Warning signs you’re about to work with a difficult client.
You are bound to come across a client that is a bit more than a handful. A lot of times you can see red flags before working with them. If you hire anyway there are definitely common traits you can look out for next time.
Once you have worked with your dream client, it’s like night and day and this in itself should be the motivation to say NO to a lead that doesn’t fit or walk away from a project in progress.
First let’s talk about how to prevent working with a difficult client.
Touch Point BEFORE starting a project.
If a lead contacts you through e-mail, get them on the phone or a video Zoom meeting. If they won’t get on either that’s a red flag. The best way to get a feel for someone is by talking to them. Side note, you have a higher chance of converting a lead to a client if you can get them on the phone or Zoom.
Now you have them on the phone or Zoom. Awesome! Leads should be asking a bunch of questions but pay attention to these points:
PRICING
They continue to ask about pricing. Ask for a discount. Even after you have told them about what is included and value they get, they are wanting more justification for your price point. They bring up that it’s cheaper somewhere else. They say their budget is way below your price point.
Consequences of accommodating this client and taking them on anyway:
They will want justification for the work being done the entire project which means that nothing will be good enough. You’ll run into never ending edits.
The ideal client:
After you have explained everything they don’t question your price. They are even happy to pay in full. They are super excited to jump on the project. It’s an easy relationship and process.
COMMUNICATION:
There should always be a meeting touch point in a project and it should be clear if it’s done via email, zoom, etc. It should also be clear how many meetings a clients gets. If a lead is asking how available you are and if they can meet more than the allocated time but doesn’t want to pay extra, this is a red flag.
Consequences of accommodating this client and taking them on anyway:
If there are no boundaries you’ll be on-call day and night. There’s no respect for your time. You’ll be spending more time being “support” than working on the project. It’s time consuming!
The ideal client:
They trust you! They give you the creative freedom and space to do what you’re good at.
Even with the above red flags you’ve decided to take on the client anyway. Here are signs when it might be time to let go:
They are ungrateful
When they reply back to emails after edits are made, they immediately go into more edits. There’s no gratitude for the work and time spent thus far.
They think they know better
This is by far a designers worse nightmare. After spending a lot of time on logo they come back with a logo they made. They ask you for advice but then insist you do it their way. This turns into a hot mess that every designer hates working on.
They micromanage your time
They tell you how long something should take to do as if they know how things work. They say, “It shouldn’t take that long”or it’s just a “super simple….”.
They can’t give you feedback
You can’t get the job done because they aren’t able to articulate the information needed. They ghost you often. This hinders a project timeline.
Know when to walk away
If the client has the above traits it’s very draining mentally. Projects start to overlap because there’s so much accommodation on your end. They are also taking up space of a dream client. A dream client pays, trusts you, lets you do your work and is incredibly grateful for your work and time.
If you’re ready to let go, a simple email or phone call like this works.
Hello name,
After reviewing the remainder of the project, unfortunately at this time I don’t have the capacity to support your project and specific needs.
This decision did not come to me lightly but I think it's best to find someone else that fits your needs. I do want to leave you with some recommendation [optional] and what the next steps are.
[Next steps - files, refund?? etc.]
I wish you all the best. If I can do anything to make the transition smoother please let me know.
Have termination terms in your contract
You should have in your contract how termination works when done by either party. Usually a client pays for the work done thus far regardless of who terminates. In the end it’s up to you on how to handle the finances.
Listen to your gut.
No money is worth your healthy and sanity. If you dread seeing a clients email pop up in your inbox, pay attention to that feeling. You have total control of the energy you allow into your life.
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