When and how to fire a client (plus how to avoid bad clients in the first place)
Maybe fire your client if....
You’re getting underpaid
They don’t pay at all
They nitpick your invoices even after negotiations
They don’t listen to your advice and then expect you to fix their bad idea
They have a bad atttitude
They are unresponsive / bad at communicating
They are a scope creep!
You need more free time from a personal standpoint / you’re too busy. Finish the project first though!
The work is no longer of interest to you
They demand too much time from you. Unrealistic expectations.
They overstep professional boundaries
You’ve exhausted every solution thus far
They’re abusive. Physically. Mentally.
They are dishonest
They keep comparing you to your competition
If they may wrap you up into legal liabilities. For designers, wanting a design extremely similar to something already existing and copyrighted.
How to fire...
Always be polite. You never know where the client will be in 5 years plus don’t want to provide fodder for blackmail
Focus on their interests
Set expectations for next time
Be sure to list out any actions to be taken. Files to transfer. Finances. IP. Things you will or will not finish or do.
State vague personal reasons as to why you cannot continue working. It’s not you it’s me.
Tell them you feel a different provider would be a better fit
You do not have to explain why or justify. If they ask why, a good fallback is to state you simply don’t have the time to devote to their project to complete it at a satisfactory level.
Make sure beforehand that your contract would allow for a breakup midway through a project.
Have premade templates to reduce the stress of what to say
Give them notice so they have time to find a replacement
Tell them what date this is effective on.
If they’re not paying, consider an ultimatum invoice. Pay within X days or the project ends. Make sure this is allowed in the contract.
How to avoid problem clients in the first place
Make your own personal list of dealbreakers
Look for clients who are results based, not money focused
Consider raising your prices. It sets an expectation of value. It will also help filter out money focused clients
Never price match!
Make sure your website is value focused. Make sure the language in your marketing is value focused. (As opposed to talking about how you will save the client money)
Have a contract
Down payments and milestone payments
Have a design brief
Avoid situations with middlemen or multiple people giving feedback
Sources:
https://www.creativelive.com/blog/fire-freelance-client/
https://nicholasreese.com/problem-client-scripts/
https://nicholasreese.com/problem-clients/
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/freelancer-and-entrepreneurs-how-to-fire-clients-without-telling-them-to
https://www.proposify.com/blog/when-and-how-to-fire-a-client
https://www.thebalancesmb.com/when-its-time-to-fire-a-client-2948284
https://www.creativerevolt.com/how-to-fire-a-freelance-writing-client/
https://alvalyn.com/firing-non-paying-client-not-burning-bridge/