Great column, Erika. Actually your advice applies beyond clients and to many other aspects of life (both work and personal). A lot of it comes down to communication and respect.
Keep up the great work!
Kat
· 1 year ago
Great article, and I love the poker analogy. Found your site through a friend; always good stuff here. Keep up the good work! (BTW, I always fold on a pair of swans, as well as a Doyle Brunson...;D)
octavpelin
· 1 year ago
Hi,Erika nice post!
JB
· 1 year ago
Hey, Redhead!
Great post! In my line of work we've sometimes realized too late when we shouldve "folded" on certain clients. However, I'm now challenged to work harder at making sure the good ones get more appreciation from me.
Right on as usual!
JB
Eileen
· 1 year ago
Its the look of desperation that attracts the big, bad and ugly! Unfortunately, everyone is a piranha out there looking for blood, if you look weak, chances are they'll get you.
Quality work being sold for 'pennies on the dollar', putting illegals out of work! HA!
Look on the bright side though, at least this way we all know what we are capable of hanlding with the time restraints given.
the body is a mysterious thing and can be pushed to ridiculous limits!
Winning is half the battle! - G.I. Joe
Glen .L .Graham
· 1 year ago
Hi Erika In my line of work as a web-designer the clients that I let go in a heart beat are clients that don't appreciate my time and work.
Party Plan Pat
· 1 year ago
ok this piece is amazing of course and very timely during these so called "difficult economic times" It's time to let go of dead weight, cause dead weight sinks! Up ward and onward. There are too many people looking for help and success to spend time persuading and coaxing prentenders to get with the program. I would rather work with contenders! There is something about vegas marketers that is so on point. Must be the water y'all drink out there!
Speaking of which, Kenny Rogers loves africa (kenya and Tanzania to be precise). He wrote this song called Shimoni (which is a place is Manimba a.k.a Zanzibar of my youth).
fabulous song. SO I must have missed the pictures of your recent trip. where oh where might a girl go to see pictures of her homeland?
Richard Becker
· 1 year ago
Erika,
A very entertaining analogy. Statistically, 20 percent of the clients in our field require 80 percent of our time. If you can fold that 20 percent, it's easier hold onto the other 80 percent and find more time for promotion.
All the best, Rich
ciaoenrico
· 1 year ago
I think straight profitability is an important criteria as well.
Specifically, if I’m charging a client $1000 a month, and through various requests for extra stuff, or resolving issues, or having to deal with their drama every week, it could turn out I’m billing $6000 worth of time. A lot of jobs you can tell a client are outside of their retainer and offer to create a new agreement for the work.
However, if they’re good at getting you to go above and beyond, with no plan of ever paying you more, they aren’t clients, they’re tapeworms.
Ben
· 1 year ago
No posts in a while. When are you coming back to write some more for us?
Face Poker
· 10 months ago
I have looked over your blog a few times and I love it.
All Comments
Keep up the great work!
Great post! In my line of work we've sometimes realized too late when we shouldve "folded" on certain clients. However, I'm now challenged to work harder at making sure the good ones get more appreciation from me.
Right on as usual!
JB
Quality work being sold for 'pennies on the dollar', putting illegals out of work! HA!
Look on the bright side though, at least this way we all know what we are capable of hanlding with the time restraints given.
the body is a mysterious thing and can be pushed to ridiculous limits!
Winning is half the battle! - G.I. Joe
In my line of work as a web-designer the clients that I let go in a heart beat are clients that don't appreciate my time and work.
Speaking of which, Kenny Rogers loves africa (kenya and Tanzania to be precise). He wrote this song called Shimoni (which is a place is Manimba a.k.a Zanzibar of my youth).
fabulous song. SO I must have missed the pictures of your recent trip. where oh where might a girl go to see pictures of her homeland?
A very entertaining analogy. Statistically, 20 percent of the clients in our field require 80 percent of our time. If you can fold that 20 percent, it's easier hold onto the other 80 percent and find more time for promotion.
All the best,
Rich
Specifically, if I’m charging a client $1000 a month, and through various requests for extra stuff, or resolving issues, or having to deal with their drama every week, it could turn out I’m billing $6000 worth of time. A lot of jobs you can tell a client are outside of their retainer and offer to create a new agreement for the work.
However, if they’re good at getting you to go above and beyond, with no plan of ever paying you more, they aren’t clients, they’re tapeworms.