Do you ever feel a knot in your stomach before calling a particular client? Some clients may not be a good fit anymore. Maybe they always pay late or want changes after they’ve approved something. There are all kinds of ways they might be quietly draining your time and energy. Sometimes, the best move is releasing these clients so you make room for better partnerships.
A blog post from Clinked says it’s important to recognize when it’s time to cut ties with a client. While it may seem counterintuitive to let a client go, the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term pain. What are some indicators that suggest you may want to part ways with a difficult client? We share some signs in this issue of PromoPro Daily.
- Consistent late payments. You should never compromise getting paid on time, the Clinked post says. More than an inconvenience, late payments can disrupt your cash flow and demotivate you. If you run your promo business solo, it affects your productivity if you’re chasing down payments all day.
- Poor communication. You may want to consider parting ways if a client is perpetually difficult to reach or unclear about their expectations. This can cause unnecessary stress and confusion, the post says. If they’re unclear about what they want, they’ll often blame you when they don’t get the results they’re after.
- Consistent added scope of work. Consider it a red flag if a client repeatedly adds new tasks without altering the budget or schedule. The Clinked post says it’s normal for clients to request changes or additions sometimes, but it becomes a problem when they do so without acknowledging the impact on the original agreement.
- Unreasonable requests. Does your client expect an immediate reply to their emails or calls? Or maybe they expect work to be completed outside the agreed-upon scope. If a client is making unreasonable requests that cause stress or compromise the quality of your work, the Clinked post says it may be time part ways.
- Low budget. There’s nothing wrong with taking on small-budget clients. However, as you gain more experience, your time and expertise become more valuable. As a result, the post says you may need to leave a client who cannot meet your fees as they increase over time.
- Incompatibility. Sometimes, you just won’t click with a client. Maybe it’s their communication style or their values clash with yours. Whatever the reason, the Clinked post says you should reevaluate the relationship if you dread every interaction with that client.
It’s not easy walking away from clients. However, when you free up space from draining relationships, you make room for clients who value your time and respect your quality of work.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: A blog post from Clinked, a cloud-based collaboration platform.
