Note from Jennifer: I’m slammed right now with a bunch of projects and homeless dachshunds so I’m updating a post from a few years ago. I hope to get my March income post out this week! 

It’s a common comment on writers’ forums. “I’m talking to a new client about work and something felt off.” The specifics vary from “Is Edit Edit date and time wanting to have a video call a red flag?” to “Is it weird that a client asked me to send a calendar invite?” and everything in between. The post then always includes a bunch of responses from writers, usually split down the middle – some saying yes and some saying no. I’ve always been fascinated by these discussions because there are so many different opinions and perspectives about which red flags  to avoid. And when I went back and read an article I wrote about 9 Red Flags: When to Turn Down a Client, most every point was specific to the individual writer not a blanket statement.

A light bulb went off for me:

It really doesn’t matter if other writers think that something is a red flag. If you as a writer think that something is off, then you should listen to your gut. Every single time that I have ignored my gut feeling saying that something is a red flag, I have regretted it. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

So many writers qualify only on rates. But I think is just the price of admission, not a reason to take a client. You should look to take clients where you are likely to end up being their favorite freelancer. t’s hard to spot a perfect client. And I’ve found it’s much easier to have a list of things that you know don’t work for you and your strengths. While it would be great if we magically knew what these were, that’s not usually how you learn. I’ve learned the most about picking the right clients by not being a fit for a project and getting let go.

That being said, in my personal opinion, there are a few universal red flags:

1. Clients with history of no payment or super late payment. This is where having a network of other writers comes in super handy. Ask around and find out the scoop. If you hear it once, take it with a grain of salt. But more than once signifies a pattern.
2. Clients asking you to place stories in publications. This typically means that they are going to pay you to write a story about themselves or their client and then you will pitch the story to a publication and they pay you as well. Here is a post explaining this concept in detail. This is totally unethical and you should not do it. Note that this is different from ghostwriting and writing sponsored content, which is totally fine.
3. Clients who ask you to do unpaid tests. While there can be a very few cases where this may be the right move for a specific writer, I think that any writer asked for this, should stop, pause and talk to the client before doing the test. Then make the decision whether to walk away or do the test. I personally think that in 99 percent of cases, you should walk away unless there are some very concrete reasons why it makes sense. But this should always be a huge red flag. For more food for thought, read Elizabeth Hanes Guest Post on this topic.

Beyond that, I think that the red flags are very specific to each individual writer. I think that one of the secrets to being successful is building your business in the manner that works best for your style, goals and life. This includes determining your personal red flags, not just doing or not doing something because other writers told you so.

 

There Is No Perfect Client, Just Perfect Clients for You

I’ve said this before, but I think it’s important enough to repeat. Every writer has different strengths, weaknesses, work styles and subject matter experience. This means that a client that might be your favorite client of all time, might be a total nightmare for me. There really is no one size fits all or gold standard of client. I think that one of the most important things that you must do before you can really take your career to a high earnings level is accept you are not going to be a fit for all clients. And that means that you must figure out which types of clients you work best with and then find those. And yes, that means accepting the things you stink at and turning down work and clients where those weakness are going to be exposed.

Running a successful freelance business really starts with being honest with yourself about yourself. This is hard. It can be an eye-opening experience. And it’s not comfortable. But I personally think it really is the secret to finding the clients where you can do your best work and have the least amount of stress possible.

So Back to Those Red Flags

I also think that there is a big grey area between that gut feeling of running away from a client and subtle red flags. And I’ve realized that some things that are red flags to others are actually positives to me. The most important thing is knowing that about yourself. And no one should have to justify to another writer or client why something is a red flag to them. It’s very personal.

My personal red flags include:

• Mentioning that they want perfectly clean copy. That is not me. It will never be me. And those clients are not going to be happy with me. And I’m just going to stress myself out trying to be something that I am not.
• Doing the interviews for me. My writing is typically flat and uninspired. I need to have a conversation with the SME and be involved in the project. While other writers like being able to just write, I find that my highest amount of revisions come from these projects.
• Giving me super detailed templates. I’ve lost two potentially great clients over my inability to correctly fill out super detailed. And I mean ones with 20 or 30 fields each that must have a different specific character count. Check out my January income post for the sordid details.
• Wanting to pay me an hourly rate. This just doesn’t work for me on many levels. I’m fast so I tend to make less money. And tracking time stresses me out since I write alot in my head. I ask if I can bill by the hour a set rate, so always four hours for a blog post. And if they say no, then most of the time I walk. I’ve never had a situation where this worked for me both financially and stress wise. But I know many writers find it to work .
• Assigning me a company email. Oh my goodness. This is always a disaster with me. And I’ve gotten to the point that I will walk from a client if they insist. At one point I had EIGHT different email addresses and I couldn’t keep up with any. The last client that insisted on it has recently given up and is just letting me use my gmail – they have realized that I”m great at what I do and bring a unique skillset to the table as long as I can use my gmail.

But on the other hand, here are a few things that other writers find red flags, but I actually find positive:

• Wanting to talk on the phone or video before starting a project. I know a lot of writers who find it a waste of time to have calls before starting a project and dislike talking on the phone or phone. Those writers should do their best to avoid clients who love the phone. On the other hand, I have a rule that I always meet with a client to a client before agreeing to a project and will not work with a client that refuses to get on the phone. I screen my clients very carefully and can usually tell in a 15 minute phone call if a client is a fit for me or not. I also don’t mind video conference calls – for me it’s an excuse to get dressed in grownup clothes – but I know other writers who hate them. And that is totally fine.
• Saying a cuss word during the call. I have heard writers mention that a potential client cussed during a call and they didn’t want to work with them. I totally agree that if this bothers you, then you should absolutely not work for them. On the other hand – and I know this sounds weird, but I actually look for a well-timed cuss word during an intro call as a huge sign that this is a perfect client for me. I’m not sure why, but over the years I have found that the clients that I work out best with and keep for years, usually cuss.  And they usually reveal this in the first call. It’s not that I like listening to cuss words. Or that I want someone to cuss every third word. But I have found that usually people who say one or two in the intro call to typically be very direct, funny, honest and real. Not to mention that we hit it off so well in such a quick amount of time that they feel comfortable being themselves. And that’s exactly who I work best with. Of course, I will take a client who doesn’t, but I have learned that a cuss word or three is usually a sign that they will turn into a long term client.
• Short turnarounds. I honestly don’t mind short turnarounds, even like 48 hours. I can write fast. Sure, I charge more for these projects. But I have found that I get repeat work because of my willingness to do this. I also always mention that I prefer 5 business days for a turnaround, but can do 48 hours if needed. However, if this stresses you out or you find you can’t do your best work quickly, then you should definitely ask about turnarounds and make your decision based on this information.
• Paying less than $1 per word. I try to completely ignore the per word rate rule since I can often make a better hourly rate on projects in the 50 cents per word rate due to lower revisions. Instead I use project pricing and only take projects where I can earn at least $150 or $200 an hour, closer to $300 for highly technical projects.

My list is likely VERY different than yours. And that’s totally OK. And that’s the way it should be. You are going to happiest and make the most money when you actively choose clients that are a match.

One of the hardest parts of working in a corporate office was having to work with people that I didn’t choose to work with. But as freelancers we choose who we work. I honestly think that the most important business decision we make as freelancers isn’t what clients we take, but which ones we turn down.

Yes, it’s hard to turn down a client. But that’s one of the biggest secrets to making a high income – only taking clients that you think are a fit and then walking away from clients that end up not being a perfect match.

What red flags do you listen out for? Are there any red flags that other writers look for that you don’t mind?