How to Tell Freelance Writing Clients they are Wrong

Online freelance writing jobs can vary. Some freelance writing jobs include working directly with clients. Working with writing clients is a part of the business of freelance writing that many writers find they don’t particular enjoy for various reasons. One of the biggest is to tell freelance writing clients they are wrong. The key to having a successful business relationship with a freelance client may include the necessity to tell a freelance writing client they are wrong, but how to tell a freelance writing client they are wrong is important.

To make money online the client doesn’t always have to be right. Remember, you are providing them with a service. You also want to further your career in a positive manner. Therefore, you want to deliver your best work, provide them with what they want and make them happy. This is a tightrope walk in some cases for a variety of reasons. The logistics of delivering all of these can be something that is cultivated with practice and experience.  There are the perfect outcomes where all three do happen and there are times when it doesn’t. Though, you can get as close to perfection as possible with a little help and practice.

Many newbie freelance writers want to please every client they work with. It can be difficult to manage the unpredictable. This is nothing to be ashamed of because it describes how nearly every writer begins their career. You don’t want to annoy a client that could potentially bring you future work and keep the online money coming in. Trying to achieve this can mean that working with a client you find you are bending over backwards and jumping through hoops to please them.

You are revising content that sounds great, you are making a revision for the tenth time over things so minor they are not worth mentioning, you don’t hear from them for in large intervals when they mention a job is urgent and the list can go on and on as you try to please every need and want a freelance writing client demands of you as a writer.

Don’t keep the mentality of the customer always being right…period. That period can move a little. The need and want to please a client is part of delivering good service. However, the client always being right is not a done deal. There are peaks and valleys and crevices in the road to getting to the end of the journey.

There are a variety of clients that you work with and many of them are not always right. There are clients that don’t know what they want. Freelance writing clients that don’t convey what they want in enough detail to produce what they want with the online writing job. Other clients may know what they want, but what they may need is different and other clients that you can never satisfy no matter how hard you try. These are the times when you want to know how to tell freelance clients they are wrong, but in a positive manner.

Be aware of the fact that as the writer you are in the driving seat of the content. This doesn’t mean that the needs and wants of clients are ignored or that comments and input from a client is not considered. However, it does mean as a freelance writer take responsibility for your work and help direct your client to the best possible outcome for you both. Find out how to tell a freelance client they are wrong in the right way.

A good example of directing your client to a good outcome for your both can be when you receive a request for a revision that you don’t agree with. This may be a revision that moves away from a point or takes something major from the outcome of a piece of content. You can validate you have received their request and understand it. However, point out why you have created the content in the manner that you have or how the revision will change their article or post in a negative manner before making the changes.

This certainly doesn’t mean that the client is always right or that you are always wrong. As a professional writer you need to be able to tell a client when they are wrong and in the right way. The following should be things to address and consider when corresponding with clients when you don’t agree with their request and need to provide feedback;

·         Always support your position. If you are telling a client no to a request support the reasons why with facts and other content.

·         Provide examples that can support your position if at all possible. clients can understand examples and accept them more readily along with an explanation

·         Use terminology that your client understands

·         Don’t permit the conversation or correspondence to become defensive in nature. Nearly all clients are not out to bash your work. They simply want what they want when they want it.

As a writer, understand that you are publishing work tied to your credibility and career. Writing for a freelance client is a reference that will get you more clients and more work. This means you want to your best work going online at all times. Find a middle ground if possible with your client where you can accomplish if not everything for both of you at least the most as you can. Tell a freelance client when they are wrong the right way.