With that said, you shouldn’t overlook customer attrition rates altogether. If your clients keep canceling contracts and projects prematurely, you might be doing something wrong. In this article, we’ll discuss some common reasons why freelancers lose clients.
1. Consistent Low-Quality Output
Whether you work for individual clients or freelancing agencies, they’ll cancel your contract if your work doesn’t meet their quality standards. Unlike full-time jobs, freelance clients won’t train you. They’ll expect you to have the necessary skills to start working right from the get-go.
You’ll get limited guidance. Clients will let you go if your output doesn’t meet their quality standards. Freelancers rarely get second chances.
Since “quality work” varies in definition, determine the factors your clients consider when assessing output. Don’t hesitate to request samples. For instance, if you do freelance web development, you could ask your client for designs and templates, which would serve as your inspiration.
Just make sure not to copy samples outright. No decent employer or company would tolerate copyright infringement and plagiarism.
2. Differences in Working Styles
People have varying work styles. While some thrive working in isolation, others prefer brainstorming ideas with a team. There’s no right or wrong way to work. Employees can even aim for companies and employers that accommodate their work preferences.
Unfortunately, freelancers don’t share the same freedom. Although you can screen clients before taking on their offers, you have limited control over your daily work environments. Similar to employees, clients and employers also have different work styles. You can’t expect them to share the same work habits as you. On the contrary, you might have to adjust your work style according to their needs.
It’s easy to overlook trivial nuances. However, drastic contrasts with the preferred work pace, communication methods, and meeting frequency will create tension, in which case parting ways with the client might be advantageous.
3. Changes With the Project Rates
As a freelancer, you’re free to adjust your rates at any time. If you feel you deserve higher compensation because your skills have recently leveled up, you could try increasing your project rates. Whether your clients will stay is a different question.
Clients also have budget plans. Even if they genuinely like your work, they can’t ignore budgetary constraints to accommodate your services. Discuss and negotiate your new rates. Just prepare a back-up plan on what to do should they reject you.
4. Frequent Disagreements or Conflicts
Disagreements between clients and freelancers aren’t uncommon. However, if conflicts arise in almost every project, expect the client to cancel your contract soon. Nobody, not even your clients, wants to work in toxic environments.
But you shouldn’t feel bad if you lose an employer that constantly disagrees with you on several occasions. Losing them might even benefit you. Understand that freelancer-client dynamics don’t always work out well, and not all canceled contracts reflect poorly on your work.
5. The Inability to Adjust to Different Time Zones
You can’t follow the conventional 9-to-5 schedule if you have overseas clients. Emails don’t always convey the message. Some tasks will require you and your client to collaborate over instant chat or video calls.
Unfortunately, not everyone can work in different time zones. Even if you force yourself to stay awake all night, you might not function as efficiently as you would during the day. The reality is that people have varying productive hours. If a client requires you to be available during a specific time frame, but you can’t deliver, they might drop you.
Let’s say the client is open to negotiation. Consider collaborating on a project management platform like Asana or Trello so that you can tick off tasks as you go. As for meetings, automate them using the best appointment-scheduling apps like Calendly or SimplyBook.me. They eliminate the need to send emails back and forth by presenting all parties involved with a calendar of everyone’s availability.
6. Lapsed Deadlines and Missed Quotas
Freelancers have a reputation for missing project deadlines. Some companies even avoid freelancers altogether if they can’t risk taking on workflow uncertainties.
Admittedly, many freelancers struggle with late submissions. And if you’re also guilty of missing due dates, you’d do well to shape up and organize your schedule, or else your clients will keep leaving. You have to respect other people’s time.
Take charge of your workday by managing your daily duties and active projects. Don’t just dump random items on your to-do list. Instead, create a system that incorporates effective ways to finish tasks on time, like using calendar tools, minimizing distractions, and mindful progress tracking.
7. Company or Agency Reorganization
Please understand that you aren’t always at fault when clients leave. You could be a reputable freelancer that provides quality outputs and never misses deadlines, yet you’d still lose projects.
Your clients have their respective agendas. Their decision to cancel projects and contracts could stem from several reasons, which you might not have control over.
Let’s say you write sales emails for a SaaS brand. Even if you create engaging, persuasive copies, your client could still leave should they take their company in a different direction or build an in-house creative team.
In these instances, it’s best to move on to other projects quickly. Just don’t burn bridges. Ensure your clients that you’ll welcome them if they need your services again.
Develop a Strategy to Stop Losing Freelance Clients
Yes, it’s normal for clients to drop freelancers, but that doesn’t make it impossible to secure lucrative long-term projects. Whatever project you take on, give it your all. Your clients will keep coming back to you if you consistently deliver impressive, high-quality output.
To ensure that you always have upcoming projects in the pipeline, create a client acquisition system for your freelance business. After all, you can only minimize customer attrition rates to an extent. You’d do well to have one or two back-up gigs available to compensate for your losses whenever you lose major freelance clients.
