When Freelancers Should Work For “Difficult” Clients?

I have a cautionary tale to share with you today. It’s about working for a difficult client. But it also has a surprise twist…

Because in this story, the difficult client is me.

Here’s what happened…

Last week, we had an appointment with our landscaping company to blow the fallen leaves off our yard. And everything seemed fine when I drove to the gym in the rain that morning.

The landscapers showed up and got to work while I was still finishing my workout.

But As Soon As I Got Home, I Noticed A Major Issue…

See, because it was raining, the landscapers were blowing around wet dirt and debris from our yard. And it was getting all over the side of our house. Including on more than nearly a dozen floor-to-ceiling windows that we had just paid to clean a few weeks earlier.

It was a mess. So I immediately texted the owner of the landscaping company with pictures of the problem. And after a short exchange, he offered to waive his fee for the day.

But he also said he wasn’t interested in working for us anymore.

And on one hand, I understand why he said that.

When it comes to the vendors I hire at home, I have extremely high standards. I expect impeccable communication. And I want to be fully informed about the details of every project before it moves forward.

But there’s also another side to the story…

Because I am also willing to offer compensation that matches these standards.

I virtually never question anyone’s rates. I always pay on time. And I often provide a steady stream of ongoing work. (Since one of my mottos is “outsource everything.”)

In fact, we have paid the landscaping company who decided to drop us as customers almost $20,000 since we first hired them about a year and a half ago.

So while some vendors may call me a difficult client…

The Right Vendors Actually Call Me A Dream Client

They are the ones who have the skill and professionalism to meet my high standards. And I make sure they are well rewarded for their efforts.

Which is why we also have many vendors who have earned a lot of money from us over the years. And who are happy to come back to work for us again whenever we need them.

So the lesson here is don’t dismiss a client just because they have high standards.

Because as long as they are willing to offer compensation equal to those standards — and you have the skill to meet them — they could become a very lucrative, long-term client for you.

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Now Let Me Show You How To Make Freelance Clients Come To You — Like Clockwork — Using A Simple, 30-Second Conversation…

All the details are inside my free business blueprint 30-Second Referrals.

With this free PDF, you’ll discover how to use a simple, 30-second conversation to get two referrals from every single client you sign. (I’ll even show you exactly what to say during this conversation with my word-for-word script on page 13.)

That way, you can make clients come to you like clockwork. And you can fill your pipeline with more new business than you can handle.

But there is a small catch…

30-Second Referrals is only available to members The Freelance Like A Pro email list.

So enter your best real email below to join us and claim your free copy of 30-Second Referrals now. (And you’ll get my members-only emails to help you run a more profitable and stress-free freelance business, too.)

Thanks for the freelancing guide and the emails that you've been sending out — the 30-second referral method is so stupidly simple, that it's genius!

Connor Inch, Freelance Copywriter