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clientsfromhell.net
I’m a newbie freelance web developer
who just finished working for my first
client, and not coincidentally, my first Client
From Hell.
Me: Okay. Everything is finished with the final
QA and all the checks have been made. Can I just
check with you that the website is completed to
your satisfaction?
Client: Absolutely. I think we’re ready to deploy.
I’ll send you the information that you’ll need to
do that.
Me: As per the contract, I do need the payment
up front before I deploy.
Client: I didn’t agree to that.
Me: You signed the contract. I went over this
requirement with you.
Client: Well, I don’t agree with it.
Me: Unfortunately, I have a requirement that
deployment doesn’t happen without final
payment. I can deploy on my own hosting if
you’d like but I’m not transferring ownership
until I’m paid in full. And, as I said, it’s in the
contract you signed.
Client: I can’t pay you in full right now but I can
do half now and half later.
I’m sure if you’re reading this right now, you’re
like the audience at a horror movie. “Don’t do it,”
you’re screaming. “It’s a mistake!”
But it was my first client and for some reason I
believed him. “He’s giving me half up front,
that’s a compromise,” I thought.
Me: Okay, but I will need the remaining money
by the end of the month.
Client: Sure.
Obviously he never paid me the rest of the
money he owed.
I’ve learned a lot of things since then. For one,
I’m not the first person he’s done this to –
nobody in the area will work with him. For
another now I know that half the fee is the down
payment, not the release fee. I wish I didn’t
learn the hard way.TAKE MY MONEY
CLIENTS FROM HELLExclusively for net: The latest in a series of
anonymous accounts of nightmare clientsMaking the right first impression
with a potential new client can be
make or break. Should you drop
them a tentative email? Or is the
direct approach always best? We
asked @netmag’s followers about
the best way to first approach a
potential new client.CHECK THE TONE
@savannarawson says one of the
advantages of phoning over email
is getting a sense of the person at
the other end: “Phone them. It’s
often faster than an email, you can
judge interest by their tone, their
attitude. If you both find each
other easy to talk to then you’re
probably going to have a good
working relationship. Be prepared
to go through a lot of no thank
yous before you find a prospect.”BESPOKE APPROACH
@kayleighkarutis advocates
emailing as the best first approach,
especially because it lets you tailor
your message.
She says: “Tailor your outreach
(email preferably) to their industry
and specific needs. Ask questions,
be curious and be brief. But don’t
try to sell them anything. You don’t
know yet if it’s even a good fit or if
they could benefit from your
services. Aim to learn and
understand first.”WAIT AND SEE
Don’t feel as though you have to
say yes to a deal straight away
says @benbyford.
“Don’t say yes until you have a
solid spec or charge for the
research / workshop / exploration
phase. I do this for most clients.”FIRST APPROACH
A NEW CLIENT
HOW TO