The Uncommitted Client: Don't Rely on Promises
Communications, clarifications, and contracts are worth much more
I'm certain that many of us have been in a situation where a client has promised work at some point in the future. That can leave freelancers and content creators with a dilemma—what happens if you take on other work in the meantime?
Here's the thing: Don't ever count on that client sending you work until you have a signed agreement, statement of work, or contract in place that guarantees it. If you don't have a contract, you don't have a commitment. Clients who want to secure your services need to enshrine their promises in writing, preferably in a way that still benefits you even if they don't go ahead.
It's even better if you can get an advanced payment to secure your time—whether the client works with you or not. Let's explore how you can help to guarantee work in a little more detail.
Why you shouldn't put aside time until you have a firm client commitment
As self-employed creators, if we're not working for a client, we're not getting paid. That means we have to make every hour count. Putting time aside for work that may never come creates a problem because you're not maximizing your chargeable time.
It's a lost opportunity. If you reserve time for a client before they've committed to you, that means you could turn down lucrative opportunities elsewhere. And if your client then never sends you the work, you're out of pocket. You miss out on a relationship with the new client and any potential work they could have sent your way.
Clients may not send you work for all sorts of reasons
It's important to remember that the reasons a client doesn't send you work are very seldom anything nefarious or malicious. In most cases, it's due to internal pressures, overwork, or changing priorities:
Your point of contact with the client may have forgotten to send the work to you.
They may be waiting for permission or an available budget before they can forward the work.
Your contact may be overwhelmed—they simply don't have the time, attention, or energy to get in touch with you.
Their email may have gone to your spam folder—it happens!
the work may be reliant on other, internal deliverables at the client, like a website being built or a marketing plan getting put in place.
Priorities in your client's business may have changed, pushing your work later in the schedule.
In some cases, these issues can be solved with a polite, follow-up email. If you're still not getting a response from that, don't hold your breath!
How to get a client to commit to sending you work
There are several approaches you can use to make it more likely a client sends you work when they say they will: communications, clarifications, and contracts.
The first thing to do is set up clear lines of communication with your client. Ask them what the best way to contact them is. Use the method that they find easiest to deal with. If you align with their preferred way of doing things, it'll be easier to get stuff done.
Ask your client if they're expecting any potential delays to the work, and what you and they can do to help avoid those delays. Let them know about the times you will be available, as that helps to manage expectations.
Next, you'll want to clarify everything back to the client so there are no misunderstandings. Document any conversations in an email that you send to the client and ask them if you've understood everything correctly. Don't be afraid to ask questions to check on any specific points.
Get a signed agreement of some kind in place. That may be a Statement of Work, a full contract, a retainer agreement, or something else that details what you expect of each other. In particular, try to detail:
The scope of the work and what you're expected to do
The time you expect to get work from the client
The times that you will be available
Any forfeits or penalties if the client doesn't send you the work
Get a deposit for the work
Few things focus the mind like money. If a client wants to work with you, get them to pay a deposit to secure your time. The amount of the deposit is up to you, but I'll typically charge between 50% and 100% of what I expect the final price to be.
You and your client can also use an escrow service to hold money until work is completed. This can be particularly helpful the first couple of times that you work with a client.
Clients can come back at unexpected times
A client may have asked you to do work a while ago, didn't follow through, and you forgot about them. Then, a few weeks or months later, they contact you again requesting work. This is more common than you think. If you can fit it into your schedule, then you may want to go ahead, but get all of the same protections in place for yourself.
If a client won't commit then push back
It can turn out that despite all of your best efforts, a client won't commit or pay a deposit. In those cases, it's fine to push back and let them know you won't be able to reserve time for them. Tell them that although you might be available, you could also be busy when they need you. If they want to avoid that, they'll need to sign an agreement and pay to reserve your time.
A polite email can solve many client issues
Proactive communication can solve so many potential problems. A few days before they're due to send you work, send them a quick email clarifying when you'll be available. If you're expecting work that doesn't arrive, ask them when you can expect to receive it. These emails can be short, polite, and professional.
Remember that the only person protecting your future income is you. Get a few ground rules and expectations in place with clients, and you'll be good to go!
Amen, amen, amen, amen, amen... ad amenfinitum!
So so true but a necessary reminder