In 20 years of business, I’ve quit a client exactly thrice. One client was $%#$$%^$#@ nuts. I gave him back a big chunk of his $$$ to make him go away. I told him if he ever contacted me again, I’d call the cops and then my lawyer. That was years ago.

This year I quit two of them. Not quite as dramatic as the first time. But as happy as I was to say, "No, thanks" and give notice, the process still makes me feel a little sick to my stomach. Why? Because most freelance copywriters/consultants loathe turning down work. Deep down, we’re always afraid the client pool will dry up and blow away.

And then we’ll be bag people, living under a bridge somewhere and eating out of trash cans. (You laugh, but ask most women what they fear most and they’ll tell you "Being a bag lady, homeless, pushing her grocery cart down the street.")

I’ve had clients quit me. Contracts conclude, staff people change, new bosses want to bring in their own comfy crews. I’m generally able to ride those events pretty well.

But me say no? Ugh, it goes against my basic nature. But this year, screwing up a little more courage and a lot more resolve, I said no to two different accounts because what they demanded and what they were willing to pay was sorely out of whack. Plus, every time they called for something or another, I’d grit my teeth and try to smile through the tears.

Here’s how I knew it was time to quit ‘em …

Gut-Check: 5 Signs That It May Be Time To Kick Your Client (Gently) to the Curb

"Was it something we did?"

Too much time, too little dime: Over time your client asks you to handle a little more here, a little more there without offering to add more to the project fees. When you mention the additional time involved, they whine. When you point out the additional revenues they’ve been earning because of your additional work, they whine louder.

Everyone is a copywriter, not: The hardest part of my job is working with clients who think that just because they have read an ad believe that copywriting is easy. Just words on a page. I’ve seen very capable copy de-juiced to a lifeless husk when rewritten by an in-house wanna-be or worse, by committee. Or your client "just knows" something even when your own experience/research tells you otherwise. When it fails, guess whose name will be on the corpse?

Marketing is viewed as an expense, not an investment: There are only 3 kinds of customers - prospective, current customers, and expired. Marketing is the investment in reaching them all with the right message consistently. If your client views your work as an expense, trust me. Your days are ultimately numbered. Charge accordingly.

Disregard for the value you bring: Direct marketing copywriters ply their trade on the revenue generating side of things. We are the hunters who bring the "fresh meat" back to the corporate lair to be dressed and prepared by the support services staff. Problem is too many clients see copywriters in the support service role. (I once had a client balk at pricing I provided. He told me he didn’t pay his administrative assistant as much as I was asking for. I knew then this was going to be a lose/lose proposition.)

For more on this, see Tom Chandler’s excellent recent post, What’s a Good Copywriter Worth? How About $12 Million?  He had me at $30,000/month …

Working harder, not smarter: When all the steps are the same, it only makes sense to maximize the revenue for each one. Low-rent clients will generally remain low-rent. Unless they see the light quickly, you’ll find yourself negotiating far more than you’ll want to or even should. The upshot is eventually the client gets unhappy with your attitude and you wind up balky and resentful. Drinking early in the afternoon starts to look mighty attractive.

Now to be fair, most clients are actually pretty good to work for and with.

Some are even spectacular and you’d be willing to cut your fees (well, almost) because the work is great and the relationship productive and mutually rewarding. Sometimes, though, clients may be inexperienced hiring outside creative services. If everything else feels right, you can probably work with that.

Sometimes clients are just cheap and want a lot for a whole bunch of less. Be smart about these kinds of clients. If you can see the benefit, perhaps filling a hole in your portfolio or gaining essential experience, it can be worthwhile in the short-run to hang in. Just be smart about it.

Learn your craft, yes. Pay your dues, yes, but recognize a time-suck
early and get out and move up when you can. It’s your livelihood and
it’s up to you to protect it.

As my Grandma Fanny used to say, "You can love a poor man as much as a rich man. But, all things being equal, it’s easier to love a rich man because all you have to do it love him. You’ll work extra hard to love the poor man with no greater guarantee of happiness or security."

My grandmother was a very wise woman.

Maven’s Maxim
My Grandma also used to say, "Darling, don’t give it away. Make ‘em pay." But that’s a subject for another day and whole different kind of blog :=)