When the Client Gets in the Way
Unfortunately the old adage, “the customer is always right” applies to freelance writing. Or does it? In theory, a client has come to you, the expert, with a writing problem that needs to be solved. They recognize you as an expert otherwise they wouldn’t be there. So what do you do when they don’t want to follow your advice?
As a freelance writer you are in the position of having to delivery a quality product based on the guidelines given you by the client. Sometimes the direction is fairly clear. The project is straightforward and at its conclusion, both writer and client move on. Ideal scenario, right? Not necessarily rare but probably not the norm, either.
Here’s the thing. We want to be helpful, we want to do a great job for the folks who invest their trust (and money) to us. What do we do when the client insists on handling a project in a way that may be detrimental to the success of their end goal?
It puts the freelance writer in a bad position. If we give the client exactly what they want and the project ultimately doesn’t provide the results the client wants, then the client may hold that the result is due to your writing. It would also be poor form for the writer to give a great big, “I told you so.”
How have you handled these kinds of situations?
Here is the system I use when it looks like the client wants to head down a road that has disaster written all over it:
- Clarify. Make certain you really understand the project
- Question. What is the client going to be doing with the final deliverable? Is this a synopsis to be shopped to editors, is it copy for a landing page that will serve as ad copy?
- Suggest. Base your suggestions on your experiences. Remember, you are the expert. Get that point across, as tactfully as possible. In these kind of scenarios, you are now a salesperson, selling the client on the correct way to proceed.
- Provide Alternatives. I have had situations where when I delivered the final, I also delivered an alternative version with the caveat that they may want to consider version two as an alternative. Yes, it may be more work, but sometimes it will help the client to see the light. It also shows a level of caring that may win the client over into a returning customer.
If you look closely, you’ll see there is a common thread in this system. It is the thread of communication. We talk about that a lot here at Freelance Writing (The Writer’s Manifesto). Communication is the key to success and in these kinds of situations it is crucial.
I’m interested in knowing how you have handled these types of situations. What tips do you have that have worked for you in the past? As well, what have you tried that hasn’t worked, and why didn’t it?
Posted by George
About the Author: A writer living in Alaska. A simple man with few passions: My daughter, writing, soccer and now and then a good cigar.
Allyn | Oct 4, 2009 | Reply
This particular problem happens in most customer-driven businesses methinks. When I first began online I did quite a big of freelance writing for roughly 8 large clients and a handful of smaller ones. It seemed that the smaller clients (those who gave me around 4 hours of work per month) were the most “challenging” to appease, and thus the troubles they brought became “not worth the money.”
What I am getting at is that I eventually decided to drop certain clients and told them very bluntly “you don’t deserve me.”
Some people would call that “just plain dumb” but in the end, I was able to provide better quality for my “hassle free” clients and still keep my hair from falling out.
I don’t do any freelance writing anymore as I have found easier ways to make money, but my point is that I don’t have the patience to deal with difficult clients, so I just drop them.
I think I am lucky that I was/am in a position to do that.
AL
tumblemoose | Oct 4, 2009 | Reply
Allyn,
Your comment is spot on and exactly what I was driving at. often it does seem as if the smaller jobs are indeed related to the most difficult clients.
Good on you for figuring it out early on and I’m glad you’ve found another way to earn income.
Thanks for dropping by.
George
Monika | Oct 5, 2009 | Reply
@ Allyn: Good to hear you got an alternative income stream that is better suited to you than freelance writing. Despite what you said I have to comment on your “easier ways to make money” comment because they could be seen as free lunch by some, and you and I both know there is no such thing as free lunch or easy money.
I have a feeling that you are probably involved in niche marketing since you are a Griz/Vic club member (good on you
) but even so you have to build niches up to make them profitable and that is not ‘easy’. You still have to research, build your sites, build links and monitor the performance. That takes time just like writing an article or blog post.
There are two kinds of freelance writers; one struggles and keeps working for peanuts. This type of writer spends his or her days working for next to nothing. The other type uses the power of others through outsourcing to make money hands-free (or close to.) It is ONLY through the power of outsourcing freelance writing as a business becomes really profitable in regards to the time and effort you put into a business.
Like you, I have sacked some clients myself and it feels great to do so. Last week I sacked one who didn’t want to be sacked and eventually came back to work with me on my terms. Funny that
.
I definitely agree with you on the observation that small clients are a lot harder to serve. This is an observation I have made a long time ago and to date my smallest clients are also the one that require the most hand-holding.
Allyn | Oct 6, 2009 | Reply
Hi guys, wow, I certainly hope I did not offend anyone with my comment above. I probably should not have used the term “easier ways to make money.”
I should have said “ways better suited to my own wants and needs.”
I love to write, but I don’t like dealing with clients/customers and this post hit home for me. I get enough customer interaction in my corp day job and don’t want my online biz to take on that same flavor.
You are right, Monika; the niche marketing side is def not “easy” and in fact, is very difficult. I guess that because I enjoy it, it seems easy to me.
I still like reading this blog, so keep the good posts coming!
AL
Monika | Oct 7, 2009 | Reply
@ Allyn: No offense taken at all. I’m totally with you on the niche marketing and also how it is hard to handle certain clients. But then I’m pretty ruthless these days anyway. If clients piss me off, they are out. I’m in a position where I can afford to be picky, thanks to putting in the groundwork. I’m earning money with my niches too but at this stage it is a side business because I simply don’t have the time to build the sites with the speed I’d like to.
In the end I’m loving what I do and that is key to anything we do, regardless whether it is niche marketing, writing , website building or else. BTW, love your site Allyn. I know why you are one of the ‘Griz’ crowd. Honest and down to earth people always connect with one another.
Mark | Oct 8, 2009 | Reply
That goat knows what happened to the hamster.
Avery | Nov 6, 2009 | Reply
So I guess it’s safe to say that the big, easy to work with clients got where they are because they do in fact put their trust in people who excel at their craft? I wonder if the reality isn’t quite so simple though. Perhaps small businesses micromanage freelancers because they’re accustomed to wearing so many hats to keep their daily operations moving so it would seem only natural to do so in regards to the writing and design. The larger businesses have each employee in their own niche duties and may not be accustomed to performing outside of the range of their job description or may just be too indifferent to care either way.
Doesn’t make being micromanaged any less aggravating but, if you believe this to be true, it may help you to be more sympathetic to your clients when they’re being especially frustrating.
Monika | Nov 7, 2009 | Reply
@ Avery: I see where you are coming from with this comment Avery and I agree. I think George meant this in regards to how he sees some of his clients doing the wrong thing, despite his advice.
But like you said, many small business entrepreneurs are forced to micromanage their employees, whether they are a full time or part time staff.
I see this in my own business. Since small businesses have less available cash flow than large corporations they need to make sure things run smoothly and this includes micromanaging people, whether they like it or not.
Having said that, if their work is satisfactory then there is no need to interfere.
But the scope of this article was in regards to seeing clients doing the wrong thing for their business, despite his advice to change tactics – and since George is the pro and the client doesn’t want to listen, it becomes frustrating to see him waste good money down the drain.
In the end we all have to experience our own failures before we can reach success.