Learn how to screen, review, and manage clients before they become a problem 

As a freelancer, you’ve worked hard to hone your skills and are out in the world to build your business. A single difficult client can take your time, affect your finances, and turn projects into a nightmare. The good news is that most bad clients show warning signs early. With the right approach (and using tools like PostBack) you can avoid them before they become a problem. 

NOTE: PostBack provides this information as reference material to help support you and your team. PostBack is not responsible for how you conduct your business. Read our Terms & Conditions for more information.

---

Why Bad Clients Are One of the Biggest Risks for Freelancers 

Bad clients take more of your precious freelance time to manage. You’ll often be affected by scope creep, chasing payments, or going through extensive meetings or calls for those with unrealistic expectations. These bad clients can be emotionally draining. And, sometimes, they even affect your reputation if they make unwarranted negative reviews online. 

Common Red Flags Freelancers Should Never Ignore

Part of your freelance journey is encountering different types of customers. Get to know some common red flag client characteristics:

Red flag: Unclear project brief

This type of client generally has an idea of what they want but may not have all the details. They may require extra guiding questions from you. Vague projects run the risk of extensive revisions and a cycle of the client realizing what they don’t want with each round you show them. This is truly a time suck from your other projects. A project with a vague idea at the beginning can often lead to scope creep since there may not be a solid end goal from the start.

Red flag: Poor communication

Communication between you and the client is crucial in a freelance relationship. You’re not in the same office together, so prompt emails and calls are necessary to keep the project moving. If your freelance customer isn’t returning calls or emails at the start, you may want to think twice about taking on their project. Imagine you have an issue collecting payment at some point. Would this client actually get back to you to resolve the situation? This red flag client can quickly move into the “non-payer” category.

Red flag: Doesn’t want to sign contracts

If you encounter a client who doesn’t want to sign your contract that is one of the biggest red flags. As long as your contract is reasonable and clear there should not be any reason they would avoid signing. Sometimes they may have their own contract they need you to sign, which is fine as long as you read it over. You may be able to ask for them to add your contract protecting your creative rights and usage. Please consult your own legal advisors for the best recommendations for you. 

---

How to screen clients before you start working together

Before you start working with a client, there are things you can do to set yourself up for success.

Screen clients using PostBack

Actions speak louder than words. Create a smarter client selection process by taking advantage of customer insights left by other businesses on PostBack.com. Your freelancer business can benefit by viewing a potential client’s history of being a red flag or a fave. If you see that someone has been marked as a “non-payer” you may want to skip taking on their project. Have they been reviewed as a great communicator and collaborator? Sign them up!

Develop a client onboarding document for your freelance business

As a freelancer, it’s important to put together a client onboarding document you can use to gather the information you need for the project, and about the client. This will help you outline the project scope and be able to give them the most accurate quote. Don’t forget to include information about deposits, and payment schedules. It’s always good to include a note about how many revisions your quote includes, and flag that extensive revisions may incur additional fees. Communicate with the client that they will be notified when the project is at certain thresholds that may trigger additional fees if work continues past that point. Pro-tip: Require that the client approve the additional work before doing it.

---

How to deal with difficult clients when you’re feeling stuck

Are you a freelancer dealing with a difficult client? The first thing you’ll want to do is document everything. Save your email communications, take screenshots of text messages, etc. You may need this history in the future.  

Be sure you are communicating professionally. You can still take the high road. Set your personal and professional boundaries with difficult clients. As a freelancer, you and your business are basically one. Ultimately, you may need to walk away from the client relationship. Feel free to use our fired client template as a starting point.  

Don’t forget to help your fellow freelancers by rating and reviewing your experience working with this client.

---

Good client relationships are the foundation of a strong freelance business

You’ve put a lot of work into setting yourself up as a working freelancer. Running a freelance business, you’ll have to wear all of the hats. You’re HR, often a bookkeeper, project manager, and the whole creative team. It can be A LOT. However, if you take time to set up your processes, and screen clients in advance using tools like PostBack, you can remove some of the guesswork and unknowns.

Get advice on how to handle different kinds of customers you may encounter as a freelancer in our PostieDex Guide to Customer Types. Now, go forth and choose your clients well! Your sanity will thank you for it.

---