Most days, I believe freelancing is just about the best thing a parent could do. You stay home yet earn an income and continue growing professionally.
But early this week, something happened that rocked my little home-based world: a client who had earlier agreed to hire me to write a sales page, emailed me to say she decided to work with somebody else who had given her a lower quote.
Some background: she was a returning client, and I moved my schedule around to accommodate her deadline.
I felt a range of emotions:
- disappointment that I had “lost” a job…
- rage, that I had been judged on price alone, and a copywriter of “lesser” value was chosen over me…
- fear, that I would never be able to charge what I felt I was worth and still find clients…
- self-doubt, that I could ever be like those highly-paid copywriters I admire…
When a Client Ditches You
Experiences like this make freelancers think that our lot is truly tough. We rely on clients for work and income, so when they fall through, we feel like a jilted lover.
I still remember the time my first regular client – who had been giving me work weekly for months – suddenly told me she wasn’t hiring me anymore. I felt sick to my stomach. Again, I was filled with self-doubt: did I let her down? Was my work that bad? Is it the end of the world?
The Silver Lining
Needless to say, it wasn’t the end of the world. I found other clients. That client did hire me again, for even bigger jobs. And she has referred a number of other clients to me, a couple of whom became long-term clients.
These little hiccups with clients can sometimes feel bigger or more dramatic than they really are. I just have to look back to my 19 years of working in government service, children’s television and international development to find dozens of incidences when I experienced conflicts – with supervisors, co-workers, program partners and other people. There’s definitely more drama in real life than in email!
The difference is those conflicts don’t usually translate to a loss of income or potential income. Agreed, my forthrightness probably caused me a promotion, but I will never know for sure.
On the other hand, a “broken” relationship with a client has a very concrete result: no work = no income.
Times like this, it’s easy to think that freelancing sucks.
But it’s my style to always look at the bright side of things, look for the silver lining and make the most of any situation.
Look on the Bright Side
For example, shortly after reading that shocking email, I remembered several things:
- I was booked solid until December – at least.
- If a prospect can’t afford my rates, then he or she isn’t my target client (therefore, it would never work out)
- I have other clients waiting for me. In fact, they’ve paid in advance to get into my work schedule. I need to focus on THEM, not on the one who flaked out on me!
Nothing ever goes perfectly, freelancing included. When disappointments arise, we simply have to keep going and keep believing in the value we bring to our clients.
And you know what? Because that client backed out, I had some time available to entertain a new prospect – one who can afford my rates and wants to hire me for the long haul.
As one of my mentors at the UN always used to tell me: “When a door closes, another one opens.”
Do tell: what experiences have made you think that freelancing sucks – and what did you do about it? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.
Lexi
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This felt like reading my own story! Earlier this year I had a client contact me that I’d written five figures of work for previously. She asked for a quote on just a single article, hinting it would be easy to do, no editing, give me your lowest rate. I quoted her the rate I’d been using for them which was already middle-ish in my view, not $1 a word by any means. And she got back to me and let me know they took a lower bid.
I was bummed! If they said, “This is a bidding war, how low are you willing to go?” maybe I would have considered another price. (Or maybe not!)
But I wasn’t bummed for long; in the back end of this year a lot of $1 a word/$100 an hour work has come along which I might not have had room for if I’d gotten back in gear with them. I think if you have a philosophy that you’re worth good money, good-paying jobs come to you, and low payers aren’t the clients you want anyway.
More on my pay philosophy here at 7 Reasons Why I Won’t Write $15 Blogs: http://www.caroltice.com/blog/27
Beware the D list client.
I think it’s our job to sit down and work out what makes a good client. What do they spend, what position in the company are they in, what size of company etc.
Then work to attract that kind of client and never get taken in by the ‘it’ll be easy’ people. They won’t value your time and skills.
Chris
I’ve had it happen a few times with transcription clients. I understand that people shop around and it hard to pass up a good deal. It’s disappointing to lose a client, especially when you make schedule changes to accommodate them.
I’ve also had those same clients that ditched me for a lower deal rate come back to me a week later and beg me to fix the mess the cheaper service provider gave them as their transcript. Then they basically paid me to do it over, because the “discount” product they received was such an awful mess that it wasn’t even usable, it was easier to just start over fresh.
In the end they ended up paying more instead of less because they had to have it done twice! Sometimes a deal isn’t the best way to go
Loretta´s last blog ..Do You Jump In Head First?
I guess we can’t help it if clients want to cut costs – but they should always remember that they get what they pay for. You’re right, hiring a less expensive service provider can often mean higher costs, if not in actual payments then in opportunity loss.
Lexi
@Chris – So true, it takes some doing to find our ideal clients – those who can afford us and are willing to make the investment in service providers who know what they’re doing.
Lexi
Alexis´s last blog ..When Freelancing Sucks
I just found this because the same thing happened to me a few days ago. We’re like fish. They bait you with worm and then when they get you, they cook you….
Thinking of getting a new job or something. But hey this isn’t a real job.
@Dannybuntu – Sounds like you’ve been burned badly by freelancing. But hey, even my worst day in freelancing doesn’t come close to my worst day in working in an office. Best wishes to you!