Comments on: Breaking Up With a Client is Hard to Do

By: Colleen

Colleen — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:22:09 +0000

I absolutely love my job for this very reason. Aside from the flexible schedule, more time with my kids and getting to write (my favorite thing to do) all day long, I also get to pick and choose who I work for. Hate your boss? Fire her! (In a calm and professional way, of course)

The first time I had to break up with a client I was so afraid. I was just starting out and I didn’t have a lot of business at the time. I stated my reasons in a very professional and straight forward tone. (They didn’t pay on time and I had a couple other gripes.) And like so many other writers, as soon as I made the break I found another new client waiting in my inbox offering higher pay, less work and more interesting topics.

By: Katy

Katy — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:59:04 +0000

I just broke up with a client yesterday. This has been a long-term client and they were my first sort of big client. But they’ve always been difficult and…just really strange people to work with. Lately they’ve become increasingly rude to me and, as my business has increased, they are my lowest paying client. After a particularly shocking email string this week I just decided they weren’t worth the mental anguish anymore and wrote to them saying this current project would be my last.

I kept the letter very positive and didn’t mention any of the things I am angry about, just told them my business was expanding and moving in a different direction. I was nervous to sever the tie and the stream of income, but as soon as I sent the letter I got a new client offer in my inbox. I took it as a sign that I made the best choice.

We don’t have toooooooo many perks as freelancers, but getting rid of clients who don’t treat us properly is certainly one of the ones we do have.

By: All Freelance Writing: Your Freelance Writing Resource: » Freelance Monday - November 17, 2008

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:09:40 +0000

[...] Breaking Up With a Client is Hard to Do [...]

By: Aurora

Aurora — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 14:55:36 +0000

One constant gig I had been doing on a bi-weekly basis for the better part of four years was going downhill for me. I just knew it was time to move on. It took months to get the nerve up, and I was even a little bit scared. Not being considered for other jobs in the future was a big worry for me. I ended up just very honest about the work and my reasons for not wanting to continue with this specific project. I offered to stay on until the end of the year, giving them a little better than three months to find someone else.

It was relief for me to do this, and the nervousness about ‘breaking up’ was totally unwarranted as, since then, I have received several new opportunities from them. The first break-up you initiate is the hardest of them all! Offering to continue your services until they can find someone else is a good (and professional) thing to do.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:54:50 +0000

I tend to build long-term relationships with clients. But at times they continue to increase the scope of the work without increasing the pay — they expects more research on low-paying work (which was only accepted because little research was required), start getting later with payments (a sign payments could stop altogether), or start making other demands that didn’t exist when relationship first started.

I always attempt to part ways amicably and think I’ve been fairly successful in doing so.

By: Robin Marie

Robin Marie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:45:28 +0000

I had a client I’d been working with for a few months who was horrible to work with, constantly changing his expectations and his instructions. I was frustrated, but hoped it would get better, and wanted to find more work before giving him my notice. About a week after I made that decision, he told me I wasn’t meeting his expectations and fired me. I was frustrated, but when, two days later, he asked me to work for him again because, “I’d more than met his expectations,” I told him I wasn’t interested.

It was obnoxious at the time, but I can laugh about it now.