Welcome to the 71st issue of Soloist Sundays, a bimonthly newsletter focusing on longevity, balance and success on your terms for independent consultants, creatives and freelancers.

I'm your writer and host, Matthew Fenton. Thank you for being here. Today's post is about a 5-minute read.

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Fact: You will, at some point, have a lousy client.

It’s one of the taxes we pay in this line of work. No matter how carefully you screen, one or two will slip through.

Sometimes it’s them. Some people will show you one version of themselves early on, but save the ugly truth for later. (Who knew that dating would be such good practice for freelancing? 😅)

And sometimes it’s us. I’ve certainly ignored flashing red lights, or failed to enforce my boundaries. And then I found myself mid-project, dreading every email or call, doing the bare minimum, and counting down the weeks to the end of the gig.

It will happen to you too. And one of the measures of your success as a soloist will be how you respond when it does.

What Not to Do When You Have a Lousy Client

Here’s what I recommend you not do:

Don’t Vent Your Spleen in Public

In the freelance corners of social media, some people love to bash their clients.

You know the posts I’m talking about – the ones that say, effectively, that “I am great at what I do, but my clients are too stupid to see it. Also, they’re disorganized, ugly, and they dress poorly.”

I’m not going to tell you I’ve never bonded with other soloists over our frustrations and horror stories. It’s mildly cathartic and often entertaining.

But better to do it in private.

I will say this to the Public Spleen-Venters: Those posts are costing you real money. The only question is how much.

Some of your prospects will check your socials before they decide to work with you. Some people won’t refer you if you air your dirty laundry in the town square.

And you better know something your clients don’t. That’s exactly why you get hired. Dismissing them as “stupid” on this basis is both self-important and self-defeating.

Most importantly, though: It’s difficult to do your best work from a posture of “my clients are fools.” And your best work is what gets you rehired and referred.

Don’t Burn a Bridge Without a Very Good Reason

The business world can be shockingly small. And since your easiest sales will come from your network, it’s ill-advised to shut down one node of that network completely.

Here are three ascending questions I ask myself when I experience a challenge with a client:

1. Do we have a difference about some aspect of this gig?
2. Do we have incompatible worldviews?
3. Am I dealing with a form of evil?

If your answer to Q1 (and only Q1) is “yes,” then hooray! This is almost always a learning opportunity that you can apply to future gigs.

For example, early in my consulting career, I learned that there are as many definitions of “strategic plan” as there are clients. So that meant it was my responsibility to set clear expectations before the work began.

Sometimes, though we move up a level, to Q2 – an incompatible worldview. There’s no judgment here – just the recognition that different people value different things.

Example: About 15 years ago, a client, “Mike,” accused me of “phoning it in” for a workshop I’d led. (This remains the only time in my career that I’ve been accused of laziness.) A relevant detail: He made this accusation while he was trying to negotiate a discount on our next contract.

Mike thought his negotiating tactic was in bounds; I thought it was way out. My response was to politely decline to pursue that next contract. A few years later, one of Mike’s business partners apologized for his behavior. I’ll never work with Mike again, but at least the bridge remained intact.

Hopefully, it’s only in rare instances that you’ll give an honest “yes” to Q3.

An example would be the Cincinnati-area agency owner, “Arnold,” who assembled a team of four of us to work as his sub-contractors, then reneged to the tune of 70 grand. Arnold had leverage – our project leader got neither money up-front nor a written contract – and he chose that over integrity.

I later learned that almost no-one worked with Arnold twice. He played short-term games and he didn’t care who he hurt along the way.

Save the bridge-burning for those kinds of instances. It should be a last resort – not a momentary flex or the result of a tantrum.

What to Do Instead

When you have a lousy client, here are two paths that will serve you better than spleen-venting and bridge-burning:

See It Through Like the Professional You Are

In my opinion, when you agree to work with a client, you are bound not just by the project contract, but by a moral contract as well:

“I will do exceptional work when given the chance. And I will take full responsibility for ensuring a good outcome.”

When we do this, only positive things result.

First, it’s a signal of your character. Gigs can go sideways for lots of reasons, and one measure of our integrity is how we respond when they do. You can’t control how the client behaves, but you can choose how you react.

Second, assuming you’re not dealing with evil, the relationship may be salvageable. A reasonable client will recognize that you didn’t throw in the towel at the first opportunity.

And if you’re certain it can’t be saved, then treat it like a temporary cross to bear: “I only need to power through four more weeks, and I can dismiss this human from my orbit forever.”

Course-Correct as Needed

Early on in my consulting career, I agreed to work with a pair of founders for a discounted rate. I believed in their mission and I wanted to help.

They proceeded to abuse both my time and a few rules of common decency. My effective hourly rate on that project was barely $40.

That’s clearly not sustainable. So I course-corrected. I have them to thank for helping me to set a firm pricing floor and stick to it. And that’s meant a healthier business and a happier Matthew.

One of the rules for success here at Winning Solo is “control what you can control.” Instead of bashing the client or completely overhauling your business, ask:

• What role did I play in this sub-optimal outcome?
• What could I have done to prevent it?
• What will I do differently next time?

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Remember:

If a gig goes well, that’s an opportunity to build a long-term relationship and to generate repeat business and referrals – the easiest sales you’ll ever close.

If a gig goes poorly, that’s an opportunity to learn something that can be applied to your next gig and to the overall health of your business.

Every gig is a gift!

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Today Is the Day!

Matthew Fenton

Founder & Chief Soloist, Winning Solo​

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With 26 years as an independent consultant, I can work with you to improve just about any aspect of your freelance business. You can learn more about my coaching services here.

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