The best thing I’ve learned throughout the years of freelancing is to take every client I get to work with as a lesson. Of course, I’m beyond cloud 9 when my clients are happy and the process of us collaborating is smooth. However, some clients just can’t be satisfied. I call myself lucky as I only got to work with a few people like this during the last six years of working online, yet I feel like I’ve learned so much from them.

5 Things To Learn From Your Worst Client Experience

#1 Look For Warning Signs

By now, I feel like I can read my clientele pretty well. Even the first e-mail the client sends me says a lot. Ask yourself: do they ask enough questions? Are they willing to take an action or do you need to push them? Did they come to your website, because they’ve loved the work that you do or are they just choosing blind? Did they mention a bad experience with other creators? Get down to what happened there, it’s possible that the client was previously already dropped by someone else & there’s usually a reason there. Just really trust your guts before taking up a new client and if you see any warning signs- run!

#2 Learning to say NO is crucial

Saying NO is a must. I know you might have just started your website & want to take upon every single client, but in most cases- saying no can bring you more. Imagine saying yes to the worst client and then being too overwhelmed by their needs, so you’re not able to deliver proper service to those amazing, loving people that might be coming your way. You have to make sure you’re saying YES because you truly believe that this client can bring you a great experience too and you can create something wonderful together. If you don’t feel the vibe tho- just say NO and you might be surprised that it’s won’t feel like the end of the world whatsoever.

#3 Set Realistic Expectations

Now even if that client of yours feels like a wonderful person, you can’t just read their mind, so make sure to discuss their expectations up front. Be honest about what you can do and what your work includes. Don’t try to push them into buying something you’re not sure you’ll be able to deliver.

#4 Communication Is The Key

Communicate, communicate, communicate. It’s important to update your client on the tasks you’ve been doing for them as often as possible. In this case, they will feel in control of what’s been done for their project so far and will know what they need to do in order to help. Always mention any new change or if you feel like you won’t be able to meet the deadline. Even if something is not going as expected- make sure to be the first to e-mail, don’t wait until your client needs to hunt you down.

#5 Charge What You Are Worth

It’s simple- you won’t be able to deliver great work if you feel like you’re not being paid enough. Discuss the exact pricing with your client upfront and mention that any additional work will have to be charged extra. People are usually ok to pay more if they were informed about this upfront. Do not complete the tasks free of charge even if those are the tiny ones. Your time needs to be valued, so you really focus on the work you were hired to do and dedicate your attention fully.

Let me know if you’ve currently had bad client experience. What was the best thing you’ve learned?