{"id":17172,"date":"2022-07-19T21:01:19","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T13:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/?p=17172"},"modified":"2022-07-19T19:30:47","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T11:30:47","slug":"saying-no-to-clients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/saying-no-to-clients\/","title":{"rendered":"When to Say &#8220;No&#8221; to Clients For Freelancers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all heard it before. The inevitable request from a client to revise a design to make it more\u2026 <em>something<\/em>. The client isn\u2019t sure what exactly, but they know that whatever they\u2019re looking at on the screen isn\u2019t quite \"there\" yet.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes they\u2019ll even utterly confuse you with a vague or nonsensical request, like \"<em>make the black blacker,<\/em>\" or \"<em>it\u2019s just not poppy enough.<\/em>\"<\/p>\n<p>These types of inane directives have become so legendary in freelancing culture that, whenever they get mentioned out of context, any freelancer listening won\u2019t be able to help give a sympathetic eye roll or shake of the head.<\/p>\n<p>There are even whole blogs and other creative efforts centered around the weird things our clients sometimes ask of us; I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve heard of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/notalwaysright.com\/tag\/clients-from-hell\/\">at least one<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ref-block ref-block--post\" id=\"ref-post-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/accounting-invoicing-services-for-freelance-designers\/\" class=\"ref-block__link\" title=\"Read More: Best Invoicing & Accounting Tools For Freelancers\" rel=\"bookmark\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Best Invoicing & Accounting Tools For Freelancers<\/span><\/a>\n<div class=\"ref-block__thumbnail img-thumb img-thumb--jumbo\" data-img='{ \"src\" : \"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/accounting-invoicing-services-for-freelance-designers.jpg\" }'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<noscript>\n<style>.no-js #ref-block-post-9460 .ref-block__thumbnail { background-image: url(\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/accounting-invoicing-services-for-freelance-designers.jpg\"); }<\/style>\n<\/noscript>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ref-block__summary\">\n<h4 class=\"ref-title\">Best Invoicing & Accounting Tools For Freelancers<\/h4>\n<p class=\"ref-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCompilation of free invoicing tools and services to handle your billing systems and invoices. Some of them are...\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Read more<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Had enough?<\/h2>\n<p>As freelancers, we all want to please our clients and ensure that we maintain a good relationship with them. We want to<strong> remain in good standing to get referrals and repeat business and bolster our reputations<\/strong>. But sometimes, some clients really can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/clients-from-hell\/\">try the patience<\/a> of even the most saintly of designers.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/saying-no-to-clients\/enough.jpg\" alt=\"enough\" width=\"800\" height=\"967\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"ref-block ref-block--post\" id=\"ref-post-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/clients-from-hell\/\" class=\"ref-block__link\" title=\"Read More: 11 Signs of Problematic Clients You Should Let Go\" rel=\"bookmark\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">11 Signs of Problematic Clients You Should Let Go<\/span><\/a>\n<div class=\"ref-block__thumbnail img-thumb img-thumb--jumbo\" data-img='{ \"src\" : \"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/clients-from-hell.jpg\" }'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<noscript>\n<style>.no-js #ref-block-post-14816 .ref-block__thumbnail { background-image: url(\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/clients-from-hell.jpg\"); }<\/style>\n<\/noscript>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ref-block__summary\">\n<h4 class=\"ref-title\">11 Signs of Problematic Clients You Should Let Go<\/h4>\n<p class=\"ref-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIn freelancing, it's not the number of clients you have that will make or break your freelance business,...\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Read more<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Fortunately, there\u2019s a simple solution that many designers often overlook that can alleviate or even completely remove these little professional hurdles. It\u2019s called <strong>saying no<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to go over some of the different situations in which a designer can use this powerful tool respectfully and courteously while still being firm about holding onto their sanity.<\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t let your guard down<\/h2>\n<p>It sounds horrible, but the harsh truth is that many people <strong>will<\/strong> be as naughty as you let them be. They will take the opportunity to con you or treat you badly, to justify underpaying you or even not paying you at all, if they believe they can.<\/p>\n<p>Not everyone is like this, of course, but you can usually tell pretty quickly whether someone is looking to scam you out of valuable services.<\/p>\n<p>Putting your foot down by saying no to the first signs of disrespectfulness or lunacy will set a precedent for the entire length of your interaction with your client. Initial impressions are hard to change, so it\u2019s important to make them count.<\/p>\n<h2>The wonders of \"No\"<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s quite remarkable, the power of this \"no\" word. I think every designer should add it to their vocabulary if it\u2019s not already there. Practice simply saying no to requests you find strange, incomprehensible, or just plain silly, and see what happens. You can try it out first on a client who you know has a \u2018thick skin\u2019.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/saying-no-to-clients\/say-no.jpg\" alt=\"say no\" width=\"800\" height=\"598\"><\/figure>\n<p>Later, you can move on to establish what you will and won\u2019t tolerate <strong>from the very first meeting with any new client<\/strong>. In my experience, a lot of clients are actually just trying to get a feel for your communication style when they make an offhand, impossible request. They may be testing you to see how much you\u2019ll let them get away with.<\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t just blurt it out<\/h2>\n<p>First things first: when I say that designers need to start saying no, I don\u2019t literally mean that you should respond to your clients\u2019 requests with a blunt negative.<\/p>\n<p>Saying no to a paying client <strong>requires a bit of finesse<\/strong> to keep the working relationship in a healthy place. I recommend writing out a few responses that you can use as reference in a future situation.<\/p>\n<p>Something like \"<em>I\u2019m sorry, but I\u2019m going to need a more specific answer before I can give you what you want<\/em>\" usually works well, and you don\u2019t actually have to blurt out \"noooo!\" like a two-year-old (or Darth Vader).<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/saying-no-to-clients\/refuse-politely.jpg\" alt=\"refuse politely\" width=\"800\" height=\"686\"><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Rehearsing a reasoned, courteous response to an insane request<\/strong> helps you keep your cool, and it also keeps you on track to achieving your main goal, which is solving your client\u2019s problem.<\/p>\n<h2>Not a therapist<\/h2>\n<p>Clients can be a kooky bunch but it\u2019s not really your job to tend to them like a personal therapist. You can go ahead and let them be as crazy as they want to be, <strong>as long as they\u2019re clear with you about what they need and how you can provide it<\/strong> to them. And as long as they pay you in a reasonable amount of time, of course.<\/p>\n<h3>How much rope should you give? <\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s up to you to decide how far to go with accommodating your client regardless of whatever unclear request he or she will think up. Sometimes it makes more sense to <strong>simply refuse to go any further on the project until you receive a request you can work with<\/strong>, since you\u2019d only be guessing at what the client wants anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Also, because there\u2019s been such a lack of clarity, they may become even more upset if you do not deliver what they want, whatever that is. Not only will you have wasted your time, but, depending on your prior negotiation, you might even have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/design-contract-clauses\/\">contract breach<\/a> on your hands.<\/p>\n<h3>Strive to communicate<\/h3>\n<p>Alternatively, you could take more of an \"onion peeling\" approach,<strong> testing and rephrasing different questions until you and the client both arrive at a communication pattern<\/strong> that gets each of you the information you require to move forward.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/saying-no-to-clients\/communicate-with-client.jpg\" alt=\"communicate with client\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\"><\/figure>\n<p>This method is certainly more time-consuming, and it\u2019s not unheard of for designers to add an additional amount to their revision fee (interrogation tax?) if it starts to take too long to achieve clarity.<\/p>\n<h2>It\u2019s not always the client\u2019s fault <\/h2>\n<p>That\u2019s right, I said it. Sometimes a client gives you a vague answer\u2026 <strong>because you asked them a vague question<\/strong>. It really helps to learn the proper ways to phrase a question so that you get the answer you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, the thing I\u2019ve found most helpful in achieving clarity is asking the client to give me a clear example of what they need.<\/p>\n<h3>Confined selections<\/h3>\n<p>This can take a few tries; for example, if a client wants a \"prettier\" typeface for their website but can\u2019t exactly articulate what they mean by \"pretty,\" you can ask them to browse a selection of fonts until they find something that is \"pretty\" enough for their taste.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ref-block ref-block--post\" id=\"ref-post-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/quick-guide-to-typography-learn-and-be-inspired\/\" class=\"ref-block__link\" title=\"Read More: Quick Guide to Typography: Learn and Be Inspired\" rel=\"bookmark\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Quick Guide to Typography: Learn and Be Inspired<\/span><\/a>\n<div class=\"ref-block__thumbnail img-thumb img-thumb--jumbo\" data-img='{ \"src\" : \"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/quick-guide-to-typography-learn-and-be-inspired.jpg\" }'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<noscript>\n<style>.no-js #ref-block-post-8481 .ref-block__thumbnail { background-image: url(\"https:\/\/assets.hongkiat.com\/uploads\/thumbs\/250x160\/quick-guide-to-typography-learn-and-be-inspired.jpg\"); }<\/style>\n<\/noscript>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ref-block__summary\">\n<h4 class=\"ref-title\">Quick Guide to Typography: Learn and Be Inspired<\/h4>\n<p class=\"ref-description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSo you want to learn typography. You're in good company! Typophile culture is booming on the Internet. The...\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Read more<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This is an example of what I call<strong> controlling fluctuations<\/strong>. I don\u2019t know about you, but I like to have as few surprises or brick walls (as possible) when dealing with clients.<\/p>\n<p>Learning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/effective-communication-tactics-for-designers\/\">how to ask the right questions<\/a> is crucial to getting through those unnecessary barriers so you can deal with the important stuff.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Designers speak a cryptic language all their own, and sometimes it can be difficult to <strong>bridge the gap between what you mean to say to a client and how the client will interpret it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As the professional providing the creative service, it\u2019s your job to make sure there is clarity all around. Your client is paying you to solve their problem, and you can\u2019t do that unless you first establish exactly what the problem is.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all heard it before. The inevitable request from a client to revise a design to make it more\u2026 something. The client isn\u2019t sure what exactly, but they know that whatever they\u2019re looking at on the screen isn\u2019t quite &#8220;there&#8221; yet. Sometimes they\u2019ll even utterly confuse you with a vague or nonsensical request, like &#8220;make&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3410],"tags":[559,2099],"topic":[4523],"class_list":["entry-content","is-maxi"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.8 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When to Say &quot;No&quot; to Clients For Freelancers - Hongkiat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We&#039;ve all heard it before. The inevitable request from a client to revise a design to make it more... something. The client isn&#039;t sure what exactly, but\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/saying-no-to-clients\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When to Say &quot;No&quot; to Clients For Freelancers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We&#039;ve all heard it before. The inevitable request from a client to revise a design to make it more... something. 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