Comments on: How To Manage the Impossible Client http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/ Covering Search Marketing, Local SEO, and Social Media by Toronto SEO Dev Basu Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:33:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=8641 hourly 1 By: Ecommerce Help - Tyrone Shum http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-819 Ecommerce Help - Tyrone Shum Mon, 11 May 2009 08:33:14 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-819 To be honest, I don't like to work with the Impossible Client. I mean who does? But then again, this is your work so sometimes we just have to manage and put our best foot forward. Buit if the client doesn't pay you according to how you did your job (you almost never sleep just to increase his ranking yet all he gave you is that mushy $5) then drop it. Everybody has their limitations, and we in the online marketing business is one of them. To be honest, I don’t like to work with the Impossible Client. I mean who does? But then again, this is your work so sometimes we just have to manage and put our best foot forward. Buit if the client doesn’t pay you according to how you did your job (you almost never sleep just to increase his ranking yet all he gave you is that mushy $5) then drop it. Everybody has their limitations, and we in the online marketing business is one of them.

]]> By: Nicky Jameson http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-728 Nicky Jameson Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:47:17 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-728 For a freelancer it's a balance. You're there to serve your client and it should always be about their needs. But in the end I think the answer is as Damian said. They will be clients who respect your work and your expertise and the value contribution and who are willing to pay for that value. Earlier on that can be challenging, but as you get more experienced I think you can definitely avoid most of the "problem" clients listed here. It has to be a win-win or both parties lose. As mentioned, you have to make the decision. I had an interesting comment on my post here: http://nickyjameson.com/2008/12/27/the-25-secrets-of-freelance-copywriting-success/ where a commentator mentioned how the ego of some copywriters got in the way of them being re-engaged for future projects. I'll bet the writers didn't realize. @Scott - yes... you either change your reaction to them or get different clients. I don't think it's worth the stress. (Hello again by the way). For a freelancer it’s a balance. You’re there to serve your client and it should always be about their needs. But in the end I think the answer is as Damian said.

They will be clients who respect your work and your expertise and the value contribution and who are willing to pay for that value. Earlier on that can be challenging, but as you get more experienced I think you can definitely avoid most of the “problem” clients listed here. It has to be a win-win or both parties lose. As mentioned, you have to make the decision.
I had an interesting comment on my post here:
http://nickyjameson.com/2008/12/27/the-25-secrets-of-freelance-copywriting-success/
where a commentator mentioned how the ego of some copywriters got in the way of them being re-engaged for future projects. I’ll bet the writers didn’t realize.
@Scott – yes… you either change your reaction to them or get different clients. I don’t think it’s worth the stress. (Hello again by the way).

]]> By: Scott Mahler http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-542 Scott Mahler Sun, 21 Dec 2008 07:25:22 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-542 Sadly, these typs of clients are really no different than clients of every other type of business. Before I started my own website development company, I worked freelance and I have had all these types of people, and more, as clients. Ultimately, you have to decide if their business is worth dealing with them. These people aren't going anywhere, so the only thing you can change is your reaction to them. Frustrating, I know, but it's a fact of life. www.datexmedia.wordpress.com Sadly, these typs of clients are really no different than clients of every other type of business. Before I started my own website development company, I worked freelance and I have had all these types of people, and more, as clients. Ultimately, you have to decide if their business is worth dealing with them. These people aren’t going anywhere, so the only thing you can change is your reaction to them. Frustrating, I know, but it’s a fact of life.

http://www.datexmedia.wordpress.com

]]> By: Link Love - Thursday 06/11/2008 http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-230 Link Love - Thursday 06/11/2008 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:09:23 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-230 [...] How To Manage the Impossible Client on DavBasu.com. Again Dav Basu come up with good post on dealing with clients. We have decided to link ten articles per day in our link love posts. So, we can’t cover more posts and some posts are get left which worth to be linked. If you feel that your article need to be linked and our editors like them then we will add them in our next day link love posts. Kindly mail me at vikram.prashant@gmail.com [...] [...] How To Manage the Impossible Client on DavBasu.com. Again Dav Basu come up with good post on dealing with clients. We have decided to link ten articles per day in our link love posts. So, we can’t cover more posts and some posts are get left which worth to be linked. If you feel that your article need to be linked and our editors like them then we will add them in our next day link love posts. Kindly mail me at vikram.prashant@gmail.com [...]

]]> By: Dev Basu http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-101 Dev Basu Sun, 05 Oct 2008 14:49:08 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-101 @Ian Cowley - Not the biggest fan of the 'armchair expert' client. Here's some that I've heard: "Why don't we spend time out ranking our [well known] competitor for their brand name? I bet that would drive ton's of traffic to our site". "We know all about optimizing our meta tags, we've added 500 of them to our site, and think we rank well for our terms". "Listen, I've been around in the Vancouver area for a very long time, and I have top placement in all my advertising here - in fact they give me a discount. Now how come Google won't let me list my locations at a discount?" ... Me: I'll make sure you get a 100% discount, and we only charge a management fee to get all your listings approved... @Ian Cowley – Not the biggest fan of the ‘armchair expert’ client. Here’s some that I’ve heard:

“Why don’t we spend time out ranking our [well known] competitor for their brand name? I bet that would drive ton’s of traffic to our site”.

“We know all about optimizing our meta tags, we’ve added 500 of them to our site, and think we rank well for our terms”.

“Listen, I’ve been around in the Vancouver area for a very long time, and I have top placement in all my advertising here – in fact they give me a discount. Now how come Google won’t let me list my locations at a discount?” …
Me: I’ll make sure you get a 100% discount, and we only charge a management fee to get all your listings approved…

]]> By: Ian Cowley http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-100 Ian Cowley Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:41:46 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-100 What the "Armchair Expert" Client? I have heard the following more than once from clients: "We have dropped for this term" - Even though it's a vanity phrase that's had zero conversions in the last 5 months. "I want you to spend more time on my metatags, my friends nephew told me they were important" - OMG! What the “Armchair Expert” Client? I have heard the following more than once from clients:

“We have dropped for this term” – Even though it’s a vanity phrase that’s had zero conversions in the last 5 months.

“I want you to spend more time on my metatags, my friends nephew told me they were important” – OMG!

]]> By: Will Hanke http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-99 Will Hanke Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:01:57 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-99 I have a client that is a mixture of two from above. It's a Dad-son retail store. The Dad (old school) is definitely a ‘I’m Secretely Happy But Can’t Tell You I Am’ Client' and his son is a ZOMG Thank You Client. It's kinda funny to watch the dad when I'm around, because he seems very indifferent about the things I mention. But then later on when I speak to the son, he tells me how excited "they" are. Oh, and his dad keeps writing me checks every month. That's probably the hardest part of his masquerade... I have a client that is a mixture of two from above. It’s a Dad-son retail store. The Dad (old school) is definitely a ‘I’m Secretely Happy But Can’t Tell You I Am’ Client’ and his son is a ZOMG Thank You Client. It’s kinda funny to watch the dad when I’m around, because he seems very indifferent about the things I mention. But then later on when I speak to the son, he tells me how excited “they” are.

Oh, and his dad keeps writing me checks every month. That’s probably the hardest part of his masquerade…

]]> By: Dev Basu http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Dev Basu Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:51:50 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-94 @Riverside - Man that peeves me. You're right on about the overly needy client too. It's akin to the 'give a man a fish vs teach a man to fish' analogy, which focuses on less hand-holding for the client, and more autonomy on their part. @Riverside – Man that peeves me. You’re right on about the overly needy client too. It’s akin to the ‘give a man a fish vs teach a man to fish’ analogy, which focuses on less hand-holding for the client, and more autonomy on their part.

]]> By: Riverside http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-93 Riverside Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:42:16 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-93 I recently had a "I'm not getting what I paid for" who I went way out of my usual terms, and despite the fact that he never provided the content he swore he would make, I got him a huge increase in his rankings, traffic and leads in 3 months time. Then he tries to call me up, and get a full refund of everything he had already paid and pretended like he never saw the contract I sent him! The Gall! I think there may be other Client types as well: The Overly Needy Client: This client is typically very genuinely interested in your work, and very very enthusiastic about the process...so much so that they wnat to keep talking and communicating about every little aspect of the work you are completing and you end up spending 5 to 6 times as much time talking to them as you do actually getting anything done. I recently had a “I’m not getting what I paid for” who I went way out of my usual terms, and despite the fact that he never provided the content he swore he would make, I got him a huge increase in his rankings, traffic and leads in 3 months time. Then he tries to call me up, and get a full refund of everything he had already paid and pretended like he never saw the contract I sent him! The Gall!

I think there may be other Client types as well:

The Overly Needy Client: This client is typically very genuinely interested in your work, and very very enthusiastic about the process…so much so that they wnat to keep talking and communicating about every little aspect of the work you are completing and you end up spending 5 to 6 times as much time talking to them as you do actually getting anything done.

]]> By: Damian http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-91 Damian Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:24:38 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-91 What I was saying is that I agree that one should choose clients they want to work with. My experience on that lately is that I worked with a client on their website. I provided a stylish and modern design which in the end they had parts of it changed. They totally messed up a really great design (I'm not blowing my own horn here). Anyway, it showed me that I've got to be just as selective as clients and work with those who atleasts likes good design. Finding the right client is really important in being a successful designer. What I was saying is that I agree that one should choose clients they want to work with. My experience on that lately is that I worked with a client on their website. I provided a stylish and modern design which in the end they had parts of it changed. They totally messed up a really great design (I’m not blowing my own horn here). Anyway, it showed me that I’ve got to be just as selective as clients and work with those who atleasts likes good design.

Finding the right client is really important in being a successful designer.

]]> By: Dev Basu http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-89 Dev Basu Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:04:44 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-89 @ Tom - Thanks and I hope you visit again! @ Kenneth - You're right about getting so stressed out with a one not so pleasant client that it affects the quality of work for other clients. Decision making is a key skill in running any business, and it takes a lot of guts to turn down a potential client that can pay very well, but has zero fit with your organization. @ Tom – Thanks and I hope you visit again!

@ Kenneth – You’re right about getting so stressed out with a one not so pleasant client that it affects the quality of work for other clients. Decision making is a key skill in running any business, and it takes a lot of guts to turn down a potential client that can pay very well, but has zero fit with your organization.

]]> By: Kenneth Dreyer http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Kenneth Dreyer Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:06:56 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-82 I agree with you! The relationship goes both ways, so if you take in clients you don't actually want to work with, you will stress yourself out and the quality you provide to other clients might also get "infected". I agree with you! The relationship goes both ways, so if you take in clients you don’t actually want to work with, you will stress yourself out and the quality you provide to other clients might also get “infected”.

]]> By: Tom Stanley http://devbasu.com/how-to-manage-the-impossible-client/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Tom Stanley Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:28:03 +0000 http://devbasu.com/?p=113#comment-81 I was on Yahoo and found your blog. Read a few of your other posts. Good work. I am looking forward to reading more from you in the future. Tom Stanley I was on Yahoo and found your blog. Read a few of your other posts. Good work. I am looking forward to reading more from you in the future.

Tom Stanley

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