In our previous blog post we discussed “The Truth About What to Do When Clients Don’t Play Nice”. Most likely, you will never even land a client who is abusive and will not have to worry about how to let go of problem clients.
However, there are other issues that may make you decide you need to jettison a client. The trick is to do so without burning bridges or creating ill will (though nobody likes being terminated, of course – neither client nor service provider).
One of the best things you can do is hand a client on to another service provider who is better suited to the client’s needs. (You’ll create goodwill on both the part of the client and the new service provider.)
Let Go of Problem Clients
One of the worst mistakes you can make is to keep hanging on to a client who consistently loses you time and money. You need to find a way to let go of problem clients.
This isn’t the only disadvantage this type of client brings. If he is eating away at your time and knocking your energy flat, he is also negatively impacting your other projects for your other clients.
And it’s a strange but true phenomenon – ask any business peer – that the most demanding and unreasonable clients are usually those that pay the least.
Says one copywriter: “I got rid of all my 600-word blog post clients because they were the ones always changing their minds about their topics or keywords. Those were the ones wanting rewrites, or insisting I’d got their instructions wrong… They used to knock me so flat, I had trouble starting projects for other clients. It affected my confidence.”
When asked how she had acquired her blog post clients in the first place, she admitted they were “leftovers” from an initial Special Offer she had posted in a niche forum.
“I hung on with them out of gratitude because they were my first customers. But in the end, when I caught myself procrastinating on every job and realized they were still paying the Special Offer rates, I decided to cut them loose – and I’m really glad I did.”
Another virtual assistant recalls one negative client “who was so critical, it almost made me quit my whole business. Then I thought,`hey, I’m doing this so I can work at home and keep my own hours – I don’t need to be treated like a junior employee!’ So I fired her.”
She quickly got her business (and her enthusiasm) back on track, and now says it was “the best thing I ever did.”
Should You Be Assertive?
Becoming objectively assertive is all part of your package. Operate from a positive mindset, and keep your focus on providing solutions. Decide what you will accept from clients – and what you won’t accept. Decide when it is time to let go of problem clients.
Don’t be afraid to let go of problem clients – or ones that simply just don’t fit, and who would be happier with a different service provider – go free.
Growing With Your Client
Check in with your client as your relationship progresses. Keep on top of changes in your client’s business – which it is to be hoped is growing with your expert assistance.
Don’t be afraid to check out assumptions that may no longer apply and ask questions such as:
- “What has changed this year in your business?”
- “Am I still on target with my projects?”
- “What do I need to do, to provide better service?”
- “Are you aware that I am now providing [your new service] in addition to my regular services?”
- “Is your Style Guide still the same, or do I need to be using new templates or style parameters?”
Don’t assume that your client will automatically tell you about radical changes in direction within her business: She’s probably too busy to think – and she’s grown into the habit of relying on you to keep churning out the projects.
Don’t assume also that she will know if you have added extra services; or have extra room to take on more work. ESP is never something you should assume your client practices (and vice versa).
Talk to your client about her goals, and make sure you’re still on board (and both on the same train).
But when it all boils down to the core essential, forget what they say about “adding extra value”. Take care of all the areas we’ve talked about, deliver what you promise (on time) – and you’ll find that extra value has been right there, all the time.
Leave a Reply