his out-of-control ego.
Whenever you’re speaking with a potential client, pay close attention to how they communicate. Does he or she strike you as a good communicator or a poor communicator? If the latter, listen to your gut and decline the project. Poor communicators usually make for bad clients.
It’s a Learning Process
Building a successful freelance business is a continuous learning process.
There’s no way you can avoid bad clients altogether, but hopefully the “red flags” I’ve shared here will help you avoid the worst of them.
And, of course, if you have any red flags you look out for, please share them below.
-Ryan M. Healy
P.S. Want to get your first client… or just get more clients? Check out my special report on How to Get Your First Real Copywriting Client in 14 Days or Less.
About Ryan M. Healy
Ryan Healy is a direct response copywriter. Since 2002, he has worked with scores of clients, including BoostCTR, Alex Mandossian, Terry Dean, and Pulte Homes. He writes a popular blog about copywriting, advertising, and business growth, has been featured in publications like Feed Front magazine, and is a regular contributor to WordStream.com, BoostCTR.com, and MarketingForSuccess.com.
I launched my freelance copywriting career on June 13, 2005. Much to my surprise, I landed three clients in the first two weeks. If you'd like to discover how I did it, then click here now » |
{ 33 comments }
lol. man. i wish i hadn't experienced all four (and with the same client, too!).
have you seen tumblr.clientsfromhell.com? if not holy crap! it's the funniest site on the web.
have a good one,
david
You hit it on the head with this one Ryan!
This is a great blog post Ryan. I 100% agree with what you're saying. I can't tell you how many times I've fallen for the negotiating gambit of “Give us a discount on this first project and we'll give you plenty of business”. Another thing I've come across is people wanting to pay a small amount upfront (or nothing upfront) and they'll pay a % of the profits the sales letter produces. Almost every single project that I've done on a purely % basis has never panned out. The client then goes on to claim that they'll run the promo but they never do or they do but they don't tell you. Or they'll claim that your copy didn't convert. And what usually happens is these particular clients will claim they spent all their money on developing the product and setting up their business but they don't have any money to invest in sales copy. But, they claim you could make CRAZY money on a % basis. Another thing I've heard is, “If you're really as good as you say you are, then you'll be comfortable with doing this on a % basis.” Obviously, I've learned to turn down the % offers no matter how good the client/prospect makes it sound.
Brad – I agree. Most projects that offer a percentage of profit usually don't pay because of the reasons you stated. I'd say more than half of these types of projects never pay out like you expect.
A better approach: Look at a performance-based arrangement only after you and the client have done a fee-based project first.
Ryan
Here's one: we sent a proposal to a prospect, they changed it, changed it again, then we went over the terms on the phone, and e-mail, then there was a meeting over lunch. Then another meeting, and another, and another, and finally a meeting with two more people from the company we'd never met before. We did work with them for two months. The experience was a nightmare. The deal ended early, but we did get paid. The reason for the multiple meetings? Who knows, but we'll never take on anyone else who “works” that way.
Bummer! Bad enough when it's one issues per client. :-)
Just checked out that site. Hilarious. I love this one: “This is everything we asked for but not what we wanted.” Haha! Too true.
Ryan
Mike,
I'm in the same boat. More than half of the performance-based projects I've agreed to worked for the client, but not for me. They made money, then conveniently “forgot” to pay me.
Also, if a client says, “If you're really as good as you say you are, then you'll be comfortable with doing this on a % basis.”
You could come back with, “And if you're really as serious as you say you are, then you'll pay my full fee.” ;-)
Ryan
LC,
Great example.
I believe in handshake deals with simple written agreements to back them up.
If a client is a pain in the butt BEFORE you've even agreed to terms, then they're definitely going to be a pain in the butt AFTER the project starts.
Ryan
I went through the “it's what we asked for, but not what we wanted,” myself, as a custom programmer. I ended up suing for the money, plus interest. I won, and still never got paid. Of course, they owner was stealing from the bill collection company he ran, and I was working for. I'll never work for a bill collection firm again.
Whew! That's a double-whammy. Suing, winning, and still not getting paid? Incredible. There should be a blacklist for clients like that. :-)
Actually they will be a bigger PIA after the project starts because they can only mask for so long. Remember, before you've agreed to terms everybody is on their best behavior…
Keith
May I add one?
Red Flag #6
Clients who promise you a cut of their finished product.
This rarely happens either because the client never launches because they have no skin in the game or you just don't see your cut. ;)
I am not an attorney and therefore can not give legal counsel BUT…you can sue and win but the court will not enforce collection of the debt. There are other ways of doing that. The court order is just the first step.
Here's one I'll add to the list:
The very first question from the new client is, “How many revisions do you allow?” Not cost, not turnaround time, not experience… revisions!
Asking about revisions is a fair question. But as the very first question? That should have been a clue to me, but I went in anyway.
Turns out she was the smart one because she was never truly happy with anything… or anyone. I was one in a long line of people she had worked with. She knew she was going to need loads of revisions which is why is what her most important question when we first talked.
After the first project, I politely fired her as a client. I could see how this was going to play out each time.
It wasn't that she wasn't a nice person or was impolite each time she settled on something and then changed her mind… she just was never 100% sure what she wanted, even when she told you what she thought she wanted.
While I could have simply charged more to take excessive revisions into account, what she really needed was a full-time designer to work with her, not a freelancer with other clients.
Of course, the funny thing was, she already had a full-time designer in the company, but wasn't happy with her stuff, either.
Thanks for sharing that story, Mike. What an odd first question to ask!
I had a bad experience with a guy who kept asking for revisions — sometimes a single adjective or noun — and just drove me nuts after a while.
He was a perfect example of “The Client Who Cannot Be Pleased.” :-)
Now I write into my contract that I will make revisions one time and that requested revisions must be submitted within 30 days of date I send first draft copy.
Ryan
I can just imagine freelancers talkin' smack: “My PIA is bigger than yours…”
Ryan
Ryan,
These are really good points – and the points from the replies are equally valid.
Excellent post.
Thanks for your comment and link, Jeff. Yep – clients who change your work and then blame you for failure are the worst.
I remember the story of a client who changed the subject line of an email to “Buy This Book” and then got pissed at the copywriter when the promotion bombed. Go figure.
Ryan
Fire a client who changes your work and insists you use his writing. As a direct mail writer I listen to client suggestions carefully and follow the ones I think will make the package I've written draw more response. But some clients want to step all over the package you've written and inject their own thoughts, as random as some are.
While I tell clients sure, it's their package — and I can place their words where they want, my only thoughts are to get the MAXIMUM response, and by using their material it may reduce the draw. This is soon forgotten by most and if the direct package doesn't get the response they think it should they always look at me and I'm charged with the error.
I've written an article that may be helpful to your readers. If I may be so bold, here's the description and the link:
When do you fire a customer… early, before he does some really annoying stuff and gets on your nerves, or later-on after he finds out you've been sleeping with his wife? Here's a funny look at when to pull the trigger. Written on assignment for a magazine serving the office products industry. http://www.danielleadams.com/When_to_fire_a_cus…
It's interesting because the scammers even exist on sites like elance; these sites go to great lengths to protect freelancers but one “client” tried to sneak through the fence. This client wanted me to write copy before officially assigning the project. He wanted to have a 'beauty contest' then pick the winner. Total waste of time…
Hey Ryan:
Great blog post! This discussion could easily be turned into a great book, “How to Avoid Nightmare Clients” and serve as required reading for all copywriters and entrepreneurs alike. I myself have written a series of “Deal Killer” articles for the Product Launch world and one super important detail nobody mentioned was the “Opportunity Cost” of wasting time with deadbeat clients. It was Chris Haddad who taught me that the sooner I filtered out the tire-kickers the more time I would have to nurture existing client relationships. I had never even heard of the term “Opportunity Cost” up to that point and it totally changed my perspective and career. In addition to the “Deal Killer” behaviors you mentioned above, I would add the following:
1: Beware of the “Savior Client.” We're not super heroes and can't save anybody's failing business no matter how much they cry about it.
2: Does your Client's product Suck? I know it's an obvious one but it's easily forgotten.
3: Avoid the “I Won't Pay Anything Up Front” Client
4: The “Fearful Conquistador” is the client who talks about grandiose schemes to take over the world with their biz but whose behavior indicates the exact opposite.
5: The “Disciple” Client is the one who doesn't understand jack about copywriting. He/she therefore undervalues what he doesn't understand and won't pay you what you ask for. It's essentially a variation of your “Red Flag #2: Client says, “It should be really easy for you.”
Anyway, I could go on for days about this but the most important thing is avoiding opportunity costs. The longer we spend with deadbeats the more time and money we lose acquiring qualified clients.
Thanks again for such an awesome and insightful post. We truly should write a book about this stuff. It's simply invaluable.
peace
Ryan
SAVED!!
I just read your extraordinarly fine article on Michel Fortin's blog about information addiction. and snake oil marketers. Phew. You have saved many from a fate worse than death Sir!
Here's the article in case folks can't find it:
http://www.michelfortin.com/people-addicted-inf…
My best
Jonathan
Thanks, Jonathan! Appreciate your comment and taking time to read my guest post. :-)
Hey Jeff,
Understanding “opportunity cost” is really important. I remember learning the concept back in high school as part of an economics class. I've been fascinated by economics ever since. :-)
Thanks for the additional “red flags” to look for. Good stuff!
Ryan
Amazing that somebody would try to abuse the process of a well-known jobs site. Criminals are some of the most creative people on earth. :-)
Thank you for adding that important 5th red flag. As a new kid on the (copywriter’s) block I find this wonderfully helpful….. as a veteran in the business world, I have to say that is also true across the majority of businesses.
You’re welcome, Charla! Glad you found it helpful.
Great article Ryan.
Thanks, Mike!
P.S. You left a great comment on this article back in 2010… just scroll up to re-read it. :-)
Ryan, I read your email every morning mainly for the business part of it…I’m actually a plumber. Every one of these Red Flags you have written has happened to me! Thank you for this insight!
Hey Brent – That just proves these red flags aren’t isolated to just freelance copywriters. Thanks for commenting! :-)
Client #2 under the Red Flag #5 section describes my boss perfectly! How much you charge to write a resume? ;)
Haha… I actually used to write resumes for a short time for some extra income!
I bet Client #2 is actually fairly common. (Unfortunately.)
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