Loading…
7
PSA: I think saying no to steady clients can be smart for freelancers
Everyone tells you to keep every client happy, but I let some go on purpose. Like, I had a client who paid okay but demanded constant changes for free. I stopped working with them, and it freed up time for better projects. Now I focus on clients who respect my rates and process. It was scary at first, but my income is more stable now. In my experience, being picky leads to less stress and more money. Your mileage may vary, but this works for my survival.
4 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In4 Comments
christopherg978mo ago
Totally, and it goes beyond just freeing up time. By dropping bad clients, you signal that your work has value and you won't settle for less. That attitude attracts better projects and builds a more solid business.
7
bethc938mo ago
Signal that your work has value" feels like such a heavy way to put it. Is firing a annoying client really sending that big of a message, or are we just overthinking it?
3
hart.sage6mo ago
Yeah I used to think firing clients was dramatic but honestly this made me rethink that.
3
hannahjohnson8mo ago
I get what you're saying about "signaling", but honestly, it's way simpler than that. It's just basic math. That time you spend redoing free work for a picky client is time you could bill someone else. I do plumbing, and if a homeowner kept calling me back for tiny tweaks without paying, I'd go broke driving across town. Letting that client go isn't a signal, it's just stopping the leak in your own wallet.
3