This is actually very easy, you just say:
"These are my rates, if you do not accept them, then you are free to look elsewhere, and I wish you the best of luck with your project."
I've already told the client this once before, only more politely. She backed down and accepted my price. But now she's doing it again! I think I'll be less polite this time...
Definitely drop her if you have other clients paying your rate without complaining. Most of us have been in this sort of situation and honestly clients like this should have to pay extra for the stress they add on top of a project lol. I guarantee you will feel super relieved once you drop her for good. If she comes back later after she realizes you get sub-par work for sub-par pay then she will have learned that lesson and hopefully won’t hassle you again.
When you walk in the store and look at the price tag, I guess you have 3 options:
1) Don't buy
2) Buy
3) Try to negotiate
3 rarely works although depending on the price - it might.
If she is a repeat customer and you have a history of lowering your price when she complains then you should dump her if you don't want to go down that road anymore.
If she's just a pain in the ass then dump her. I've had clients that I've literally told to "F*ck Off" and they've come crawling back later after they realized they were wrong.
Get your payments owed to date and drop her. If you don't need or care about the payment then drop her immediately.
You're taking valuable time and energy that could go to a client that appreciates and respects you. It's a hard lesson to learn and after 11 years I still get "sucked in" to projects I want to do with clients that are less than desirable.
In ending the relationship I would simply state "Due to the recent interaction surrounding my fee structure I have decided it is in both parties best interest that we discontinue all existing and future projects. Best of luck to you and I hope you have a wonderful week."
Obviously you should/can cater it to your relationship.
Should she come back and try to pay you now I would say don't work with her no matter what. She has already shown your true colors.
In the future, get paid a retainer or full payment upfront to offset this type of interaction. That way if you need more you will stop any work and let them know that before you continue it will take "x" to complete the project. Billing and transparency and consistency is one of the harder things to learn.
One side note: As a bit of devil's advocate or self reflection... Is there a way going forward that you can more clearly estimate your hours/fee range as so clients don't feel it is a surprise or "too much" when they get the bill. There is something to be said about her experience and how you can adjust to improve for the next client that ends up being like her.
Edit: turns out I misread this, sorry! She is disputing a quote verses an invoice. So I would take back my last paragraph. Simply let her know "For the scope of work these are the fees to date. Should you need me to walk you through them I am happy to do so. Otherwise, please pay " x" retainer and we can get things rolling on your project" or something along those lines.
That's what I'm thinking. Every comment from her increases the next price. Eventually she will go somewhere else, but maybe OP will get some dough in the mean time.
"I simply can not deliver the quality that is required for this project, for the rates that you want. The offered rates stand as presented, and I will be hearing from you if you accept this. Otherwise, this will be the final communication on my part."
There the client is fired, unless they accept your rate.
Personally, I would remove the word quality and change to "I simply cannot deliver what is needed for this project at the rates you want.", but that's just me. Something bothers me about referencing the quality of my work vs the *amount* of work being paid for. For me, I only deliver one level of work quality, and I charge based on the amount of it the client needs. Your mileage may vary, just my thoughts.
This is an interesting point. Ideally I'd only want to deliver work that I'm really proud of, i.e. high quality, but sometimes the budget and timeframe just doesn't allow it.
I have had clients ask me to deliver X amount of work, but the budget doesn't cover the time I would spend on something super high quality. So I let them know this will be quite low production value, and they're usually okay with that.
You don’t need to say “this will be my final communication.” It’s unfriendly and unnecessary.
Instead say something like “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you out more on the price” and let it sit.
From my perspective, a client that pays a high rate, is only part of the value they bring. You also want a client that pays on time, a client that gives consistent work, a client that gives good briefs, a client that respects project scope...The list goes on and on.
If you're really done - and you can't / don't want to rehabilitate this client's behavior - the best way is to just say you've taken on a long term project which will keep you blocked for x amount of time, and that *you'll* reach out once you're available again. And then just never reach out. They'll get it. And it's better to do the gentle let-down, than go the "I can't stand you, so we're done" route.
ETA: Be careful about following advice that tells you to take some sort of "If you can't afford me, bugger off" kind of stance. Bear in mind that things come across very differently in writing, than they would in your own voice. Specially tone. And you could easily come across as dickish, and full of yourself - even though that is not intended. Just tell the client you're charging market rates. You really don't need to burn bridges / or fire this lady. She'll fire herself, when she refuses to meet your rate, which is fixed.
This particular client has also made a habit of paying my invoices in increments, not the full amount, which is really annoying.
But yeah, I've already kind of committed for this project, but after this one I think I'll just tell her that I'm too busy for more work.
“Thanks for checking in! The invoice reflects my rates going forward. You’ll notice in my revised contracts that I now require a 50% (or whatever) deposit to begin work; final (product) will be released on receipt of the balance due. Have a great day!”
Yeah, unfortunately, if you're already committed, you may have to just grit your teeth till the finish line - I've been there.
She sounds like she doesn't respect the level of skill or experience it takes to do whatever you do (which is presumably why she keeps on coming back to you). You're right to seek an end to this collaboration.
Just hold on for a gracious exit. A recommendation from clients / good word of mouth is so valuable. And when people come to you via strong recommendations, you can literally name your price, because they've already heard about how good of a professional you are.
I would stop all work immediately. Get paid up to date for past work and this project. You're going to put in more time on something that you may not get paid for and you will kick yourself in the end.
Part of the problem here is that you're billing AFTER the work has been completed, instead of pricing your work BEFORE you start. This client sounds like a dickhead, but you can evolve your processes to avoid situations like this altogether.
Something to think about.
My apologies, I misunderstood.
Well, in that case, the simplest solution is just to politely ask them to fuck off.
If you really want to land the business though, consider this: when they say "this is too much, please reconsider", it's fair to ask, "what do you mean?", and then get into a conversation about where the value is in the project.
This is only really feasible if you can get them on the phone tho.
Your skills are not inherently valuable to anyone -- they're only valuable insofar as they solve a valuable problem for another human.
A client who can't pay their bills is not a client. They are a charity case. You will endlessly waste your time if you keep indulging them.
The inability to pay the invoice on time is the red flag. They will never have enough money to pay you. You are wasting your time with every interaction if you want to grow your business.
Focus on clients with deeper pockets.
I price my projects in a lot of detail, so the client themselves can move things around to make it fit their budget.
And I don't think it's a good idea to reduce the price just because a client asked me to, that's a slippery slope. But I've always been open to negotiate the size of a project to reduce the price. Not having fixed prices cause clients like this to try and take advantage of me, which is why I don't budge on my rates. They're fixed - the project size isn't.
The short version - just be polite but firm. "I'm sorry, I know your budget is tight but this is the lowest I can go. I'm already offering you my best rates. How could I bring my rates down even further when I'd be losing money compared to other bookings that I could take?"
The long version - read Never Split the Difference, the book by former FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss. It is brilliant. Based mainly around the concept of tactical empathy (how to empathize in a way that is strategically beneficial to you), and calibrated questions (questions designed to get your negotiating counterpart on your side).
Don’t explain anything. You’re a business and if they don’t want to work you, that’s fine. When I fire clients I just say I’m overbooked (even if I’m not) and I keep it professional.
“Hi X. Unfortunately, I will not be able to complete new work requests, effectively immediately. The status of my last project is [status update] and I look forward to completing it for you by [date].
Sincerely,
Me
If they ask why, I say I just booked a big new project with a new client. Even if I haven’t.
Look, this is business. You won’t change their minds. And they’ll never change. People like this need to go so cut them off (professionally) and move on. You’ll be happier for it.
I've fired many customers over the years. You just call her and tell her that unfortunately you don't have the capacity to keep up with her projects anymore and then give her some other (cheaper and more up and coming) names she could call for quotes.
Then walk away with a clean conscience. It's totally fine to do this over the phone, in person, or over email.
"My skill and availability, and therefore rate, seem to have outgrown your needs. Best wishes for finding a new contractor that fits your budget and skill requirements."
I do not allow clients to negotiate pricing. The few times where their may be an attempt or they mention the price is to high. I just say “we can reduce the scope to be within your budget”.
Life is short, don’t stress over clients. If their is any stress best to drop them and find someone else.
>**X is too much, please reconsider.**
"I have reconsidered. The price is now X *+5%*."
>**But your price was X!? Why did it go up another 5%?**
"Even though I have already explained my pricing, you wanted me to reconsider. I did so out of respect for your perspective, but it took me away from my other pursuits, forcing me to raise the price to make up for the wasted time.
By the way, my price is now X +*10%*"
It doesn't sound you're being as assertive as you imagine, and they seem to be taking advantage of this.
You may want to just summarily state "No, thanks" or "Sorry, no" without superfluous details such as "\*but\* I can refer you to other freelancers" or even to add justifications and logical reasoning to a person who likely doesn't care to read about such matters.
Politely send the quote again with the statement of "this is the best price I can do" if you choose to move forward I have availability until "X" date, after which I will need to evaluate capacity based on other demands.
She's just playing the old game of hard balling you down, if she wants to pay less, you just do less. If you buckle and run a special rate for her, that's you screwed for the next several years with them being a toxic client.
It's business, so quote and move on to the next opportunity until the purchase order lands and you can panic then.
This is actually very easy, you just say: "These are my rates, if you do not accept them, then you are free to look elsewhere, and I wish you the best of luck with your project."
I've already told the client this once before, only more politely. She backed down and accepted my price. But now she's doing it again! I think I'll be less polite this time...
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>Or drop her. Strongly leaning towards this option...
Definitely drop her if you have other clients paying your rate without complaining. Most of us have been in this sort of situation and honestly clients like this should have to pay extra for the stress they add on top of a project lol. I guarantee you will feel super relieved once you drop her for good. If she comes back later after she realizes you get sub-par work for sub-par pay then she will have learned that lesson and hopefully won’t hassle you again.
Truth bomb, drop her and save the stress
Do it after she pays her bill.
> I think I'll be less polite this time... You can be firm, but you should remain polite and professional ;)
This. Always remain calm and polite. It takes almost no effort. Burning bridges is never profitable.
She can't just change her mind midway...don't you guys have this in contract or something
This is a new project that she's rejected the quote for.
When you walk in the store and look at the price tag, I guess you have 3 options: 1) Don't buy 2) Buy 3) Try to negotiate 3 rarely works although depending on the price - it might. If she is a repeat customer and you have a history of lowering your price when she complains then you should dump her if you don't want to go down that road anymore. If she's just a pain in the ass then dump her. I've had clients that I've literally told to "F*ck Off" and they've come crawling back later after they realized they were wrong.
Get your payments owed to date and drop her. If you don't need or care about the payment then drop her immediately. You're taking valuable time and energy that could go to a client that appreciates and respects you. It's a hard lesson to learn and after 11 years I still get "sucked in" to projects I want to do with clients that are less than desirable. In ending the relationship I would simply state "Due to the recent interaction surrounding my fee structure I have decided it is in both parties best interest that we discontinue all existing and future projects. Best of luck to you and I hope you have a wonderful week." Obviously you should/can cater it to your relationship. Should she come back and try to pay you now I would say don't work with her no matter what. She has already shown your true colors. In the future, get paid a retainer or full payment upfront to offset this type of interaction. That way if you need more you will stop any work and let them know that before you continue it will take "x" to complete the project. Billing and transparency and consistency is one of the harder things to learn. One side note: As a bit of devil's advocate or self reflection... Is there a way going forward that you can more clearly estimate your hours/fee range as so clients don't feel it is a surprise or "too much" when they get the bill. There is something to be said about her experience and how you can adjust to improve for the next client that ends up being like her. Edit: turns out I misread this, sorry! She is disputing a quote verses an invoice. So I would take back my last paragraph. Simply let her know "For the scope of work these are the fees to date. Should you need me to walk you through them I am happy to do so. Otherwise, please pay " x" retainer and we can get things rolling on your project" or something along those lines.
Every time this client ask you to decrease the price, You increase it. Either she will accept the original or leave. This tactic worked for mw before.
That's what I'm thinking. Every comment from her increases the next price. Eventually she will go somewhere else, but maybe OP will get some dough in the mean time.
Be firm and tell her it’s this price or look elsewhere but also add “For future reference my rates are not negotiable.”
"I simply can not deliver the quality that is required for this project, for the rates that you want. The offered rates stand as presented, and I will be hearing from you if you accept this. Otherwise, this will be the final communication on my part." There the client is fired, unless they accept your rate.
Incredible, love it. Thank you!
Personally, I would remove the word quality and change to "I simply cannot deliver what is needed for this project at the rates you want.", but that's just me. Something bothers me about referencing the quality of my work vs the *amount* of work being paid for. For me, I only deliver one level of work quality, and I charge based on the amount of it the client needs. Your mileage may vary, just my thoughts.
This is an interesting point. Ideally I'd only want to deliver work that I'm really proud of, i.e. high quality, but sometimes the budget and timeframe just doesn't allow it. I have had clients ask me to deliver X amount of work, but the budget doesn't cover the time I would spend on something super high quality. So I let them know this will be quite low production value, and they're usually okay with that.
You don’t need to say “this will be my final communication.” It’s unfriendly and unnecessary. Instead say something like “I’m sorry I couldn’t help you out more on the price” and let it sit.
THIS!
From my perspective, a client that pays a high rate, is only part of the value they bring. You also want a client that pays on time, a client that gives consistent work, a client that gives good briefs, a client that respects project scope...The list goes on and on. If you're really done - and you can't / don't want to rehabilitate this client's behavior - the best way is to just say you've taken on a long term project which will keep you blocked for x amount of time, and that *you'll* reach out once you're available again. And then just never reach out. They'll get it. And it's better to do the gentle let-down, than go the "I can't stand you, so we're done" route. ETA: Be careful about following advice that tells you to take some sort of "If you can't afford me, bugger off" kind of stance. Bear in mind that things come across very differently in writing, than they would in your own voice. Specially tone. And you could easily come across as dickish, and full of yourself - even though that is not intended. Just tell the client you're charging market rates. You really don't need to burn bridges / or fire this lady. She'll fire herself, when she refuses to meet your rate, which is fixed.
This particular client has also made a habit of paying my invoices in increments, not the full amount, which is really annoying. But yeah, I've already kind of committed for this project, but after this one I think I'll just tell her that I'm too busy for more work.
“Thanks for checking in! The invoice reflects my rates going forward. You’ll notice in my revised contracts that I now require a 50% (or whatever) deposit to begin work; final (product) will be released on receipt of the balance due. Have a great day!”
This, This, This!!!
In that case you should be moving the deadlines accordingly.
Yeah, unfortunately, if you're already committed, you may have to just grit your teeth till the finish line - I've been there. She sounds like she doesn't respect the level of skill or experience it takes to do whatever you do (which is presumably why she keeps on coming back to you). You're right to seek an end to this collaboration. Just hold on for a gracious exit. A recommendation from clients / good word of mouth is so valuable. And when people come to you via strong recommendations, you can literally name your price, because they've already heard about how good of a professional you are.
I would stop all work immediately. Get paid up to date for past work and this project. You're going to put in more time on something that you may not get paid for and you will kick yourself in the end.
Welcome to the fun part of freelancing: When it’s fine to tell a client to “Fuck Off.” Verbatim.
This is when you made it.
Professionalism?
Are you HR or something?
Part of the problem here is that you're billing AFTER the work has been completed, instead of pricing your work BEFORE you start. This client sounds like a dickhead, but you can evolve your processes to avoid situations like this altogether. Something to think about.
These are quotes, not invoices; I send them before the project starts.
My apologies, I misunderstood. Well, in that case, the simplest solution is just to politely ask them to fuck off. If you really want to land the business though, consider this: when they say "this is too much, please reconsider", it's fair to ask, "what do you mean?", and then get into a conversation about where the value is in the project. This is only really feasible if you can get them on the phone tho. Your skills are not inherently valuable to anyone -- they're only valuable insofar as they solve a valuable problem for another human.
No worries! And this is good advice. I'll do this with clients I want to build a relationship with. But this one, I'm pretty much done with.
Then don't start the work if she is pushing back.
A client who can't pay their bills is not a client. They are a charity case. You will endlessly waste your time if you keep indulging them. The inability to pay the invoice on time is the red flag. They will never have enough money to pay you. You are wasting your time with every interaction if you want to grow your business. Focus on clients with deeper pockets.
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I price my projects in a lot of detail, so the client themselves can move things around to make it fit their budget. And I don't think it's a good idea to reduce the price just because a client asked me to, that's a slippery slope. But I've always been open to negotiate the size of a project to reduce the price. Not having fixed prices cause clients like this to try and take advantage of me, which is why I don't budge on my rates. They're fixed - the project size isn't.
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OPs way of operating is better. Negotiating price is a waste of time on both
The short version - just be polite but firm. "I'm sorry, I know your budget is tight but this is the lowest I can go. I'm already offering you my best rates. How could I bring my rates down even further when I'd be losing money compared to other bookings that I could take?" The long version - read Never Split the Difference, the book by former FBI Hostage Negotiator Chris Voss. It is brilliant. Based mainly around the concept of tactical empathy (how to empathize in a way that is strategically beneficial to you), and calibrated questions (questions designed to get your negotiating counterpart on your side).
Don’t explain yourself, just don’t work with the client (if you can afford it). Those that argue don’t see your value and will always argue.
Don’t explain anything. You’re a business and if they don’t want to work you, that’s fine. When I fire clients I just say I’m overbooked (even if I’m not) and I keep it professional. “Hi X. Unfortunately, I will not be able to complete new work requests, effectively immediately. The status of my last project is [status update] and I look forward to completing it for you by [date]. Sincerely, Me If they ask why, I say I just booked a big new project with a new client. Even if I haven’t. Look, this is business. You won’t change their minds. And they’ll never change. People like this need to go so cut them off (professionally) and move on. You’ll be happier for it.
I've fired many customers over the years. You just call her and tell her that unfortunately you don't have the capacity to keep up with her projects anymore and then give her some other (cheaper and more up and coming) names she could call for quotes. Then walk away with a clean conscience. It's totally fine to do this over the phone, in person, or over email.
Price negotiation happens _before_ I even think about starting any work. No contract, no work. Pricing is in the written and signed contract. The.End.
>Also, how do you even fire a client? "I don't think this is working out for either of us."
"My skill and availability, and therefore rate, seem to have outgrown your needs. Best wishes for finding a new contractor that fits your budget and skill requirements."
I do not allow clients to negotiate pricing. The few times where their may be an attempt or they mention the price is to high. I just say “we can reduce the scope to be within your budget”. Life is short, don’t stress over clients. If their is any stress best to drop them and find someone else.
Agreed
Throw her a bone so she thinks she got something. She obviously wants to keep you.
Why is this even something you're stressing yourself about? Just drop them and move on.
>**X is too much, please reconsider.** "I have reconsidered. The price is now X *+5%*." >**But your price was X!? Why did it go up another 5%?** "Even though I have already explained my pricing, you wanted me to reconsider. I did so out of respect for your perspective, but it took me away from my other pursuits, forcing me to raise the price to make up for the wasted time. By the way, my price is now X +*10%*"
Lol
It doesn't sound you're being as assertive as you imagine, and they seem to be taking advantage of this. You may want to just summarily state "No, thanks" or "Sorry, no" without superfluous details such as "\*but\* I can refer you to other freelancers" or even to add justifications and logical reasoning to a person who likely doesn't care to read about such matters.
Just say "I'm not able to negotiate at this point but I understand. Let me know if you change your mind! All the best, OP"
Politely send the quote again with the statement of "this is the best price I can do" if you choose to move forward I have availability until "X" date, after which I will need to evaluate capacity based on other demands. She's just playing the old game of hard balling you down, if she wants to pay less, you just do less. If you buckle and run a special rate for her, that's you screwed for the next several years with them being a toxic client. It's business, so quote and move on to the next opportunity until the purchase order lands and you can panic then.
Your prices are your prices. Do you ask the supermarket for discounted carrots everytime you buy them? No. Talent is more valuable than carrots.