Professionally, I refer to myself as a "communications consultant." But in reality, sometimes I think clients and prospects view me as: "sucker who will do anything for money or the promise of it."
Clients expect a lot, especially today, and generally speaking I'm happy to try and satisfy those needs in return for challenging work and a paycheck. However, when you are a freelance writer/marketer/editor/illustrator/designer, it seems like some folks think you're just dying to take their project at any price, under any conditions, because you are a creative and ultimately love what you do and will work at any hour of the day, weekends included, to fulfill your urge to produce meaningful content and change the world. You will even do some pro bono work if pushed. Sometimes all of those things are true —but I still don't like the underlying notion that while the client has lots of boundaries, I seem to have none (in their eyes, anyway).
A few months back, I made contact with a man who owns a startup software company. We had a few phone conversations and he called me into his office for a meeting about a blog that he wanted to produce with my help: one hour to learn about his company seemed like a fine investment of my time. After the meeting, several e-mails and other phone calls ensued with more requests for (apparently free) advice. Finally, I said to him: I think you're ready to get going on this project, so would you please send me over a contract so that we can officially begin work together? No contract materialized. Later, another e-mail appeared, stating that he had to put the blog project on hold to work on some other marketing activities. In my mind, the client was gone—at least for the near term. It happens, c'est la vie. But then, about a month later, I receive an e-mail from the guy, stating: "What happened, are you no longer interested in the blog project?" I replied: "I am indeed still interested, yet your last note to me asked me to hold off for now." I received no further replies or e-mails from him.
What the heck?
I have a real problem with flaky clients —and it seems like they are in ample abundance right now.
I don't put together a strategy plan for free, sorry. I am, however, willing to offer a few getting-started tips— which I did for this guy, to no avail.
Then there's the problem of getting things in writing. It shouldn't be hard -- but sometimes, it's like pulling teeth. A consultant should always have a work contract stating project scope, requirements, and agreed-upon rates and payment schedules. It not only protects the consultant but also the client. A couple of weeks ago, a new client sent over several legal docs for me to sign and fax back immediately. When I asked when I would see a contract for myself, she replied by e-mail: "I've never had this type of a request from freelancers. What exactly do you need? Is this e-mail good enough?"
I don't know, is it? Not for you guys, apparently.
She then went on to say how upright and honest her company is, how everyone always gets paid on time, and so on and so on. That's very nice, but it won't hold up in court. Anyway, I just don't get the big deal here: we're talking about a simple work contract, 200 words or less.
Another new client had a super tight deadline for me to accomplish this week— which I agreed to do, somewhat reluctantly, before our move to Colorado end of next week. The work was supposed to filter into my inbox a few days ago but hasn't appeared yet. Now, I have half the time to complete the project -- and I just don't see how it's going to get done. So I've prepared myself for the next conversation: you're going to need to hire some extra help pronto. I have provided a few reminders about my schedule— as I dutifully should. But I don't see this project ending well for them or for me. To be fair: who knows what's gone wrong here, but I'm expecting that I'll be asked to pick up the slack and if I say no, guilt pangs will certainly attack me in the middle of the night.
And then there's the problem of getting paid on time— don't get me started. But I will, soon, very soon… I have loads and loads of tips from my own experiences and others about how to handle late invoices. Fortunately, this hasn't happened a lot in my career, but enough to make me wonder what I can do to prevent it altogether. Late fees are often in my contracts, but that doesn't usually push a negligent or cash-strapped client to pay me any sooner.
Esteemed client, may I ask: are you late on your rent and utility bills?
Doubtfully. So why can't you just pay me on time, too?
Don't forget: I worked super hard for you, am highly ethical, and have bills to pay as well. This isn't clothing and vacation money—we do actually need to eat around here and buy toilet paper.
At this point you are possibly thinking: wow, is she ever ungrateful. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I am from-the-bottom-of-my-heart thankful for every piece of work that I get these days, and for good clients, I will do everything humanly possible to meet their needs -- as long as it doesn't adversely affect my kids.
There is, however, one thing I can say say with certitude: some clients are worth losing, for your own sanity. Know when to cut the cord, respectfully of course, and work even harder for the clients who treat you well. Because when it's all said and done, the customer's always right (even when they're not).
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Wow, can I relate to this!
ReplyDeleteAs a marketing writer, though, I've put a few things in place to weed out tire kickers: I'm happy to consult with a client - for exactly 1/2 hour. Then, the clock starts ticking at my hourly rate. I always ask for 50% of the fee upfront before pen even goes to paper. Want a rush jobs due within one week of contract? Add 25% to bill.
It's not a perfect system, but like you, I've worked for free way, way too often.
Hang in there, and I will too!
Lynn
www.marketingshebang.com
Excellent advice,thanks for sharing Lynn! I would love to ask for fees upfront...never have.
ReplyDeletePolly, you are not alone! I do not care how honest a company is, you have to have a signed contract detailing each aspect of every project.
ReplyDeleteI deal with a lot of subcontractors in my business and stress to them not to start any work until they receive a signed agreement from me. One of my saying to them is "If I get ran over by a truck tomorrow, what do you have to prove you were contracted to do this work?" Without that piece of paper in hand you will not get paid!
I run credit checks on my clients to make sure they pay their bills. Chances are if they are not paying you in a timely manner, they are not paying anyone else on time (including thier utilities) It is worth the twenty five bucks to know who you are working for.
I pays to know up front what you are getting into. I hate to be forced to file liens on properties or worse yet turn clients over for collection. No one wins in these situations.
There are great clients out there that want to make sure their contractors are taken care of. I for one know how important it is to get my subcontractors paid immediately. I must keep a great relationship with them to keep my projects going and completed on time.
And yes, there are bad clients out there, you are better off just saying sorry no way we can do this under these terms.(Oh what terms? you do not have a binding contract)
I wish you every success!
Brenda Turner
Lioness Sign Specialist, LLC
info@lionessllc.com
Thanks Brenda! Credit check service: great idea.
ReplyDeleteFrom Mitchell Beer:
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog, Polly. We've certainly seen our share of clients who want us to hurry up, wait, then go away...but that's not the part of your excellent (painfully excellent) inventory that I want to address.
I'll own up that we were the company with the impossible deadline. You are absolutely right -- for reasons that were beyond our control or yours (and not, BTW, the fault of our client), we were late with draft text at what was probably the very worst time imaginable for you, given your impending move to Colorado. You were pro-active about warning us that we would need back-up, showing a mix of patience and professionalism that was hugely appreciated.
After all of that, the other shoe did not drop -- we made other arrangements to finish the edit, rather than asking you to somehow do a miraculous job in record time. I'll also acknowledge the down side, because I'm sure you were expecting to complete the full project and bill accordingly.
But I hope there were no guilt pangs, and on that point, we finally get to my reason for writing. It troubles me greatly that you expected unwarranted pressure after the project went off schedule. And speaking as a client, not as a supplier of editorial services, I feel very strongly that no writer or editor should accept that kind of treatment.
In our line of work, we routinely put in long, strange hours -- at this writing, I'm in the midst of a project to produce a daily tabloid for an international medical conference, and I assure you that an eight-hour work day is a contradiction in terms. But that *only* works, and is only sustainable, if freelancers have the option of turning down assignments that don't fit their schedule, or calling a halt if a project shifts farther than they can accommodate.
A problem we face, that we haven't been able to solve in 25 years of operation, is that we can't always expect *our* clients to share this perspective. More often than not, we receive near-impossible demands from project managers who are facing impossible deadlines of their own, and we're only partially successful (sometimes not successful at all) in insulating our own freelancers from that pressure. We can turn down work, theoretically, but not if it impairs our ability to meet the other standard in your blog post. That would be the one about paying our bills on time. (More or less on time. Most of the time.)
I don't intend any of this as an excuse, because I think you've raised an incredibly important point. But I also think anyone who has a foolproof method of solving the problem should patent it before telling us about it...because then, they'll never have to work again. I do hope our good intentions will translate into a more manageable schedule if or when you work with us again, if only to show you that I really do mean what I'm saying here.
Hope your move to Colorado is going smoothly.
Mitchell Beer
President & CEO, The Conference Publishers Inc.
www.theconferencepublishers.com