Thread by Shane | Achievement for Soloprenuers
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- Jun 8, 2022
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Fastest way to kill your business?
Taking on the wrong clients.
Here are 15 client red flags you must learn to spot:
đ
Taking on the wrong clients.
Here are 15 client red flags you must learn to spot:
đ
1 - The underestimater
When they use words like âquick,â âeasy,â or âsimpleâ to describe their project. đ©
Why?
Theyâre diminishing the value of the work before the work even begins.
It ainât gonna get better from here.
When they use words like âquick,â âeasy,â or âsimpleâ to describe their project. đ©
Why?
Theyâre diminishing the value of the work before the work even begins.
It ainât gonna get better from here.
2 - Youâre the 3rd option
âWe tried X and then we tried Y and now weâre here with you.â đ©
1 false start? Okay.
2 or more?
Thatâs probably a sign of a larger problem.
Youâre not keanu reeves. Donât board a bus thatâs on a collision course.
âWe tried X and then we tried Y and now weâre here with you.â đ©
1 false start? Okay.
2 or more?
Thatâs probably a sign of a larger problem.
Youâre not keanu reeves. Donât board a bus thatâs on a collision course.
3 - Unclear problem
If a client has a hard time articulating their problemâŠ
Youâre probably gonna have a hard time solving it.
Make your life easier:
Stick to problems that are clear, obvious & you feel confident in solving.
If a client has a hard time articulating their problemâŠ
Youâre probably gonna have a hard time solving it.
Make your life easier:
Stick to problems that are clear, obvious & you feel confident in solving.
4 - Taking no responsibility
Some clients expect you to be the sole steward of their success.
But often, they play a crucial role in generating the desired outcome.
If your client isnât willing to hold up their side of the partnership â get out.
Some clients expect you to be the sole steward of their success.
But often, they play a crucial role in generating the desired outcome.
If your client isnât willing to hold up their side of the partnership â get out.
5 - Mystery Stakeholders
âWow, absolutely love what you delivered âjust have to run it by the back office.â
Ever heard this?
It can be a dagger to the heart.
You need to know who the stakeholders are in advance AND they need to be involved from the get go.
âWow, absolutely love what you delivered âjust have to run it by the back office.â
Ever heard this?
It can be a dagger to the heart.
You need to know who the stakeholders are in advance AND they need to be involved from the get go.
6 - Theyâre in a rush
When a client comes to you with an urgent project, itâs usually a sign that theyâve dropped the ball somewhere else.
Disorganization
Urgency
Chaos
A few of the lovely benefits awaiting you should you hop on board.
Choose wisely.
When a client comes to you with an urgent project, itâs usually a sign that theyâve dropped the ball somewhere else.
Disorganization
Urgency
Chaos
A few of the lovely benefits awaiting you should you hop on board.
Choose wisely.
7 - Fluctuating scope
âHey, I was at coffee with a friend over the weekend & we thought it would be cool ifâŠâ
Lemme stop you right there.
Once the scope has been settled, consider it written in stone.
New ideas are great, but theyâll require a new plan and a new scope.
âHey, I was at coffee with a friend over the weekend & we thought it would be cool ifâŠâ
Lemme stop you right there.
Once the scope has been settled, consider it written in stone.
New ideas are great, but theyâll require a new plan and a new scope.
8 - Lack of respect
Some people just love to have someone to control.
But hereâs the thing: you donât work for them, youâre working with them.
As partners.
If they are dictating orders to you like an assistant âhave a conversation or get out.
Some people just love to have someone to control.
But hereâs the thing: you donât work for them, youâre working with them.
As partners.
If they are dictating orders to you like an assistant âhave a conversation or get out.
9 - Puppeteer Clients
They hired you for your expertiseâŠ
But want you to do it the way theyâve always done it.
Youâre not a puppet, you are a problem solver.
If you donât have operational independence, you wonât be able to get them the results you promised.
They hired you for your expertiseâŠ
But want you to do it the way theyâve always done it.
Youâre not a puppet, you are a problem solver.
If you donât have operational independence, you wonât be able to get them the results you promised.
10 - Moving target
Every time you get on a call, the goal post has moved a bit.
But a new goal often means a new problem.
A new problem requires a new solution.
If they canât decide what outcome they want, theyâll never be happy with your work.
Every time you get on a call, the goal post has moved a bit.
But a new goal often means a new problem.
A new problem requires a new solution.
If they canât decide what outcome they want, theyâll never be happy with your work.
11 - Toe dippers
They're interested in âtesting it out,â but not fully committed to the process.
But we all know that partial commitment leads to partial results.
And who do you think will get blamed for that?
They're interested in âtesting it out,â but not fully committed to the process.
But we all know that partial commitment leads to partial results.
And who do you think will get blamed for that?
12 - Low buy-in
When one person at the company is championing the projectâŠ
But itâs a low priority for everyone else.
Donât be fooled by your main point of contact.
If you donât have the buy-in of all of the stakeholders, youâre in for a long, tedious process.
When one person at the company is championing the projectâŠ
But itâs a low priority for everyone else.
Donât be fooled by your main point of contact.
If you donât have the buy-in of all of the stakeholders, youâre in for a long, tedious process.
13 - They send you an RFP
RFP = Request For Proposal
- Time consuming
- Often irrelevant questions
- Sent out to 50+ agencies
- No opportunity to differentiate
RFPs are usually sent as a formality to gather a required min number of proposals.
Donât waste your time.
RFP = Request For Proposal
- Time consuming
- Often irrelevant questions
- Sent out to 50+ agencies
- No opportunity to differentiate
RFPs are usually sent as a formality to gather a required min number of proposals.
Donât waste your time.
14 - First timers
Clients that have never worked with a designer/editor/writer before.
Is it a deal breaker? No.
But it means that youâre probably going to have to spend a lot of time hand-holding.
At the very least, make sure you account for those hours in your scope.
Clients that have never worked with a designer/editor/writer before.
Is it a deal breaker? No.
But it means that youâre probably going to have to spend a lot of time hand-holding.
At the very least, make sure you account for those hours in your scope.
15 - Alternative payment
They donât have the money to pay your fee, but will pay you:
- When their investors come through
- From the profit
- With equity shares
Iâm not saying it never works out, but 95% of the time this is a bad idea.
They donât have the money to pay your fee, but will pay you:
- When their investors come through
- From the profit
- With equity shares
Iâm not saying it never works out, but 95% of the time this is a bad idea.
Okay, so Iâll admit, saying ânoâ is a luxury.
When youâre just getting started, you take what you can get.
But as you grow, be intentional about pruning your client list. You can make good money AND live a stress-free existence.
Spot the flags.
Be ruthless.
Cut.
When youâre just getting started, you take what you can get.
But as you grow, be intentional about pruning your client list. You can make good money AND live a stress-free existence.
Spot the flags.
Be ruthless.
Cut.
What red flags did I miss? Drop âem in the comments.
Hi, Iâm Shane. I teach freelancers how to build a high-profit, 1 person agency. If you enjoyed this threadâŠ
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