How to Recognize and Avoid Bad Clients
Freelancers and consultants, keep an eye out for these common red flags
Dealing with difficult, shady, or just plain bad clients is one of the more unfortunate sides of running a service-based business. But the longer you’re in business, the better you’ll get at recognizing them early in the sales process, and opt NOT to work with them. This will potentially save you from headaches, legal entanglements, and loss of money.
Besides, you need to save all that mojo for the GOOD clients! So here are some common types I’ve experienced over the years, and how they tend to show up. These examples may be more relevant to marketing consultants, but there are still some commonalities you’ll experience with clients who want to work with individuals or small agencies (because they’re cheaper) rather than pay 5 figures per month to a larger agency or business. Sometimes clients prefer working with one person because it creates a better one-to-one working relationship…other times they’re doing it because they’re idea shoppers or bargain hunters. Learn how to avoid these by recognizing certain patterns.
