Dealing with difficult clients is something that every professional has to face at some point in their career. I have found this to definitely be the case as a freelance writer. Even though 99 percent of my clients are fun to work with, there are always some that come along and make things difficult.
Here are three tips that I use when dealing with a difficult client:
1. Do not stoop to their level. Entirely too many people deal with difficult clients by giving them a dose of their own medicine. You should treat every client with respect no matter if they are on your case all the time or extremely easy to work with. There is nothing good that can come from stooping down to the level of your client.
2. Make the expectations clear. Difficult clients often times change their mind from day to day. You should make sure you know exactly what the client expects, and then tell them what you are going to do. It is much easier to stay on track when you verify what the client wants from you. This will do wonders for you, while also making it next to impossible for the client to change things without notice.
3. Do not give the client reason to complain or make things difficult. This goes along with number two. If the expectations are clear, you should be able to deliver high quality content that suits the client’s needs.Â
Will these three tips solve all my problems? Maybe, maybe not. I have found them to be very helpful, and at the very least they should make things a bit easier on you the next time a client gives you trouble.Â
For many, one of the most difficult parts of being a freelance writer is dealing with a fluctuating income. Unlike a more traditional job, working as a freelance writer means that your income will change from month to month. While it may stay in the same range, it will never be identical. Believe it or not, this is one of the main reasons that many people avoid freelancing. Personally, I do not see this as a bad thing but instead a benefit.
As a freelance writer you control your income. Yes, it will change from month to month but you have the ability to more or less control how much you bring in. The harder you work and the better you become the more money you will earn. This is not always the case when working a traditional job. Instead, you will find that your employer only wants to pay you so much no matter how much time you put in.
Even though you will have a steady income when you work for a company, you may reach your peak soon enough and find it hard to advance your career. There is no denying that it can be nerve racking to deal with a fluctuating income. This is particularly true if you have a family, a lot of expenses, etc. But remember the benefits as well. You do not have anybody capping your income. It may fluctuate monthly, but if you work hard you can increase your income over time.Â
If you are not comfortable with a fluctuating income you may want to reconsider joining the freelance writing industry. Even though this can be a drawback, the potential to control your own income should be enough to keep you interested in a career as a freelance writer.
As a freelance writer you have a lot of responsibility. Not only do you need to do what is best for your career, but you have to keep your clients happy at all times as well. If you have several clients, and you probably do, you know that juggling them can be difficult. That being said, you have to find a way to please everybody know matter what circumstances you face. One sure fire way to lose a client is to miss a deadline.
When you miss a deadline you are doing two things. First off, you are putting the client in a very bad position. They set the deadline for a reason, and will probably have to make some changes now that you did not come through for them. Secondly, you are harming your career. If you are not serious about meeting every deadline it is safe to say that your career as a freelance writer will be short lived. This is something that you have to take great pride in. If you say a project will be done by the deadline you need to stick to your word and make sure this happens.
Will a missed deadline always result in losing the client? A lot of it depends on your relationship. Have you worked with the client in the past? Do they trust that you simply made a mistake and that this will never happen again? Some clients will cut you slack. Others will part ways the second that you miss a deadline.
A missed deadline may not always cost you a client, but that doesn’t mean you should be tempted to take the risk. This is your career, and you need to make sure that meeting every deadline is one of your top priorities.Â
