Comments on: Getting to "NO" — When Enough is Enough http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough writing about writers and other letter-related debris Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:28:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ryan Healy http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-707 Ryan Healy Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:33:38 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-707 Fortunately, there have been few clients I've regretted taking on. I've "fired" a handful of them, and I've never regretted it. (I say "fire," but it really amounts to saying "no" to future work.) By the way, opportunity cost is a biggie. You could be writing copy for your own products, improving your self-marketing, spending more time with your family, etc. All better than working for a bad client. Fortunately, there have been few clients I’ve regretted taking on. I’ve “fired” a handful of them, and I’ve never regretted it. (I say “fire,” but it really amounts to saying “no” to future work.)

By the way, opportunity cost is a biggie. You could be writing copy for your own products, improving your self-marketing, spending more time with your family, etc. All better than working for a bad client.

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-706 Tom Chandler Fri, 01 Jun 2007 23:35:16 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-706 The "Dear John" is only a couple lines; the usual "I believe another copywriter might be a better fit with your needs, good luck, yadda, yadda." It's always tempting to nuke the person, but I don't want to do that in an e-mail. If I have something to say to a client, I say it to their face, or just move on. Fortunately, you're right -- not that many truly awful clients clutter our lives, though I never thought about your dependence on them. The “Dear John” is only a couple lines; the usual “I believe another copywriter might be a better fit with your needs, good luck, yadda, yadda.”

It’s always tempting to nuke the person, but I don’t want to do that in an e-mail. If I have something to say to a client, I say it to their face, or just move on.

Fortunately, you’re right — not that many truly awful clients clutter our lives, though I never thought about your dependence on them.

]]> By: IrreverentFreelancer http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-705 IrreverentFreelancer Thu, 31 May 2007 23:14:09 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-705 Can I read your "Dear John" letter, Tom? I've never, ever, ever regretted dumping a client, but I have regretted not trusting my instinct about dumping one sooner. And you're right; the awful clients do get all the attention, both in the sense that that take away time from other clients and that we spend even further time complaining about them. Of course, my blog would cease to exist without them, but I'm fortunate to have had very few truly awful clients over the years. Can I read your “Dear John” letter, Tom? I’ve never, ever, ever regretted dumping a client, but I have regretted not trusting my instinct about dumping one sooner.

And you’re right; the awful clients do get all the attention, both in the sense that that take away time from other clients and that we spend even further time complaining about them. Of course, my blog would cease to exist without them, but I’m fortunate to have had very few truly awful clients over the years.

]]> By: Joseph Ratliff http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-704 Joseph Ratliff Thu, 31 May 2007 17:07:48 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-704 It is actually proven very challenging to grow a service - oriented business without "firing" about 20% of the bottom of your client base annually. In terms of saying "no" in the beginning...it actually establishes credibility when negotiating and reduces your unnecessary workload. Here is a link to a free report that describes the negotiating part... http://www.goddoesntshootcraps.com/freegift2.html I consistently use this technique. Along with not taking every client on in the beginning...it has doubled the copywriting portion of my consulting practice. Joseph Ratliff Author of The Profitable Business Edge http://profitablebusinessedge.blogspot.com It is actually proven very challenging to grow a service – oriented business without “firing” about 20% of the bottom of your client base annually.

In terms of saying “no” in the beginning…it actually establishes credibility when negotiating and reduces your unnecessary workload.

Here is a link to a free report that describes the negotiating part…

http://www.goddoesntshootcraps.com/freegift2.html

I consistently use this technique.

Along with not taking every client on in the beginning…it has doubled the copywriting portion of my consulting practice.

Joseph Ratliff
Author of The Profitable Business Edge
http://profitablebusinessedge.blogspot.com

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-703 Tom Chandler Thu, 31 May 2007 14:18:11 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-703 Elizabeth: My sense is the awful clients generally get <i>more</i> attention than the good ones. Gloria: I've always advocated picking the clients you want to work for and pitching them, but I need to take my own advice. Lately, the clients have been finding me, keeping me off balance. Basics. Gotta get back to basics. Elizabeth: My sense is the awful clients generally get more attention than the good ones.

Gloria: I’ve always advocated picking the clients you want to work for and pitching them, but I need to take my own advice. Lately, the clients have been finding me, keeping me off balance.

Basics. Gotta get back to basics.

]]> By: Gloria Hildebrandt http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-702 Gloria Hildebrandt Thu, 31 May 2007 13:39:17 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-702 There truly is enough work out there for all good writers. Moving on from clients who don't value your work or treat you well is like moving on from bad relationships. It might feel scary and sad at the time, but in time, you look back and say why did I stick it out so long? There are better clients out there. Free up your time and energy to find them. There truly is enough work out there for all good writers. Moving on from clients who don’t value your work or treat you well is like moving on from bad relationships. It might feel scary and sad at the time, but in time, you look back and say why did I stick it out so long? There are better clients out there. Free up your time and energy to find them.

]]> By: Elizabeth M. Johnson http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-701 Elizabeth M. Johnson Thu, 31 May 2007 10:42:52 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-701 I think this is such an essential point. Is the awful client the same as the ideal client? When we say "yes" to the awful client, we give him/her the same rights/attention that we do for the ideal client. Saying "no" is a way that we value ourselves and the work that we offer. When we make everything a "yes", a sense of priority is lost and everything is rendered equal. Talk about feeling icky... I think this is such an essential point. Is the awful client the same as the ideal client? When we say “yes” to the awful client, we give him/her the same rights/attention that we do for the ideal client. Saying “no” is a way that we value ourselves and the work that we offer. When we make everything a “yes”, a sense of priority is lost and everything is rendered equal. Talk about feeling icky…

]]> By: Michi http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-700 Michi Thu, 31 May 2007 00:28:34 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-700 I agree. I've written things in the past that really didn't have any value for others...just busy-work to pay the bills. I won't do that anymore. My writing is too important to me to waste time on words that don't mean anything to anyone. I agree. I’ve written things in the past that really didn’t have any value for others…just busy-work to pay the bills. I won’t do that anymore. My writing is too important to me to waste time on words that don’t mean anything to anyone.

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-699 Tom Chandler Wed, 30 May 2007 23:30:10 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-699 Soul-sapping work is grounds for immediate client disqualification, regardless of how nice (or evil) the client may be. Good comment! Soul-sapping work is grounds for immediate client disqualification, regardless of how nice (or evil) the client may be.

Good comment!

]]> By: Christine OKelly http://writerunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-698 Christine OKelly Wed, 30 May 2007 17:55:17 +0000 http://copywriterunderground.com/2007/05/30/getting-to-no-when-enough-is-enough/#comment-698 Totally agree here. One of the biggest professional leaps I ever made in my freelancing career was to clean house of lame clients. I got rid of them not because they didn't pay well or crossed any professional lines, but because I just felt icky doing the work. The work was soul-less and didn't provide any value to the world and I just hated doing it. I came to the realization that I didn't become a freelancer to spend my days hating what I do. Now I have some of the best clients anyone could ever ask for and I know the things I'm writing are affecting people in a positive way. Totally agree here. One of the biggest professional leaps I ever made in my freelancing career was to clean house of lame clients.

I got rid of them not because they didn’t pay well or crossed any professional lines, but because I just felt icky doing the work. The work was soul-less and didn’t provide any value to the world and I just hated doing it.

I came to the realization that I didn’t become a freelancer to spend my days hating what I do. Now I have some of the best clients anyone could ever ask for and I know the things I’m writing are affecting people in a positive way.

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