Welcome back to the Boss Responses podcast and day two with our guest co-host , Amy Ragland . Today we're talking about one of those more difficult topics how do you let a long-term client go when it's time for the relationship to be over ? Let's just jump right into the question .
If you're a freelancer , business owner or anyone who deals with clients , you're in the right place . I'm your host , Treasa Edmond . I've been dealing with clients and running my business for nearly two decades and in that time I've dealt with my share of doubt , imposter syndrome and not knowing what to say when a client asks a question I wasn't ready for .
I created this podcast to empower you with the Boss Responses you need to grow your business . Each week , my guest co-host and I will bring you five episodes packed with practical insights . Monday through Thursday , we answer your questions , and Fridays , we dive deep to explore how our co-host embraced their role as the boss of their business .
Welcome to Boss Responses . We are back for day two with Amy Ragland . Amy , what's the question for today ?
So today's question comes from somebody who has a long-term retainer client and they need to let them go and they're thinking about that because the client pays lower rates than their other clients . They're always asking for changes and , frankly , they just take up too much of their time .
I've thought about just telling them I'm raising my rates , but I don't think that would solve all the other problems and I don't want to burn any bridges because they've referred a couple of my higher paying clients to me and I appreciate them taking a chance on me because they were with me when I first started my freelancing journey .
How can I break up with them without hurting any feelings ?
I love this question and I hate it all at the same time because , every person is different . The way I do it is , I take feelings out of it completely . It's a business decision . It's not about me . It's not about me getting along with them or not appreciating them .
And actually when I break up with a client , the first thing I do is tell them how much I've appreciated working with them . I always start with the positive and then I say , unfortunately , I'm taking my business in a new direction and I'm not going to be able to work on your projects anymore . Would you like me to refer you to another contractor ?
So I'm not leaving them high and dry , I'm not making it about me or them , and then I'm giving them options If they come back and say well , why , what can we do ? Is there a way we can still work with you and just say this isn't what I'm doing with my business right now . My rates have increased , blah , blah , blah .
I require these specific things from my clients and if they are willing to step up and meet all of that , then you have to make the decision on do you really want to break up with them ? And I've had a few clients step up and more than double my rate with them and change the way they worked with me because I had evolved my style .
That's rare , so most of the time I just make it a business decision . What about you ?
You know , I think it's not uncommon to outgrow a client or if you shift directions and you're no longer aligned with those projects and what they're doing .
I try to remember that if I was in an employment situation , if I was a full-time or part-time employee , people leave those positions all the time for different opportunities or different career paths , and it's a very similar situation to that . So I tend to work with people I like and so I develop friendships and relationships with those people .
So , like you , I want to leave them with a sense of I haven't left them high and dry . I've left them well-prepared to just go to someone else and work with them . So a lot of times if I am breaking up with somebody , I also give referrals to another contractor .
I also try to make sure that they have any operational processes that I've used that are unique to them , or any files that they may need . Just make sure that they're well-prepared to easily transition to another contractor .
Yeah , and for me and the way I've built it in my business and the way I teach it is , client management starts from that very first communication you have with a client and it goes all the way through off-boarding and you need to have an off-boarding or separation process . So it can't just be okay , I'm breaking up with you by bye .
You need to say I'm ending our relationship , or however you word it , and then say I'll finish this project if you're in the middle of a project , or this is my one month notice on the retainer , if you have a retainer . However that goes . But I also make sure that I'm closing the loop with them . Do I have any files that they need ?
If I have kept a copy of all of the files I've ever sent them on writing projects , then I will offer to send all of those to them in a zip file . So I go a little bit above and beyond to make sure they have what they need and they're not one going to have to reconnect with me for some reason , unless it's an emergency situation .
I think that just helps all the way across the board . And then I do those referrals , and I love referring people to clients that I've grown out of .
Absolutely . What about testimonials ? Do you ever ask for those ? If you're leaving a client , if it's you initiating the leaving , do you ask for testimonials as you're going ?
I don't wait until I leave . I ask for a testimonial after the first or second project or after the first or second month on a retainer .
That's a good point . I mean , I think that's a great reminder to be asking for not even so much testimonials , just feedback throughout the relationship and make sure that you're still on the same page with your client as the relationship progresses . That's such a great reminder of that .
It absolutely is , and clients who have referred other clients to me will often continue to refer clients to me after we break up .
That keeps happening until they form a really solid relationship with another writer , and then it's absolutely their due at that point for them to refer the clients to the new writer , unless it's something I specialize in , like ghostwriting , and then they'll still send people to me . So it's an interesting situation .
But yeah , make it about your business , not about yourself and not about your client . Don't tell someone I'm severing this relationship because you pay peanuts . That's just rude .
Exactly .
Just say this no longer fits my business goals or I no longer have availability in my schedule . So that's easy way to do it Blame it on your business every time .
Love it . That's the exact approach I would take too .
Alright , join us tomorrow for day three with Amy .