How to Professionally “Break Up” With a Client
Cutting ties is tough, but worth it.
Photo: ColorJoy Stock
As a business owner, your natural inclination may be to please clients, and it can be tempting to fall into the trap of taking any client that wants to work with you. The hustle is addictive. And the thought of saying “no” is scary, especially when faced with the uncertainty of when your next client will be locked down. But while cultivating and growing your clientele, your list of frustrations might follow suit.
PSA: There will likely come a time when you’ll want to cut ties with some clients. It might be something you’ve been considering for a while now as a result of clients behaving badly (hello, unpaid invoices), or maybe you’ve simply become too busy and need to edit your client base (high five, boss). Whatever the reason, it’s uncomfortable AF. And considering your reputation is on the line, you’ll need to finesse this difficult convo.
So to help you manage your business relationships and determine which clients are giving you good vibes and which ones deserve “goodbyes,” we spoke with Andrea Crisp, a life coach, host of "The Couragecast," and author of “Designed With Purpose.”
Is it time to break up with a client?
According to Crisp, here are six signs you are subconsciously done with a client:
1. You feel completely drained after having a conversation with them because you rehash the same thing over and over.
2. You work overtime trying to please them when it becomes apparent no one can satisfy them.
3. You find yourself watching the clock every time you have a meeting with them.
4. You believe there is no amount of money in the world that makes working with them worthwhile.
5. You contemplate going back to your 9-to-5, just to escape this client’s requests.
6. You stop billing them in the hopes that they don’t contact you again.
And here are six signs that a client is giving you life:
1. You are willing to put aside time to work on a project; in fact, you look forward to it, even on weekends or at 3 a.m.
2. You feel compelled by the cause and are passionate about the impact it is making.
3. You are fueled by every conversation. Every time you speak with the client you are motivated and energized and feel even more creative.
4. You think of ways to help them, even during your “me” time.
5. You are on the same wavelength and kinda want to be their BFF.
6. You are willing to go the extra mile for them, even though it’s not part of your mandate.
How do you break up with a client (and prevent it from happening in the first place)?
If you’re starting to feel the “cons” outweighing the “pros,” it’s time to release these clients—and release yourself in the process.
Here are some ways to do so:
Set boundaries right from the start
This not only helps you as an entrepreneur, but also gives clear guidelines to your clients as to when they can expect work to be done, and when they can expect you to respond to their emails, texts, and calls. So you avoid receiving emails on weekends (if that’s not part of your mandate) and avoid anxiety-inducing emails with subject lines that read: “Urgent: need this ASAP.”
“At the beginning of every client relationship, I outline a clear coaching expectation so that my clients are aware of how this relationship will work,” explains Crisp. “It has served me in so many ways. And, I have to constantly remind myself that even if I don’t think a client needs to hear my expectations, I need to say them. It keeps me in check and accountable to my clients, and allows them the freedom to ask the right questions.”
Know your niche
Your dream clients are ideal because you’re passionate about helping them, and your expertise matches their needs and vision. As soon as you take on clients outside of your niche, you have to work harder than ever to figure out what they may need. This becomes super frustrating, as there starts to be a disconnect between your “dream clients” and your “dreaded clients.”
Release yourself from the pressure
Crisp puts it clearly: “Release yourself from the pressure that you need to be everything to everyone. As entrepreneurs, we may want to have all the answers, have the biggest client roster, and have a strong social media following, but in the end, that does not produce results and only pushes us closer to burnout and fatigue. The biggest obstacle that stands in our way of making an impact as female entrepreneurs is ourselves.” Boom.
Give yourself a break, allow yourself to have a day off, turn off your phone. The world will not end. Trust.
Look at your numbers
If you know you simply can’t even with this client anymore, look at your upcoming projects and revenue. Can you afford to let this client go? If this customer is draining you of all your energy and not allowing you to perform at your best, then it sounds like letting them go will help open the window for other awesome clients. And, after all, good clients lead to other good clients. If the client is mistreating you, then you’re better off without them.
Have the difficult conversation
Don’t procrastinate; the longer you put off the inevitable, the harder it will become to have “the talk.” After all, there are times in every relationship, like with your squad, team, or clients that you have to tell the hard truth. This may involve being honest and vulnerable, which can be very difficult.
Face it head-on, take a deep breath and stand tall—you’ve got this.
Don’t look back
Once you make your decision and fire your client, don’t look back. See the situation as a key learning for the future. Upwards and onwards. Trust the process.
When is enough, enough?
The moment you start to believe that you need to fill your calendar with clients out of your niche is the moment you have to work double-time to accommodate their needs.
Don’t go there.
When trying to determine “the last straw,” you have already passed the point of no return. This may sound counterintuitive, but the real question you need to be asking is: “Do you have the confidence and assurance you need to only take clients you want?’
TBH, it really is more about you than them. Ask yourself these tough questions and don’t become addicted to the hustle by taking clients that drain your energy and creative flow.
Another key point is that as you grow, your focus might narrow, which can lead to some clients no longer matching your brand. Recognize when this happens, too, no matter how lovely the client might be.
Remember, a client-supplier relationship is a partnership. And if you’re no longer satisfied with your end of the deal, it might be time to say, “K, bye.”
About the author: Karin Eldor is a coffee-addicted copywriter with a long-time love for all things pop culture, fashion, and tech. Ever since she got her first issues of “YM” (remember that one?) and “Seventeen” in the mail, she was hooked on the world of editorial content. She's a contributor to Forbes, Coveteur, MyDomaine, and more.
This story was originally published on November 28, 2016, and has since been updated.
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Pro Tip: 3 Ways to Land Your Dream Clients Online When You Decide to Go Freelance
We all have to start somewhere.
Photo: Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
“I’m fully booked out with clients — I can’t believe I’m now making more than my 9-5 job!”
This was the email I received from one of my students who had recently completed our online courses and made the leap into freelancing full-time. It’s an incredibly exciting moment in your freelancing career when you’ve figured out how to land your dream clients while doing work that you’re truly passionate about.
Five years ago, I made that same leap myself, starting my own online graphic design studio. It’s also allowed me to travel the world full-time while running my business remotely (15 countries and counting!), and I’ve now taught thousands of women how to do the same.
One of the things I always tell my students is that the key to a financially thriving freelancing business is maintaining a strong client base so that you can generate consistent income. But are you wondering how to get clients as a freelancer?
Aside from the financial freedom of being your own boss, freelancing also allows you the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere: whether that’s from your adorable home office, your favorite local coffee shop, or a co-working space in an exotic location like Bali. Sounds dreamy, right?
If you’re considering freelancing full-time, here are three ways you can find your dream clients online and finally have that financial freedom that has you craving to work from anywhere!
1. Build a Client-Magnetizing Website
Let’s imagine that your dream is to be a successful cupcake baker. Your cupcakes are incredibly delicious, so you decide you want to start a business selling them. It would be a little unprofessional to sell your cupcakes straight out of your home kitchen, right? To have a thriving cupcake business, you need a bakery to showcase your brand and a place for customers to make their orders.
The same goes for your freelancing business. Instead of needing a physical storefront though, you need what I like to call a “virtual storefront.”
This is your client-magnetizing business website, and it’s one of the most crucial elements to attracting your dream clients.
Your website should showcase the following:
The services you offer
Who you’re offering them to (who are your dream clients?)
The benefits and value of working with you
Your portfolio (any examples of your work)
It’s extremely important to have a website before you begin trying to find clients, and I can’t stress this enough. This is a business you’re building, which means it’s important for you to look like one!
“Aside from the financial freedom of being your own boss, freelancing also allows you the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere: whether that’s from your adorable home office, your favorite local coffee shop, or a co-working space in an exotic location like Bali. Sounds dreamy, right?”
2. Use Social Networks to Get Clients... For Free!
I want to bust a common myth here: Once you launch your website, you’ll instantly have an influx of clients begging to work with you. FALSE.
If nobody knows about your website (and your amazing business!), how are they supposed to find you? The key to finding your dream clients as a freelancer is to tap into your own network, then utilize social networking platforms to drive free traffic to your website.
Some of my favorite social networking platforms for finding clients are:
Facebook (specifically Facebook groups)
Instagram
Networking apps like Bumble Biz
You want to make sure that you have your website linked in your profile and that your profile and content clearly showcases your business. Engage authentically with your dream clients like commenting with insightful answers, offer up bits of your expertise, and finally, inquire about working with them.
3. Create a Sales Funnel to Turn Potential Customers into Raving Clients
Now that you’ve got eyes on your business website, it’s time to turn those visitors into paying clients! This is your client sales funnel—and it’s important that this process is professional and efficient so that clients actually want to work with you. That is the goal after all.
Start with a complimentary consultation call, which will allow you to understand what results your potential clients are looking for. This gives you the opportunity to pitch your services as the solution!
It’s also much easier to get a feel for a potential client’s personality and communication style to make sure this person is, in fact, your dream client.
Next, is following up your call with a formal proposal, which will include things like the project timeframe, cost, and a detailed breakdown of the services that are included. Finally, have your client sign a contract to lay out the legal terms and conditions of the project. Boom—dream client officially landed!
Guess what? By utilizing these steps, you’ll be taking the proactive and professional approach to landing your dream clients that most newbie freelancers shy away from doing. I guarantee you’ll soon find yourself saying, “I’m fully booked out with clients!” in your freelancing business too. We all have to start somewhere in our client-finding search, and that somewhere for you? It starts today.
About the Author: Cassie Torrecillas is the CEO and co-founder of the Bucketlist Bombshells, an online educational community that equips millennial women with the confidence, skills, and business foundation to start a service-based online business, giving them the freedom to work remotely from anywhere in the world. She’s been featured on Forbes and CNBC as she and her business partner lead their community of over 70,000 location-independent female entrepreneurs. If you’re curious about starting your own online business, sign up for their free course here.
This post was published on May 21, 2019, and has since been updated.
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Know Your Worth—How to Calculate Your Hourly Rate As a Freelancer
Get that money.
When I started freelancing in 2014, determining my hourly rate was pretty daunting. What’s too high? What’s too low? Will this be enough to support my monthly bills? When someone has a full-time job, they’re given a salary that sets a financial road in place for raises, promotions and new positions ahead. When that person starts freelancing, a new road is set before them with a million different turns to take.
There’s an actual formula I recommend to anyone needing guidance in determining their rate as a freelancer. It starts by researching the salary you would ideally have if you were employed full-time for the services you look to provide your clients. For example, at the time this article was written the average national salary for a full-time marketing manager is around $80,000 according to glassdoor.com. If a person wants to freelance their marketing skills and is at a manager level in years of experience and general expertise, this is a good number for them to use for our freelance formula and it looks a little something like this.
From here, round that number to the nearest five. So in this case, the hourly rate is $85. Now that you have your hourly rate, it’s up to you to determine if that number will provide enough financial stability for your needs and the amount of hours you want to work. Whether you charge less or more is entirely up to you. You may charge less if you want to work with a client that has a smaller budget, or charge more if you specialize in a high-demand field of work. This formula is intended to give you a starting point to determine an hourly rate that is reflective of your value and what you can provide your clients with it.
Use the freelance hourly rate calculator to determine your hourly rate.
Another approach to freelancing is offering flat fees for routine services. For example, a graphic designer will more than likely be hired for designing repeat services like logos, business cards and social media headers. If that designer knows it takes an average of 10 hours to design a logo, they can use their hourly rate (let’s say it’s $45) to determine a flat fee of $450 for their logo design service and so on.
Also remember that as a self-employed person, you are responsible for taking out your own taxes, contributing to your own retirement plan and paying for health insurance. This is why we multiply by two to get our final rate. So if the number sounds higher than you anticipated, it’s for good reason.
By: Audrey Adair
Audrey Adair is a freelance communications consultant and founder of The Scope - a website providing resources and community for the self-employed. She had the idea for The Scope after about a hundred different people asked her the same exact question, “How do I do what you do?” With the freelance economy predicted to make up half of the total US workforce within the next decade, it's her goal to provide aspiring independent talent with the know-how and confidence to take on this burgeoning and in-demand industry.
This post was originally published on October 17, 2018, and has since been updated.
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