Introduction:
Freelancing Guide to Identifying Client Red Flags. Freelancers have maximum autonomy, adaptability, and advanced monetary virtue associated with freelancing. However, the positive aspects of being a freelancer are usually associated with many risks. Among the primary risks associated with being a freelancer is the challenge of dealing with clients who are troublesome or who do not tell the truth about their intent.
Clients can be professional and courteous to work with; however, for example, there are clients who can create stress, cause you to waste your time, and create a negative impact on your finances. Therefore, it is imperative for freelancers to be aware of ‘red flags’ associated with clients, so the freelancers can identify these ‘red flags’, as quickly as possible.
As a new freelancer, you are going to be particularly susceptible to this risk since you likely have little to no experience, and you may feel pressured to accept every project assigned to you – even if there are “red flags.” Thus, you must also consider that identifying red flags, is not only crucial for financial security, but also for psychological well-being. In this guide, we will discuss the common types of clients, identify the common red flags associated with clients, and how freelancers can avoid making financial mistakes when working with these types of clients.
Understanding What Client Red Flags Are in Freelancing:
Indications that a client may be difficult or unreliable to work with (as a partner) are called “red flags” and can typically be noted within just a few minutes of conversation – or prior to ever talking with a potential new customer on the phone. Indicators include such things as the client giving contradictory instructions, having unrealistic expectations, and having a poor ability to communicate clearly.
Additionally, there are some less obvious ways that red flags appear. For instance, a client may be very friendly, but their style of communication and/or method of payment could cause you future problems. Therefore, establishing whether you have a pattern of problems is far more important than identifying a single instance of a problem. Identifying a pattern will allow you to make a more informed decision and to maintain your reputation as a professional.
Red Flag 1: Vague or Unclear Project Requirements in Freelancing
One of the first signs of a problem is when a client is unable to articulate what they want.They will give you directions such as, “I will tell you later” or “Just make something creative.”You may receive directions that include, “I’ll let you know later” or “Just do something creative”, which can result in confusion and frustration because of a lack of direction even though creativity is a positive trait.
When project requirements are unclear, estimating costs and time becomes difficult for freelancers, leading to situations where they complete more work without compensation.
Red Flag 2: Unrealistic Deadlines and Expectations of Freelancing
Clients who expect quick turnaround times without any appreciation for the amount of effort required are also a huge warning sign. For example, it is definitely disrespectful to ask for an entire website in one day or a 5,000 word article in 2 hours.
Having these unrealistic expectations adds to the stress and burnout of freelancers & can result in freelancers rushing their work and sacrificing their standards of quality. It is essential to negotiate timelines and explain what is actually possible. Clients who are healthy are those who value quality over speed.
Red Flag 3: Refusal to Discuss Budget or Payment in Freelancing
Dangerous clients are those who steer clear of payment conversations. They can say, “Let’s discuss money after the job is completed” or “This will result in more work down the line.” Although prospects for future work are tempting, they are not a guarantee of payment.
Moreover, payment ambiguity is a common cause of conflicts. Therefore, freelancers must ensure that they know the budget before embarking on a project. This is because freelancers can limit their financial exposure by putting everything in writing. Freelancing requires clarity.
Red Flag 4: Requests for Free Work or Excessive Samples
Many clients request free pilot tests to “see if you are right for them.” While a small sample is often reasonable, lengthy requests for unpaid work are exploitation and demonstrate no respect for your time.
This type of behavior would also include clients making multiple requests for changes without additional payment, thus performing unpaid work. Freelancers need to establish clear limits and clarify exactly what is included in the outline for the project they agree to. A professional client will always pay fairly for work done professionally.
Red Flag 5: Poor Communication and Delayed Responses
Freelance success starts by communicating effectively with your client. Clients that take several days to give you a response or send you mixed messages will create delays and lead to inefficient workflow. Over time this will cause your client to not complete the project successfully.
In addition, disorganized or uncommitted individuals are usually the ones that have poor communication. When you work with clients that do not communicate clearly and promptly, you will waste your time waiting for a response and then you will not be able to complete the work. You want to choose a client who communicates clearly and promptly.
Red Flag 6: Disrespectful or Rude Behavior in Freelancing
In professional business settings, you cannot compromise respect. A client who makes unflattering remarks toward you; threatens you with negative feedback; or attempts to use emotional pressure on you raises significant cause for concern, and should never be ignored. When a person exhibits such behavior, it shows a lack of professionalism, meaning that they do not hold your time, energy, or expertise in high regard. Additionally, working in an environment filled with negativity can quickly turn a simple project into one that may be very stressful.
While the client’s behavior usually does not improve over time, the client learns that they can use emotional manipulation or disrespectful language; as a result, clients continue to use these methods to control freelancers. When clients utilize this type of behavior, many freelance professionals develop anxiety issues or lack of confidence; subsequently, many freelancers start to question their own abilities.
The overall emotional stress caused by this type of behavior may cause freelancers to experience burnout or reduced productivity, and ultimately become resigned to their physical and emotional health. Therefore, leaving a client who does not respect you is not viewed as a weakness, but rather a way to create a mechanism for self-care. By choosing to only work with clients who treat you with respect and professionalism, freelancers protect their mental well-being, maintain their sense of self-worth and create healthier, more fulfilling work relationships in the future.
Red Flag 7: Over-Negotiating and Constant Price Pressure Freelancing
When clients repeatedly request an adjustment to pricing after both sides have agreed upon a specific budget, it generally shows that the client is more interested in pricing than they are in either working with you as a partner or receiving a high-quality service. Clients like this don’t appear to understand or appreciate how many hours/dedicated energy it takes to provide clients with quality results and how many hours/amount of knowledge the provider requires to achieve this and avoid having to charge higher rates than what was agreed upon.
In addition, clients that are willing to pay a reduced fee will also likely expect to receive more than originally agreed to for revisions/features/continued support, leading to feelings of being ‘underpaid’, or undervalued as a result of these perceived discrepancies in the freelancer’s subjective value vs the client’s perception of the freelancer’s value. Consequently, the ongoing difference in the freelancer’s interpretation of their own worth vs their clients will produce a situation where both parties are demotivated to work together, ultimately leading to decreased output quality. As a result, establishing fair pricing is not only about the financial aspects; it is about demonstrating mutual respect as professionals and building a sustainable working partnership.
Red Flag 8: No Online Presence or Verifiable Information
Today’s reputable clients tend to have an online presence of some kind – be it a website, a LinkedIn business profile, or a social media company page. This is often considered part of their credibility as well as a demonstration of how committed they are to their work. If a client does not want to provide any information about themselves (as an individual) or their business (as an entity), it could be an indication that they are attempting to conceal their identity. Thus, freelancers who are serious about protecting themselves and conducting business with integrity should take note of the lack of transparency demonstrated by a client that chooses not to share these types of details.
In many instances, one of the reasons that scammers who work from home choose to avoid using platforms that leave behind a digital footprint is because they do not want to be easily identified or held accountable for their behaviour. Many of these fraudsters will only use private, direct messaging on social platforms to communicate with potential victims, while providing vague or limited details about the projects that they offer. This significantly increases the likelihood that a freelance will not receive his compensation for services that he has rendered; creates a higher probability of receiving fraudulent contracts; and ultimately could result in his being victimized by fraudulent activity of others.
Red Flag 9: Rushing the Hiring Process Freelancing
Freelancers who are pressured by clients into starting work without sufficient discussion and/or direction should be viewed as a “red flag”. The client may want to rush, require immediate results, and such behavior typically indicates poor planning and a lack of consideration for the freelance professional’s working processes.
Additionally, clients who rush into projects eliminate the possibility of the freelancer understanding the expectations, the amount of work, and the terms of payment before commencing work. Lack of communication increases the likelihood of misunderstandings and disputes and can also result in an increase in mistakes, multiple revisions, and frustration from both parties. As a result, the onboarding process provides the opportunity to identify a serious and trustworthy client. A good client allows for time to discuss the requirements, provide clear requirements, and recognizes formal agreements. These three aspects of working with a client in a structured manner will often lead to smoother projects, better outputs, and better long-term working relationships.
Red Flag 10: Negative Reviews or Bad Reputation in Freelancing
Both Upwork and Fiverr are great resources for freelance job-seekers as well as receiving ongoing feedback from clients regarding their perception of your work. A freelancer should view multiple negative reviews regarding a client by other freelancers as a warning sign and exercise caution when dealing with that particular client based on the content of those reviews.
In addition, if feedback from multiple freelancers has been left regarding issues with payment for a particular client, excessive amounts of revision requests, or the client being rude/unprofessional in their handling of the freelancer, there is likely to be a pattern or trend rather than isolated incidents. Thus, if a freelancer receives multiple reviews regarding the same problems with a particular client’s previous contractor, more than likely the same type of problem will exist on any future projects with that particular client. By steering clear of clients that have a history of negative reviews, freelancers can reduce stress, save time, and probably lose less money in future projects with those same types of clients.
Why Beginners Ignore Red Flags in Freelancing :
Fear of losing out on opportunity is one of the biggest reasons many new freelancers ignore red flags. Another reason they oftentimes choose to proceed with a job offer rather than turn it down is the fear of having nothing to show for their efforts if they turn the offer down. Most new freelancers believe any job is better than no job at all especially since they have yet to get any clients and are having difficulty in getting their first few clients.
However, this is the reason why the saying “bad clients equal bad work” exists; Bad clients can not only hurt a freelancer’s self-esteem but also waste their time, and create stress in their overall work environment. For some negative experiences, new freelancers will even consider whether they made the right decision in being a freelancer.
Because new freelancers do not have the experience yet, they also may not know what to be looking for with respect to red flags, making it difficult for them to notice red flags before they become serious problems. New freelancers will often misread a lack of professionalism when doing work for clients; they believe it is a part of the process but have not been properly educated in this process. For this reason, it is so important for new freelancers to learn from the experiences of others so they can help prevent themselves from being taken advantage of and can have a long professional relationship with their clients.
Conclusion:
Recognizing red flags associated with clients are key competencies for all independent contractors and particularly so for first-time freelancers. Common signs to be wary of include: when a potential customer doesn’t provide specifics upon which to base an agreement, refuses to establish an expected level of compensation (money) for the work to be done, has displayed disrespectful behavior toward you, and/or tries to pressure you into finding financing prior to the start of your project.
Freelancing success involves more than just your talents; it is also impacted by whom you chose to work with. By maintaining an observant attitude, establishing some boundaries, and having faith in your gut feeling during the course of your career as a freelancer, you will save valuable time, energy, and increase the potential for your future growth and opportunities. Instead of being fearful about potential issues with identifying red flags, think of them as professional development experiences.
