Hit 50 clients before realizing my slow payers all had this in common

I crossed 50 design clients last month, and when I looked back over my books, every single client who paid late or ghosted had asked for a discount upfront. It seems like a small thing, but now I see it as a bright red flag for future trouble. Has anyone else noticed a pattern like this with their problem clients?

3 comments

3 Comments

david_walker972d ago

Went through something similar with a client who asked for a discount because they were a "nonprofit" (turns out it was just a side project they were doing for a friend). They ended up being the only client I've ever had to take to small claims court over a $600 unpaid invoice. @sanchez.ivan is spot on about that haggling mindset being a red flag. Still stings thinking about all the hours I wasted chasing them down.

jana5091d ago

Yeah, @david_walker97, that stings. I've been there too and it's rough. It's like once they start haggling, you know they're going to be trouble later. The whole "nonprofit" excuse thing is a classic too. They think just saying a magic word will get them a free ride. But really it just shows they don't value what you do. And then you end up chasing them for months and losing money on the deal anyway. It's not worth it.

sanchez.ivan2d ago

Man, you nailed it. I had this one client who wanted 15% off right from the jump, and sure enough, they were three weeks late on the first invoice. Then they ghosted me halfway through the project. Now I just say no to any discount requests, or I offer a smaller package for less money instead of lowering my rate. It's like the people who haggle are the same ones who don't respect your time. You're better off losing that client than dealing with the headache.