10 Ways to Lose a Client
1. Don’t Provide Quality Work
Clients will always have a certain expectation in terms of quality of work. It might seem that these expectations will correspond to their budget (high budget = high quality, low budget = low quality), but this is not always the case. Failing to live up to the quality expectations of a client can lead to a lack of repeat business, no referral business, and even the loss of a client before a project is completed.
2. Don’t Provide the Services that They Need
Most clients will need a variety of different services. Maybe they need web design, WordPress theme development, SEO, and copywriting. If you don’t provide these services yourself, outsource them, or have someone that you can refer to handle the services that you don’t provide, you could lose the client.
Most freelancers offer some variety in the services that they provide, but there will always be some clients that need services that are outside your area of expertise. For these situations, it is good to have an established network of contacts so that you can outsource the work or help the client to find someone for a particular aspect. Doing so can help you to meet the needs of the client, which is necessary for client retention.
Most freelancers offer some variety in the services that they provide, but there will always be some clients that need services that are outside your area of expertise. For these situations, it is good to have an established network of contacts so that you can outsource the work or help the client to find someone for a particular aspect. Doing so can help you to meet the needs of the client, which is necessary for client retention.
3. Overpromise, Underdeliver
Making promises to clients that you cannot keep or failing to deliver on the commitments and promises that you have made will cause your clients to look for a new designer. Making that big promise may help you to land a certain client, but being able to live up to it is equally important if you hope to keep the client happy.
Underpromise and overdeliver is often used as a key to keeping clients happy. That way the clients don’t have unrealistic expectations and they are not disappointed or let down, instead they are pleasantly surprised when you overdeliver.
Underpromise and overdeliver is often used as a key to keeping clients happy. That way the clients don’t have unrealistic expectations and they are not disappointed or let down, instead they are pleasantly surprised when you overdeliver.
4. Don’t Meet Deadlines
Almost all projects will have deadlines of some sort. While there may be situations where it is ok, or even necessary to push back a deadline, in general it is a good way to upset clients and to cause them to lose trust in you. Deadlines are there for a reason, and when clients really need something to be done by a specific date it can have a significant negative impact on their business if the designer does not come through.
If you want to keep clients happy and avoid losing them to other designers, meeting deadlines is a great start. Always be sure that the deadlines you are agreeing to are realistic and set your schedule so that you will exceed them with some time to spare. That way if you run into complications you will still have time to work through them without missing the deadline.
If you want to keep clients happy and avoid losing them to other designers, meeting deadlines is a great start. Always be sure that the deadlines you are agreeing to are realistic and set your schedule so that you will exceed them with some time to spare. That way if you run into complications you will still have time to work through them without missing the deadline.
5. Don’t Dedicate Time to Planning
If you want to produce poor quality work that will not be effective for your clients, don’t allow adequate time for planning. Getting to know the client, their business, and their customers is an essential part of the design process. Taking the time to understand their needs and to develop a plan that will work for them is necessary for quality results. Rushing into the project without proper planning is a great way to ensure that you are not doing your best work and not creating something that is truly effective for their business.
6. Don’t Handle Your Business Professionally
Clients expect to have a professional relationship with their designer, so if you want to lose them, treat your business like it’s a hobby and don’t provide them with the appropriate amount of respect.
If you’re aiming to keep your clients satisfied with the work that you are doing for them, demonstrate professionalism in your work and they will have a great deal of confidence in your ability to get the job done.
If you’re aiming to keep your clients satisfied with the work that you are doing for them, demonstrate professionalism in your work and they will have a great deal of confidence in your ability to get the job done.
7. Don’t Respond to Calls or Emails
Customer service is a major concern for clients, so a lack of response will often lead clients to look for a new designer. This applies to the initial period of the design project as well as any on-going requests for maintenance, updates or support.
If you’d like to keep your clients happy with your services, always make an effort to get back to them as quickly as possible. In situations when you are busy and unable to help them right away, they usually appreciate a quick message to let them know that you will be able to help them and an estimate in regards to when that will happen.
If you’d like to keep your clients happy with your services, always make an effort to get back to them as quickly as possible. In situations when you are busy and unable to help them right away, they usually appreciate a quick message to let them know that you will be able to help them and an estimate in regards to when that will happen.
8. Don’t Allow Clients to See the True Value of Your Services
Many clients will at some point evaluate the services that you are providing to determine if it is worth the cost for them. They may even be comparing you to a less-expensive option or someone else that they are considering hiring. By not letting them see everything that you are doing for them and demonstrating the true value of your services, you will be making it easy for them to feel like your services are overpriced.
Most clients don’t really understand everything that is involved with the work you are providing, and unless you break it down for them they may not appreciate everything that you are doing. If you’d like to show the value of your services to your clients, be complete and thorough in your estimates, proposals and invoices. Show them all of the phases involved, how much time is spent on each, on why each is critical to creating a successful end result. If you can help them to see everything that you are doing and the need for each step, they will not be as likely to choose to go with a lower-cost option.
Most clients don’t really understand everything that is involved with the work you are providing, and unless you break it down for them they may not appreciate everything that you are doing. If you’d like to show the value of your services to your clients, be complete and thorough in your estimates, proposals and invoices. Show them all of the phases involved, how much time is spent on each, on why each is critical to creating a successful end result. If you can help them to see everything that you are doing and the need for each step, they will not be as likely to choose to go with a lower-cost option.
9. Don’t Treat Them as a Unique Business
Each business has its own unique situation and requires an approach that is dedicated to creating something that meets the needs of that business. Treating each client as the same or taking a cookie cutter approach will lead to poor results and unhappy clients.
If you want your clients to get the most out of your services and to retain them long-term, remember that they are not exactly like any of your other clients and take the time to find out what is best for their specific situation.
If you want your clients to get the most out of your services and to retain them long-term, remember that they are not exactly like any of your other clients and take the time to find out what is best for their specific situation.
10. Don’t Take Time to Answer Their Questions
Clients will frequently have questions about the design process, about their specific project, or just general concerns that they would like the designer to address. When they don’t get their questions answered or their concerns addressed they will often lose some confidence that the designer is doing a good job for them.
For designers who want to retain their clients and keep them happy, taking time to answer questions and get on the same page with clients is a good practice. It helps to show clients that you value the designer/client relationship, that you know what you are talking about, and that they are in good hands with you.
For designers who want to retain their clients and keep them happy, taking time to answer questions and get on the same page with clients is a good practice. It helps to show clients that you value the designer/client relationship, that you know what you are talking about, and that they are in good hands with you.
