Why I Turned Down 3 Copywriting Clients This Week
They even offered to pay a premium, so it is not about the money.
It is funny how the life of a freelance copywriter can turn 180 degrees within a matter of days.
Just last Friday, I had 3 clients who rejected the proposal of work I presented. They commented that the entire package is too expensive, takes too long to cook, and politely told me that I was out to rob their family fortune of $500.
And then, there was yesterday. I had 3 clients so openly eager to throw dollars and dimes at me within the first call. I thought I’d made it big. It is raining money!
My malfunctioned brain kicked into full gear after a fraction of a second.
“The deal is too good to be true, Aldric. What is the catch?”
Client 1 — A Peer Passing on an Annoying Client Because He Can No Longer Handle Them
I probed. Jeremy spilled.
This young man was honest. He did not bother concealing his problem.
Jeremy signed on a mosquito. And this tiny insect with wings is out to suck him dry.
“Please, Aldric. PLEASE. No one else I spoke to is willing to take on this client. You are my last hope. I will pay you the entire quantum of the deal plus an additional 10% to take this client away from me. Help me, please.”
I paused when Jeremy said that. Truth be told, 100 red flags have been raised in my mind even before he ended his statement.
“Jeremy, I cannot take this client from you. I am booked for copywriting projects till May this year, and I am not looking to take on new clients today. But come, I will buy you a beer.”
Be smart. Extend the olive branch only when you have the capacity to, otherwise you risk your freelancing reputation, existing clients, and your buddy.
Client 2 — The Client Who Has No Time For Review, Audit, and Wants a 100% Outsourcing Solution.
“Aldric, I have no time for this assignment. I will pay you 5% more than the market rate to get this done. Say yes now, and we deal.”
Now, I love hands-off clients.
But there are hands-off clients, and there are those who will leave you alone for 90% of the time only to return and bite your ass during the final payment.
Does the following sound familiar?
First 10% payment in March: Good job. Good job (without checking).
Next 50% payment in April: Yup, yup, okay, okay (again, without checking).
Final 40% payment in May: No, no. I cannot accept this because it does not meet our requirements today. You must change, update, resubmit without charging additional fees.
OR.
Final 40% payment in May: No, no. Jacob is not the right person to review the deliverable. I am. We need to revisit all drafts submitted.
Yes, being paid for our work is instrumental to our freelancing career. But so is clarity. You want to be sure that the person awarding you the contract is the same one approving the final delivery.
Weirdly, hands-off clients can be a walking disaster.
Be careful.
“Make a valiant effort to resolve the issue, but cut your losses if you have to. Some customers just aren’t worth the headache, heartache, and financial strain.”
Client 3 — The Client Who Throws Money at You in Exchange for Your Complete Obedience
You are bound to meet tyrants, bulldozers, narcissists in your chosen freelancing hustle.
This is not a freelancing / side-hustle problem. This is a people problem.
My first instinct after identifying such personas is to run for the hills. Our pride and confidence will be destroyed by the mid-point of the assignment.
How do I know? Because I just ended a commercial agreement with a bulldozer.
This bulldozer, who shall not be named, is willing to throw gold and silver to hire a copywriter-secretary. He has no interest in listening to my recommendations and requires the copy to be written in a style and manner that makes sense to him but no one else.
It was my mistake to sign him on. I was blinded by the money. I learned that money cannot compensate for my mental health and the destruction of self-confidence.
I finished the assignment and returned every single penny he transferred me.
Then, I wrote him a polite email, basically saying this.
“I will never work for you ever again, A-hole.”
Summary
I love to get more clients for my copywriting projects.
Don’t get me wrong on this. With clients come paid assignments. And I am proud to earn money doing my own thing.
However, there are CLIENTS, and THERE are clients.
Some clients are just too difficult for us to handle, and the thought of speaking to them causes depression for the entire day.
I have a simple solution for you if you have such clients.
Cut them off at all costs.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
