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Further
Reading ...
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Questions to ask yourself to prevent costly errors on your printing jobs - Granny s Mettle
I remember having to write about an article on how your graphic designer can cost you money. Sure, your graphic designer can have all the blame when you find out later that your material cannot be run through the press right away because there are...
How To Successfully Incorporate A New Member Into Your Team - Kathi Graham Leviss
© 2002 Kathi Graham-Leviss http://www.xbcoaching.com Often times, adding a new employee to the mix can be difficult. Even when hiring a person who is fully qualified to perform in the fashion you need, there will be an adjustment period. Getting...
Could a Roth IRA be Better Than a 401(k)? - Terry Mitchell
Very few people whom I know are familiar with the benefits of the Roth IRA. It was named for the late Senator William Roth of Rhode Island, who proposed it. It is similar to a traditional IRA except contributions are never tax-deductible....
Don't Need No Stinking PR? - Robert A Kelly
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Word count is 955 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly © 2003. ...
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Beware The Difficult Client
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Written By:
Angela Booth
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Beware The Difficult Client
Copyright (c) 2002 by Angela Booth
Into each life a little rain must fall, and into each business
life waltzes the occasional difficult client.
Luckily, most clients are a pleasure to work with. The pains in
the derriere are also, when you have enough experience to
recognize the type.
I've listed several "difficult" types below, so that you can arm
yourself against them.
The major weapon in your armory is THE CONTRACT. Always have a
contract, no exceptions. Be especially wary of the prospective
client who says: "A contract? This will take you what, an hour?
Surely you don't expect a contract for an hour's work?" (See "The
Spider" below.)
=> The Convivial
You can recognize her by her cry: "Let's have a meeting before I
sign off on this!" The Convivial client:
* always has an office which is half a day's drive from you;
* rarely shows up for any meetings she's scheduled, and if she
does, is always at least an hour late; and
* never has an agenda for any meeting, and therefore never
remembers why she wanted to see you, indeed she'll convince
herself that YOU asked for the meeting.
Your weapon: a signed contract with a paragraph which states that
all meetings except the first are chargeable at your usual daily
rate, which is $X.
Note: if you don't have a schedule of fees, develop one. By the
close of business today. It's vital. Contact your professional
association or ring local practitioners to discover what the
standard rates are, and use these as a basis to calculate your
own fee schedule.
=> The Extremely Cautious
Her cry is: "I need to get input from Sales and Marketing, and
then Legal wants to look it over". The Extremely Cautious client:
* has trouble with decisions, so rarely sees a project through to
completion; and
* micro-manages, so expect five phone calls a week while you work
on the project.
Your weapon: a signed contract which specifies your billing
cycle. This depends on the project, but always get at least a
third up front, and invoice monthly. Make sure that your contract
specifies that all revisions after the final draft are
chargeable. When you hear "Legal" think: "revision, revision,
revision".
=> The Bargain Bazaar
Her cry: "It came up that we really need X and Y and Z to make
the package complete. You won't mind including them, will you?"
The Bargain Bazaar client is always pleasant. She gets on your
wavelength. She asks about your children, your hamster and your
garden. She sends a box of mangos or a hand-tooled leather
portfolio with your initials in gold when the project is
complete. Unfortunately, neither the mangos nor the portfolio
cover the unpaid extra work you did.
Weapon: your reply: "I'd love to do that - continued below ...
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continued ...
for you, I'll fax you my
rates and the amended contract later this afternoon."
=> The Artiste
Her cry varies. Variations on the theme include:
* "This didn't grab me as it should have";
* "I expected more from you"; and
* "I was disappointed that _______"
The Artiste has a vision of the completed project in her head.
Unfortunately, she can't articulate her vision so that you can
execute it adequately.
Your weapon: a signed contract which specifies that you will
complete one revision. All further revisions are chargeable at
your hourly rate, which is $X.
=> The Spider, aka Quicksand
Her cry is: "I'm sorry to spring this on you at the last minute,
but we need it for a lunch meeting. It won't take you long". The
Spider is the most dangerous of the difficult clients.
Here's how a scenario with The Spider plays out:
* she dictates the brief over the phone because she's in a
meeting/ in her car/ late for a plane;
* the project must be completed within an hour or a couple of
hours; hence
* no time for a contract;
* you can't reach her when you realize you don't have enough
information to complete the project;
* you'll complete the project knowing you've done a less than
adequate job; and
* you won't get paid.
Your weapon: your mantra, which is "no contract, no deal". You
will be tempted. The Spider is plausible, and offers you candy in
the form of promises of future work.
Don't succumb. Remember: you won't get paid. This is because you
won't submit an invoice, because you know you did a poor job. You
know this because The Spider takes delight in calling you to say:
"We couldn't use the work you sent. It wasn't up to our
standard."
The Spider is dangerous because she will bad-mouth you in your
industry. After doing her best to ruin your reputation, she will
call you again within a few months, using the same tactics.
At times in your business journey, you'll work with so many
difficult clients that you'll begin to wonder whether you're
wearing an invisible "Kick Me" sign. Always remember that The
Contract is your primary weapon. It turns the most ferocious
difficult clients into purring kittens.
***Resource box: if using, please include***
When your words sound good, you sound good. Author and copywriter
Angela Booth crafts words for your business --- words to sell,
educate or persuade.
Free ezines: http://www.digital-e.biz/
About the Author
Australian author and journalist Angela Booth is the editor
and publisher of Creative Small Biz, a new free weekly ezine for
writers, designers, photographers, artists and other creatives.
Creative Small Biz helps creatives to transform their talents
into a flourishing business.
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| _Additional Resources ... |
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“Managing Your Time In A Home Business” - Shannon Emmanuel
This article is free to reprint with all attachments and authors credits in place. A courtesy copy of the publication would be appreciated. “Managing Your Time In A Home Business” Is your business still an inspiration, or has the pressure of time...
Best No Load Mutual Funds: The Right Way to Look at Fees and Expenses - Sam Subramanian
When searching for the best no load mutual funds, some mutual fund investors often tend to focus exclusively on mutual fund fees and expense ratios. Is this always a smart way to select mutual funds? Metrics such as price/earnings ratio and...
Rearrange Your Affairs For Maximum Tax Savings - J Stephen Pope
One way to maximize your business profits is by reducing your taxes. Frequently, income and other taxes could be lowered significantly if only the taxpayer were willing to plan ahead. By taking some simple steps to rearrange your affairs, you...
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