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Don't be "Just Another Freelancer." Instead, listen to Kaylee White!

If you want to succeed as a freelancer, you can't compete for scraps. That's the message that Kaylee White of Kaylee Writes puts forth in her new book, How Not to Be Just Another Freelancer, but how do you find the GOOD clients that will push you and your business into the next level? 

Kaylee talks with Kyle about what it means to step away from the pack and run a successful business for yourself, and the very important steps you need to take to do so! 

Today's links: 

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This episode is brought to you by Easel.ly, an infographic design service that transforms raw data into clear, interesting images. You can see their work on Clients From Hell! 

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Download here!

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Normally all the elements in this bundle would retail at $1470 — which is dumb, we all know that — but at only $9 for the whole shebang it's a steal. 

> Check out the deal here!

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I had spent the last couple weeks working on a Christmas gift catalogue. Photo sessions, editing, layout and all the works.  

Client: This catalogue is exactly what I had asked for. The photos are great, the layout is great, it’s all great!  

Me: So, should I send it to print and upload the file to our website? 

Client: Oh no, no, no. I said it was what I had asked for, but that was two weeks ago. I don’t want it to be like this now. Change the whole concept, reshoot the pictures, change the layout and show it to me again. And please have it ready for Friday. 

This conversation took place on Wednesday, two hours before the end of the day.

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Last year I started a project designing signage for along a river. The signs would show what that area looked like over the past couple hundred years. I worked remotely and had never been to this town. 

Me: I have all the copy now, but for each sign do you have images you’d like to have on it? These would ideally have to be historically accurate photos, as the signage is showing the river’s past.

Client: I sent a link in an email.

Me: Oh, I must have not seen it.

I found the link. It was just to Google.

Me: There must be a mistake with the link you just sent. It just brings me to the Google search page. Could you resend the correct link?

Client: Oh, that's the right link.

Me: I don't understand.

Client: That’s because you’re going to have to find your own images! You know, in your profession, you’ll have to research things yourself sometimes. You can’t always rely on other people doing things for you.

Well, one thing I can always rely on clients for is "white-hot rage." 

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A client asked me to put six buttons in a very small fixed sized space on the company website. He provided the text for each button. It was a tight squeeze to get six buttons in there, but I made a mockup and sent it to him, with a few words shaved where possible to fit them all in.

Client: I like the design, but there’s too much text. Can we have some icons in there to make it a little more visual?

I send him back a mock with the button text replaced with icons.

Client: Nice icons but where did the text go? Please redo.

I send him back a mock with the text and icons filling up every available pixel of space, the text has been shrunk down two sizes with reduced kerning to fit.

Client: That’s no good, I need the text the original size. Also some of the words from the original I sent you are missing?

Me: …

I quit a week later. My contract didn’t include breaking the laws of physics.

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I’m a legal secretary at a small firm that handles personal injury cases. I mainly deal with possible client intakes and potential consultations for the attorneys. Most of the phones calls I get are usually about slip and falls and car accidents, but sometimes I get shady assholes just looking to make money. This was one of those phone calls.

Client: Yeah I would like to talk to an attorney about a car accident.

Me: Sure, I’ll just need some details about the accident and some info about your insurance.

Client: So an SUV in front of my house just got into a head-on collision with this guy on a motorcycle and I’m pretty sure the guy is dead. The police and ambulances are everywhere.

Me: Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry to hear that! May I ask what was your involvement with the accident?

Client: Yeah it happened in front of my house and I don’t know them.

Me: OK… Why are you contacting us then?

Client: Oh, yeah well I have cameras on my house and I was wondering – if the case goes to court and they use my camera footage, I get a percentage of their settlement money right?

Me: (after a brief pause from disbelief) Uh, no, if they want the footage they will most likely just subpoena you for it.

He hung up after I told him that. I still get calls from some crappy people, but his call is still one of the worst.

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I work as a freelance photographer. One day the medical faculty of the nearby university asked if would cover a ball attended by 150+ students. 

Me: I should be available. What’s your budget?

Client: We were hoping you could do it for free.

 

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A client approached me in need of a leaflet design so we arranged to meet to discuss the project. She tells me her budget is very small so I suggested a not unreasonable £80 for a simple leaflet based on a Pages file she had put together herself. She scoffed:

Client: Why should I pay you that ridiculous amount when I can do it for free here?!?!

Me: It really depends on how you value your time. You could take hours making these changes and still not be able to send a print-ready file to the printers. I could make these changes more quickly and be able to send a high-quality file to print so you don't have to worry about it.

Client: I’ll just do it myself thanks…

A week later:

Client: PLEASE HELP! I’ve spent weeks on this stupid leaflet and the printers are now saying my Pages file isn’t high res enough to print. Can you do it all for me?

Me: Sure.

Client: I will only pay £20 though.

SIGH.

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I was working as a character designer for a game. About 90% of my designs and suggestions got thrown out and I felt I had very little creative input. After that project finished the guy contacted me again for another game, this time promising me that it would be more suited to my art style and they’d actually listen to my suggestions this time.

Client: This time I really want your input in the designs, you can change these characters however you like and whatever you think best. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Me: Cool, well, I think it’d be nice to have more diversity in the roster. There’s only one female character in the entire character list. Maybe there could be alternate male and female designs for each rank?

Client: I don’t mind more women but there’ll only be 6 characters in total, I want a realistic balance and besides, the character list already has an Asian dude, a woman and a dog, that’s already diverse enough.

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I am a full-time massage therapist. I have a great number of clients who have monthly memberships. They come each month and their prepaid sessions expire within 30 days of each auto transaction. On average I have this exchange three times a month: 

Client: I have to last minute cancel my appointment with you. 

They never give me a reason as to why they have to cancel and it is typically 16 hours before our session is supposed to begin. I ask for 24 hours in advance for cancellations.

Client: Do you have any openings the next day?

Me: I don’t work the next day. My next opening isn’t until next week. 

Client: But that is in October. We are in September! Can’t you get me in any earlier?

Me: If you would have told me earlier in the week we could have worked something out but my schedule is full. 

Client: But I’m going to lose my session I paid for if I don’t get in with you this month!

Me: Would you like to keep your 10 AM appointment with me tomorrow then?

Client: Yes that would work best with my schedule anyway.

Stick to your guns folks.

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