Breaking Up with a Client without the Heartache

As a freelancer, it can be difficult to know when a job isn’t right for you. It can be even more challenging to decide if it’s time to cut ties with a client or back out of an assignment you’ve already agreed to. Naturally, you want to do this as gracefully as possible—but that can be easier said than done! Here’s what you need to know about how to end a relationship with one of your clients without needlessly burning bridges.

When Should You Back Out of an Assignment?

For beginning freelancers, especially, it’s tempting to agree to take on any assignment that comes your way. To be sure, it’s a good idea to be open-minded and take on challenging projects that will allow you to stretch your abilities. There will probably come a time, however, when you realize that an assignment you’ve agreed to take on just isn’t right for you. Here’s why that might happen:

The project is too time-intensive.

Every minute you spend working on a project is a minute that you aren’t spending looking for other work or doing other projects. If you’re embarking on an assignment that requires a lot of time, make sure the compensation is worth it. If it isn’t, it may be time to withdraw.

You have too many assignments.

Sometimes, the problem isn’t that a particular project isn’t a good fit for you—it’s that you’ve taken on too many projects at one time. It’s important to be honest with yourself. You know what your limits are, and you know when you’re stretching yourself too thin. Rather than doing a subpar job with all of these projects, it’s better to cut down your number of commitments so you can give each assignment you do complete the attention it deserves.

You’re not qualified to do it.

This can be difficult to admit—after all, we all like to think that we can take on any and all projects. Some freelance assignments, however, do require specialized knowledge. That means you’ll need to spend a lot of time bringing yourself up to speed before you can even start work on the project, which isn’t an efficient use of your time or your client’s time.

When Should You Resign from an Ongoing Freelance Position?

Every freelancer dreams of having a regular gig with a client. There may come a time, however, when you realize that the gig isn’t for you any longer. There are any number of reasons why this might happen. Not every client understands how freelancers work, and there may be some clients who expect you to function like one of their employees—without paying you the requisite compensation. If you’ve raised your personal rates, you may also find yourself obliged to move on from certain clients. Finally, a regular freelancing gig, for all its advantages, may become so time-consuming that you can’t work on any other projects, which can become detrimental to your career.

How Can You End a Client Relationship Gracefully?

Fortunately, it’s entirely possible to end an ongoing relationship—or even back out of a project you’ve agreed to—without alienating the client. Here are some tips for amicably breaking things off with a client:

Don’t wait until the last minute.

If you realize that an assignment isn’t for you, let your client know as soon as possible. If you leave it until right before the deadline, you’ll likely be putting your client in a difficult spot—and putting a strain on any future relationship you might have.

Meet your immediate obligations.

If you have an ongoing gig with a client, be sure to give them everything they might need from you, such as contacts, files, and passwords. If you have any pending assignments, finish them and turn them in.

Offer to trade testimonials.

If you’re going to ask a client for feedback—whether that means a letter of recommendation, a short testimonial for your website, or a recommendation on LinkedIn—this is a good time to do it. You might also offer to provide a testimonial or recommendation for your client as well.

Leave the door open.

If possible, try to leave open the possibility of doing more work with the client in the future. Even if you don’t anticipate that this might happen, you can’t always predict what your future career will bring—and you never know when you will end up needing work.

If you’re looking to break into freelancing, it’s time to join the Writers Work community! Writers Work aims to make the writer’s life as accessible as possible for everybody, equipping you with the resources you need to take on the challenges of freelancing. If you’d like to learn more, visit our website and check out the introductory video on our homepage today!