But is it?

The way that you talk with your clients can heavily influence their attitude and respect towards you. If you use the right language, and avoid talking yourself into a trap, it’s not too difficult to rid yourself of bad clients forever.

With that lofty goal in mind, here are 12 things you should never say to a client:

1. “We offer everything you could possibly need”

It’s tempting to try to please potential clients by offering everything under the sun, but this rarely works out well. Chances are that your client will see right through the charade and loose trust in you. Or worse, they’ll buy something you never actually wanted to sell.

It’s much better to offer a specific selection of services related to your expertise. You can expand that selection by outsourcing to other freelancers, but you should aim to be very confident in every product you offer.

2. “Okay, I’ll lower my price to $xx.xx”

Many of the people you come across will try to negotiate a lower price. In some rare instances, this can be okay, but for the most part it is better to offer a fixed price and stick with it. When you lower your price you are almost acknowledging that you aren’t worth what you originally asked for — and that’s not good.

Sticking to your original price shows clients that you are confident in what you offer — and typically you’ll be more respected because of it. Not to mention, you’ll be happier with the project and probably do better work too.

3. “Sure, take as long as you need with payment”

Almost every one of us has been in a position of financial difficulty at some point, so it is very difficult not to empathize with people in the same situation. That being said, you still shouldn’t slide on your payment dates.

If a client hires you for something, they should be prepared to pay you on time. It’s not fair to you if they don’t, and it shows them that it is an acceptable practice, which it isn’t. Of course, you should evaluate your specific situation before deciding exactly what to do.

4. “Yea, we can include that in the project”

One of the most popular past-times of bad clients is the “feature creep” or “expanding scope” game. The object of the game is to get the best deal by slowly adding in little requests and new features to an existing project. If you play along, even a little, chances are you’re going to be ripped off by a client who probably got a bargain in the first place.

The key to winning this game (well, being fair, actually) is to expand on the above line and say “Okay, we can include that in the project. The additional cost will be $xx.xx” This way you are offering to help the client, while at the same time being fair to yourself.

5. “That won’t take long, I’ll do it for free”

The situation behind this line is similar to the one above. A client is basically looking to take advantage of you by asking for a small little favor.

Sometimes you’ll want to do little favors for your clients, but in most cases you should offer to do it in return for payment. The hassle of sending out a tiny bill is well worth the peace of mind you’ll get by having a client who actually thinks before sending ‘favors’ your way.

6. “Sorry, we don’t do that”

While you should never tell a client you can do everything, you should also never flatly tell them you can’t do something. Instead, make a recommendation for another firm, or tell them you’ll see if you can find someone who can do it.

This practice helps out everyone. Other freelancers get more business, your client gets the services they need, and it also makes you more helpful to your client. It’s a win-win-win situation :-)

7. “One time, I had this client who…”

Believe it or not, there are a lot of business people who tell stories about their crappy clients — to their current clients. If this is something you have the tendency to do, you should work hard to stop quickly.

Telling horror stories about old clients only serves to make other people nervous and you look bad. Your clients will wonder why they are working with you, and it is possible they will even get offended at something you say (if they agree with your old client).

8. “Of course, you can call me any time”

Always specify your business hours! One of the worst situations is when a client starts calling you at night or during the weekend — it can drain your time and rapidly accelerate burnout or frustration.

Luckily, there is an easy fix. Always specify exactly when clients can call you, and never answer client calls outside of that window. Your clients will quickly learn your hours and probably even respect you more because of them.

9. “I really need this project”

It’s something about human nature — everyone wants to get the best deal. If you tell a client that you really need more work from them, they are probably going to exploit that fact and you’ll end up at the wrong end of a bad project.

Even if you’re really desperate for work, it’s usually better not to show your clients and prospects. What you can do instead is lower your prices a carefully determined amount before hand and then go out and sell to clients/prospects.

10. “You should do it my way, I’m the expert”

As tempting as it is to remind people that they hired you, and you know best, it simply isn’t good business practice. Instead of telling them they can’t have it their way, try offer a new suggestion along with a reason why you think it is better.

If the client still doesn’t agree, do it there way. If it is something you just can’t do, give them an exact reason why and do it as politely as possible.

11. “It’s not my fault, you didn’t _______”

Even if a client is at fault for a project getting derailed, don’t throw blame around. It’s much better to simply inform them that what’s done is done and on the next project you can both move things along faster.

If a client starts getting angry, calmly remind them that you explained the process before starting (you did explain it to them, didn’t you?), and that you stayed within your allotted time. Unfortunately, there’s not much else you can do.

12. “I can finish that as soon as you want”

Never set yourself up for this trap. As soon as you say you can do something as fast as the client needs it, they will not only set a ridiculously aggressive schedule, but they’ll also expect you to work at that pace 100% of the time.

It’s much better to give them a realistic time frame, even if it seems way too long. Not only will it help you stay sane, but you then have the opportunity to finish ahead of schedule and exceed their expectations.

In the end, it comes down to standing your ground and being fair to both you and your client. Even though some may not like it at first, sticking to your principles will ensure a much better client relationship over the long run.

So, have you used any of these lines before? What was the result?

Mason Hipp

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About the author: Mason Hipp is an entrepreneur, small business marketing guru, and writer. He blogs about marketing and small business at the SmallFuel Marketing Blog.

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]]>Most people in business will attest to having some clients that are completely awesome, and some clients that just plain stink. With the wide variety of people out there, it seems like this is a fact of life. But is it? The way that you talk with your clients can heavily influence their attitude and respect towards [...]http://freelancefolder.com/12-things-you-should-never-say-to-a-client/feed/http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=freelancefolder&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffreelancefolder.com%2F12-things-you-should-never-say-to-a-client%2Fhttp://freelancefolder.com/12-things-you-should-never-say-to-a-client/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/freelancefolder/~3/381279848/FreelancingNewsTips And TricksLaura SpencerTue, 26 Aug 2008 10:02:25 -0500http://freelancefolder.com/?p=1036I have a confession to make. As a child, I grew up watching repeats of I Love Lucy.

One thing that I could count on every time I watched an episode is that I would end up laughing. Little did I know that I was also picking up on valuable truths that would serve me for a lifetime.

As a daffy and zany housewife, Lucille Ball’s character would seem to be the last place that a freelancer could find business tips. Well, if you’re thinking that, then you are wrong. Not only are there lessons to be learned from the I Love Lucy television series, there are also lessons to be learned from Lucille Ball’s life. Here are a few of them:

1. Be Universal. What made the I Love Lucy show stand out among the comedies of its day was that Lucy touched on day-to-day issues - issues that still concern us - and made them seem less serious. The universal appeal of the television show gave it one of the widest audiences that a television comedy has ever had.

   For the freelancer: There’s currently a debate about whether specialization is a good thing or a bad thing for a freelancer. Lucille Ball had a specialty – comedy. But, at the same time, her material appealed to everyone. As freelancers, we should make sure that we haven’t painted ourselves too tightly into a box.

2. Try New Things. On the show, Lucy Ricardo was willing to try just about anything once. From running a dress shop to becoming a spokeswoman for “Vitameatavegamin” to her willingness to audition for one of Ricky’s shows (again and again). Lucy was fearless when it comes to trying new things.

   For the freelancer: It may feel like I’m up on my soapbox again and I probably am, but a freelancer who is won’t try new things is a freelancer that is going out of business. The market is constantly changing and it’s important to keep up with it.

3. Don’t Give Up. Lucy Ricardo was not a quitter. In fact, her dogged determination lends humor to many episodes because she simply refuses to give in. Evidently, Lucille Ball shared her perseverance. From some accounts, Lucille Ball was sent home from drama school because her teachers felt that she would never make it as an actress, yet she didn’t give up on her dream.

   For the freelancer: Quitting is one way to absolutely guarantee your failure. If you find yourself rejected or face an obstacle, figure out what went wrong and try again.

4. Be More Than What You Seem. Who could imagine that the actress behind the bumbling and daffy Lucy Ricardo character on television was actually a shrewd and savvy businesswoman? Lucille Ball played a major role in her own success and wound up being the first woman to own a production studio.

   For the freelancer: It’s better to have too many skills or too much knowledge than to have too few skills or too little knowledge. Likewise, it’s better to over deliver on a project than to under deliver.

5. Everyone Needs a Friend. What would Lucy Ricardo have been without Ethel Mertz? Sure, Ethel played the straight character to Lucy’s zany one – but the underlying truth behind the show is that friendship is important. Ethel and Lucy might have had their differences, but in the end they always made up.

   For the freelancer: As a freelancer, it’s easy to get wrapped up in your work – so wrapped up that you forget to spend time with those folks who are important in your life. Don’t let your work life destroy your personal life.

6. Laughter Is Good For You. One of the greatest things about the I Love Lucy series is its ability to raise the spirits. The characters themselves understood the value of laughter and often an episode of the television series ended with Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred all in laughter after they had unraveled a misunderstanding.

   For the freelancer: Humor can get you through a lot of tough times. In my opinion, the ability to laugh at yourself is one of the key ingredients of success.
   
   

7. Be Yourself. Lucille Ball was an original. From her bright red hair to her silly costumes to her loud laugh, there was no mistaking her for someone else. Against the network’s wishes, she insisted on starring with her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz. If there had been a rulebook for becoming a star in her era, Lucy probably would have broken every rule.

   For the freelancer: There are a lot of well-meaning people (sometimes including yours truly) who are only too happy to tell you what you should do. The truth is, you’re already an expert at something – being yourself. Why not take advantage of that?

There are a lot of business lessons that can be learned by examining the lives of others — many people have done the things we want to do and have a lot of experience to show for it. Do you have any role models that you look up to for inspiration?

Laura

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About the author: Laura Spencer is a freelance writer from North Central Texas with over 18 years of professional business writing experience. If you liked this post, then you may also enjoy Laura’s blog about her freelance writing experiences, WritingThoughts.

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]]>I have a confession to make. As a child, I grew up watching repeats of I Love Lucy. One thing that I could count on every time I watched an episode is that I would end up laughing. Little did I know that I was also picking up on valuable truths that would serve me for [...]http://freelancefolder.com/what-i-learned-about-freelancing-from-lucille-ball/feed/http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=freelancefolder&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffreelancefolder.com%2Fwhat-i-learned-about-freelancing-from-lucille-ball%2Fhttp://freelancefolder.com/what-i-learned-about-freelancing-from-lucille-ball/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/freelancefolder/~3/381279849/FreelancingNewsOpen ThreadMason HippMon, 25 Aug 2008 08:54:24 -0500http://freelancefolder.com/?p=1031Okay, so we’re all freelancers here — let’s talk frankly. Freelancing may be one of the better things in life, but it sure isn’t perfect. In fact, some parts of freelancing just plain suck.

Come on, admit it. People asking you to work at all hours of the day? Collecting payment from clients? Dealing with someone who hires you and then forces you to do it their way? Keeping the books and filing taxes? Constantly trying to find new jobs and more work?

Miraculously accomplishing all of the above, while supporting your family, and still being treated with less respect than someone who has a job?

So, I pose the following question:

What’s your least favorite part of freelancing — and how do you deal with it?

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]]>Okay, so we’re all freelancers here — let’s talk frankly. Freelancing may be one of the better things in life, but it sure isn’t perfect. In fact, some parts of freelancing just plain suck. Come on, admit it. People asking you to work at all hours of the day? Collecting payment from clients? Dealing with someone [...]http://freelancefolder.com/open-thread-whats-your-least-favorite-part-of-freelancing/feed/http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=freelancefolder&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffreelancefolder.com%2Fopen-thread-whats-your-least-favorite-part-of-freelancing%2Fhttp://freelancefolder.com/open-thread-whats-your-least-favorite-part-of-freelancing/http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetFeedData?uri=freelancefolder