When you run a service-based business, working one-on-one with clients like I do, you need to work well together. A few factors can influence your relationship, like whether your personalities fit, if you have the right skills, and whether your working practices align. Sometimes, all the signs are good, but it doesn’t work in practice. It can be difficult, but knowing when to say goodbye to a client helps everyone in the long run.
Here’s the story of when I realised I needed to say goodbye to a client.
The client
The client was a local business that had been around for many years. They were lovely people and had built an excellent reputation for outstanding customer service. They also prided themselves on keeping up to date with the latest innovations in their industry.
I’d met and worked with them when they needed social media posts and didn’t have time to create them. I wrote the words, they supplied some behind-the-scenes images, and I found some stock images. It all went well, so when they contacted me again a year or so later, looking for ongoing support, I was happy to help.
The project
The client got in touch because their in-house marketing person had left. They’d had an apprentice with a mentor, who ran a marketing business, to provide support. They needed me to write their blog, repurpose it, and add other news items and features to send to their email list. The mentor would still be available to help with planning and organisation.
The client was considering recruiting another apprentice, so a freelancer was the ideal choice to provide support while deciding what to do next.
The mismatch
When I started work, I quickly realised that the client was used to having someone in the office who could respond to queries and get work done on very short notice. By contrast, I have several clients and often have multiple tasks to fit into my schedule in any given week. I ask clients to provide information a few days in advance. They weren’t used to working like that, which wasn’t an insurmountable problem in itself. We just needed to find a way to communicate deadlines clearly.
A bigger issue was that I needed to pull together numerous elements, including ensuring their images were in the correct format for use in their emails and finding new photos from supplier websites and stock image libraries. Those kinds of tasks aren’t one of my strengths, so I felt the client wasn’t using my time to its best advantage. The mentor was in a guidance role and couldn’t help with the practical elements.
Time to say goodbye
Ultimately, the client needed more of a marketing all-rounder to deliver the work. Although they seemed happy with their results, they probably weren’t getting the quality they were looking for.
We had a conversation via email (mainly because I like to get everything in writing) where we acknowledged the teething problems, and I let them know that I didn’t believe I was the right person for them. We still worked together to meet their current deadlines, but parted ways once that was complete.
You might feel bad about saying goodbye to a client, but it ultimately means that they can find the support they need, and it frees up your time to find clients who are a better fit. The experience taught me to drill down into the details during preliminary conversations and be crystal clear about how I work.
Ready for a chat?
I hope this helps you to ask the right questions to learn whether a potential new customer is a good fit for your business. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. More importantly, I’ll put everything in writing before we start so we both know exactly what to expect.
Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.
Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.