How To Deal With Toxic Prospects And Clients

When you start freelancing, it's tempting to take on every client that comes your way, but this is a mistake. 

Not all clients are good clients. 

Some are just hard to work with. Others are plain toxic. 

And working with bad clients will bring you down. 

The first time I "sacked a client", it was such a relief. They weren't unpleasant and I quite enjoyed the work I did for them. But they were a nightmare at getting information to me. 

They'd email me on a Monday and ask if I could write a press release or blog post by Wednesday. I'd move stuff around to fit them in. and agree to the deadline on condition they could get the information by Tuesday morning.  But Wednesday morning would arrive and I'd still be chasing them for the information.

And it wasn't a one off problem. It would be like this with every project. They'd ask me to block out time for work and then drag their heels getting information to me. Half the time the information would be incomplete and I'd spend my evening desperately trying to put something together with very little to go on. 

The final straw came when I was given a screenshot of a mood board and two sentences as a brief. I created a case study for them (as requested) and sent it off on time. That night, while I was at an event, I received a response saying I hadn't quite met the brief. 

What frigging brief? They'd sent me bugger all to go on. 

I made the amendments and then vowed to myself that it would be the last project I did for them. And it was. 

The next time they emailed me with a project request, I told them I didn't have capacity. I was polite - told them I couldn't fit the project in and recommended a couple of other copywriters I knew. They went elsewhere, and I never heard from them again. And do you know what? I didn't miss them. Working with them was so stressful.

Now, admittedly, I didn't handle this in the best way. I should have had a conversation with them and told them I needed more notice and better briefs. But I was new to business, and they were a well-established agency, so I felt like I had to fit their way of working.

So, instead of speaking to them about the issues, I let them go.

But I never regretted it. I hadn't realised how much stress they caused or how much energy it took up until I no longer had to worry about them.

And they weren't the only client I let go. I walked away from quite a few difficult clients in those first few years.

These days, I don't take difficult clients on in the first place. My marketing is much clearer, so I attract the right people. And I have a much better sales process, so I can filter out bad clients before they become bad clients. 

How to recognise potentially problematic clients

There are a few red flags you should look out for when you're speaking to potential clients. 

Bad attitude: If they talk down to you, make you feel like they are doing you a favour by offering you work, or don't value what you do, don't take them on. You are an expert in your field and should be treated as one. Prospects who don't respect or value you will not make good clients. 

Unreasonable expectations: If a prospect is asking for the impossible, walk away. You'll only burn yourself out trying to meet unrealistic expectations, and it's unlikely you'll get any thanks for it. If you don't feel like you can deliver to the standard they want, in the timeframe they are giving, for the fee they are willing to pay, don't agree to the work. 

Refusing to work to your terms: You decide how your business operates. And if that means clients have to pay upfront, they pay upfront or go elsewhere. If you don't work Fridays, you don't work Fridays. If you don't send daily updates or work with a specific software or do things the way other people in your industry do them, that's fine. Your process is your process for a reason, and clients need to respect that (as long as you are being reasonable). If they aren't prepared to accept the way you work, let them find someone else. 

Trying to haggle you down on price: Do not feel pressured into discounting your price, no matter how many promises of "more work in the future" you're given. Your rates are your rates for a reason. If someone is trying to push you down on price, they probably don't value your skills. And if you discount this time, what's to say they won't expect a cheaper rate in the future? 

You don't like them: Seriously. Trust your instinct. If you get a bad vibe from someone, you don't like them, or they make you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to work with them (even if they are prepared to pay the big bucks). One of the advantages of working for yourself is you get to decide who you work with. You don't have to justify your decisions - you can say yes or no for any reason at all. 

If there are any red flags when you're dealing with a prospect, all you need to do is tell them you don't think you're the right fit. You don't have to explain why, but you can if you want. If it's because you can't meet their deadlines or work within their budget, then just tell them that. If it's because you don't like them, it's probably best you keep that to yourself. 

How to ditch problem clients

Every now and then a problem client can slip through the net, but that doesn't mean you can't get rid of them. 

If you're experiencing any of these problems with a client, it might be time to rethink your relationship:

• They never pay on time
• They don't respond to information requests when you need them to
• They make unreasonable demands on your time
• They are always asking for "a quick favour"
• They don't respect your rules and boundaries
• They treat you like the hired help
• They micromanage you
• They are rude or disrespectful
• They expect you to drop everything else when they need you
• Working with them makes you anxious or stressed
• You don't like the work you do for them
• You don't like working with them
• You don't like them

So how do you get rid of them?

First of all, you need to decide whether the relationship can be salvaged. Maybe you need to have a conversation with them or change the way you work. For example, if they are a late payer, but you like the work you do, ask them to start paying in advance or set up a direct debit. If they are constantly ringing you out of the blue, give them set hours they can call or schedule weekly calls instead of ad-hoc. Don't expect things to change if you aren't prepared to tell them that things need to change. 

If you can't find a way to improve the relationship or you just don't want to work with them any more, end the contract or let it come to a natural end. 

If it is a one-off project, finish the project, and if they come back to you with more work, tell them no. If they are a retainer client, or it is a long-term project, give notice or renegotiate the terms. Be polite about it and respectful, but don't back down.

If you aren't happy with the relationship, it's ok to walk away. Your mental wellbeing should come first - if you are miserable, stressed, anxious or depressed, you won't be able to give your best to your other clients. 

Trust me - ditching bad clients is like taking a weight off your shoulders. You can stop stressing over them and start replacing them with great clients.