8 Red Flags Every Freelancer Should Watch Out For
The difference between a client being “a mess” and a client who throwing up red flags.
By: Shannon Siriano Greenwood
I was having lunch with a consultant friend yesterday who works for a fast growing consultancy that provides freelance professional services from People Management to Finance. She manages a team of experienced consultants, who work on client projects ranging from turnkey to hot mess express.
She was explaining the difference between a client being “a mess” and a client who is truly throwing up red flags. When many companies bring on consultants or freelancers, it is because they need help. That role has been sitting vacant or was never in place to begin with. Just because they are unorganized and have a big pile of problems for you to sort out, doesn’t mean they are a “bad” client. It simply means you have work to do.
Understanding the difference between these client dynamics comes from years of experience, but if you are just starting out, here is a list of red flags that you can watch out for. These are the differences between a client who really needs help and a client who really needs YOUR help.
1. They won’t follow your process
If a client can’t respect your processes, whether it is your client onboarding process, or your discovery period, it will be very hard to build trust in a working relationship. This is typically something you will notice early in the relationship and best to address asap.
2. They are unsure of their goals
It is very hard to meet the expectations of a client if they don’t have any. A client needs to be able to articulate their needs and goals in order for you to be successful. Goals and focus can change throughout the course of a working relationship, but communication is key to make sure you are working towards the same North star.
3. They are difficult to get in touch with
Communication is key in all aspects of business, especially when timelines and deadlines are involved. If the client is non-responsive, this can be just about impossible. While there can be reasonable excuses for radio silence in some circumstances, if this is ongoing or very early in the process, this can cause problems.
4. They are in a hurry
If they want it done yesterday, you have already failed, which is a terrible way to start a working relationship with a client. A false sense of urgency is absolutely something to look out for. A tight deadline and unrealistic expectations sets no one up for success.
5. They don’t have a budget
Freelancing and consultancy is a business. Businesses make money. If your client doesn’t have a realistic idea of what things will cost and is not respectful of your expertise to provide them with one, it’s time to find the doorway out.
6. They try to negotiate
No one wants to work with someone who is always trying to get more out of you for less. As a freelancer, you have the right to charge what you wish for your services and if a client cannot respect that, find another client.
7. They expect you to be “on call”
Establishing your availability for meetings, calls, and other communication is a must when beginning a working relationship as a freelancer.
8. They don’t have a primary point of contact
If you do not have an individual person in charge of your working relationship, it is exceptionally difficult to meet the expectations of a client. Each person has different priorities and goals, which will create a lot of extra work and makes it difficult to measure success.
