Note: This post was originally published in my previous website and featured in a webinar a few years ago. This has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Let me share a story which prompted me to write this blog post.
I’ve been promoting myself as a freelance writer through this website and once in a while, I do engage on social media. One day, I posted a comment on someone’s YouTube channel and shared a link about working from home which leads to my blog.
The personality behind that YouTube channel is a well-known financial guru. He has written books about personal finances, has appeared in various TV shows, and has a large following on social media. He sent me an email through my website to contact him via Viber. I was surprised and honored to talk to him on the phone. In the process, he asked for a writing sample. I sent one, and he liked it. I haven’t heard anything from him since.
A few weeks after that, I received an email from his staff asking for my rate. I told the staff that my rates vary depending on the client’s needs.
Although I prefer to be paid by the hour, not all of my clients prefer this method. I can be paid per month, per project, per article, per page, per 500 words, or a combination of per hour + per 500 words.
Also, I told the staff that as a member of the Freelance Writers Guild of the Philippines (FWGP), no Filipino writer should be paid lower than Php 2.50 per word. So I gave them a quote for my rate which I believe is fair enough for both parties.
After a few hours, I received the staff’s reply. He said that “although they like my writing”, my rate “is beyond something they can afford”. They also said that they “wouldn’t haggle because they respect my pricing”.
That reply made me think.
This personality has more than half a million subscribers on YouTube alone. His books are bestsellers. He has businesses of his own. With his stature, I think he can afford to hire good writers at a fair rate. Saying that they couldn’t afford my rate made me think that they’re probably hiring someone who would accept a writing job worth less than the FWGP standard. Now I’m wondering how much does this YouTube personality pay his team.
I’m just hoping that no one from the Filipino freelance writing circle would be fool enough to accept a very low rate for a YouTube video script writing job because this perpetuates the phenomenon of getting bad clients.
Types of Bad Clients
All freelancers agree that there are bad clients out there. We hear from writers similar stories of bad experiences from clients after a project or an article. This phenomenon has become a chronic disease for some writers because they get one bad client after another which could burn them out of freelance writing.
I, too, experience those types of clients. The YouTube personality I mentioned is not really a bad person. I am subscribed to his channel because I find his content educational. But because of this personal incident, I could classify him as a potential bad client.
Below are the types of clients freelancers encounter. If you experienced at least one of them, chances are you’ve been duped. But if you experienced them all before, by all means, avoid them.
The Control Freaks
These clients have a lot of trust issues. They micromanage, too. They require you to send them an end-of-day report (EOD) daily. Or worse, they keep on sending you a chat message every now and then asking for updates. They might even require you to install a remote monitoring tool just to check if you’re not playing around.
It’s okay to update the client at the end of the day (However, I prefer reporting at the end of the week.) but pestering for updates could make you lose your peace of mind.
The Dreamers
These clients want the moon and the stars. You’re enticed to support their goals but the problem is, they couldn’t tell you how to get there. You’ll have to figure it out yourself and give it to them on time.
Once, I had this client who wanted a website home page for a start-up business. He gave me a few instructions and two websites to get inspiration from. He even said that he doesn’t care about SEO and other stuff, he just want me to write a home page. I tried to get more info about his business but I only received a few details. So I had to figure out how I could make his website make sense.
The Eccentrics
These clients don’t have an idea of what they want until you write it for them. They’ll be happy but then they’d change their mind and realize that your writing or your service is not what they want at all.
I had this client who wanted me to write an article (or was it a press release?) about her spa business. And since I’ve been employed in her company for a time, I knew what to write about. When I presented it to her, she requested some changes. Every time I presented her a revision, she would request changes. After several revisions, we reverted to the original draft only for me to find out that she changed her mind at the last minute to not use it for the press release.
The Samplers
These clients would ask for a writing sample or ask you to do a “writing test” just to check if you’re the right fit. And most of the time, the sample is never paid.
There are employers across the different online job platforms who require a writing sample or a written exam. Some of them are recruitment agencies or the HR department of the company and they would say that it’s part of the hiring process and there’s no way they’ll pay for the writing sample.
The Fly-by-Nights
These clients disappear with your payment. They would come up with all the reasons for not paying you. They could also be eccentric, you know. Also, a sampler and a fly-by-night could be one and the same person.
I encountered a job post saying that the client would pay $25.00 USD for a sample game review. After sending my article, I immediately followed up for his payment. He never replied.
The Misers
These clients prefer to pay the lowest rate possible. That’s why they are scattered across the different online job platforms. Most of them are also starting up, with limited funds to hire people, thus they outsource.
In 2015, after telling my proposed hourly rate, a client asked if he could pay half as much since I’d be writing for only 30 minutes. I don’t know what went in my mind that I agreed. Good thing that the project was short-lived.
The YouTube personality I mentioned earlier is an example of a potential miser.
It is better to starve than get a bad client. — Massimo Vignelli, Italian designer
Why You Keep on Attracting Them
You might have heard of the Law of Attraction. Your thoughts become things. Whatever you think and act about, you bring about. Probably, in your desire to get the freelance writing gig quick, you attract them unknowingly. Here are the reasons why:
You keep on choosing clients in the wrong places
When I started freelancing back in 2012, I started using oDesk and Elance (both are now merged as Upwork). I also made a profile on other online job sites like OnlineJobsPH, PeoplePerHour, Outsourcely, etc. These sites are where I’ve met those bad clients, and only a handful were good ones.
I’ve realized that these sites have become overcrowded with writers (not only Filipinos but other East Asians, Africans, and Latinos) who are willing to bid low rates just to get the job. And bad clients love these kinds of freelance writers.
You sound desperate
Have you noticed how you write your cover letter or pitch? Take a look at these samples:
“I agree with your cause and I would be honored to write for the project for a reduced rate.”
“I would be willing to lower my rate if you’d agree to hire me.”
These are the statements that attract bad clients. They could smell insecure and desperate writers. And in the end, these poor desperate writers end up exploited.
You easily jump in for anything and everything.
In the desire to get a freelance writing gig, you tend to apply for any writing job on any platform without realizing what type of writing the prospect wants. Applying for any writing job in any writing format and hoping that something will stick together doesn’t work.
I consider myself as a generalist because I can write both fiction and non-fiction, from web content to academic writing, and almost everything in between. However, I know my limitations and what I can’t write. I tell this to my clients at the beginning.
What You Could Do To Avoid Bad Clients
So how can you prevent this? Here are a few tips I could share:
Qualify your prospects.
Qualifying means checking your prospective client’s online reputation. Do some research. It’s not bad to have a profile on some online job platforms. Some platforms provide ratings for employers to guide freelancers. You may still find rare gems there.
I saw a job post on Indeed one day. The job post was something I’m interested to inquire about. However, when I clicked on the employer’s profile, I found an average of 2 stars rating and bad reviews from a former employees.
Also, check if the prospective client is a recruitment agency. If yes, ask about the payment method. Most recruitment agencies would take a cut from your pay, thus you may receive less than what you’re expecting.
Target your prospects directly.
It’s better to choose the type of writing jobs you are comfortable with. Also, check the job description. Some clients may post a writing job but actually they’re looking for an all-around virtual assistant (a secretary who will answer calls, do admin work, and write articles).
Avoid those job posts that seem too good to be true. With experience, you can sense the job posts made by these bad clients.
If possible, have a website or a blog that prospective clients could look into. One advantage of having a website is that you control your own content, thus having your own profile and portfolio. It makes you stand out from the crowd.
A client sent me an email and told me that he found me on Google while searching for a freelance writer. When I proposed my Statement of Work (SOW), he agreed.
Another client saw my profile on Linkedin and sent me an email. After a Zoom meeting, we sealed the deal.
These two situations show that there are good clients out there (And yes, they’re two of my best clients!).
Also, learn some principles of good networking. Dress up, attend gatherings, and connect with people. Who knows? They may refer you to good clients in the future.
Project that self-confidence and communicate your useful expertise.
Take a look at what you’re writing and saying. Are you using words that show your confidence? You should come across with an attitude that your writing is a valuable skill and provides a valuable service.
But what if you’re not confident enough? Then fake it until you make it. Doing consistent confident actions tends to build confidence over time.
Try looking for gigs that you are comfortable writing with first.
“Write what you know” is a cliche you’ve heard a lot of times. But for freelancers, this can still apply. Successful freelance writers focus on specific industries and limit their clients within that niche. Ask yourself what topics and industries you prefer to write about. Do you want to focus on B2B (business-to-business) or B2C (business-to-customers)? And if you see a niche you really want to get into but don’t know about yet, then study and learn until you’re comfortable writing about it.
Have your prospective client pay for a writing sample.
To avoid a bad experience with The Samplers, have them pay your writing sample. Charge them per article or per 500 words whether or not they hire you or not.
I’ve put this provision in my Statement of Work with the client. I charge it either per article or per 500 words depending on the length. I also put in there that if ever they liked my writing, the project will push through. But if not, consider it as a “kill fee”.
My Final Thoughts
Freelancers encounter bad clients, that is a fact. But it should never be a constant in each freelance writer’s life.
To avoid having bad clients, know who, what, and where to look for a good client. Acting and sounding confident (even though you’re faking it) could impress a potential client. And focus on a specific niche you’re comfortable writing about.
Let me know if you have experienced these types of bad clients and how you dealt with them. Or just tell me what you think about this post. Let me know, too, if I have missed anything, I’d appreciate your feedback. And if you like to read more about freelance writing, productivity, or creative writing, please do subscribe and join the tribe.
Isang Manunulat 