Writing client keeps changing his mind
June 9, 2017 1:42 PM Subscribe
I'm working on a small writing project for a returning client. Whereas he was very easy to work with before, he's changing his mind a lot now. I don't know how to address this politely but assertively.
The short version if you don't want to read: I'm working on a small writing project--it's for one individual and it pays $50. It seems that with every email exchange we have he wants something different. This is getting to be more hassle than it's worth, and I don't know what to say to him.
Longer version: I write promotional materials (bios, press releases) for musicians. I wrote a bio for this guy, J, a few years back, and the process was smooth. He got in touch with me to write him a new one and I agreed. This time around, he doesn't seem to know what he want and keeps telling me about his "hangups" which make the process very difficult.
Usually, the bio writing is pretty straightforward. The client sends me a download of their music and answers a questionnaire that I send. Then I write the bio, let them read it, and revise it once according to their feedback. That's how it was when I worked with J before. This time, after I agreed to do it, he said he had some big hangups. He didn't want to seem at all self-important or eager to please. I was trying to think how I could accommodate that when he sent me a half hour video to watch of his band performing. I watched it, came up with an approach that worked with him, and we worked on moving forward.
His band doesn't have any new releases, so I asked him what his goal was with the bio. He said he wanted to book better gigs, including festivals and opening for touring bands passing through. I asked him some questions about the band's live shows and he responded with a couple anecdotes that weren't helpful at all. I responded with a more detailed, pointed list of questions about their live shows, including previous festivals and opening act stints. He wrote me back that he was more comfortable talking about their studio work and didn't want to answer the questions about live gigs. I tried to gently suggest that mentioning their live shows might be good in a bio meant to help him book live shows but said I'd proceed how he wanted. I sent him the questionnaire from a few years back and asked him to update his answers as necessary. He said he'd work on that this weekend. Then today he emailed me that his band might be making a new album after all and if so this bio would be about that instead.
Naturally, I don't want to upset J or be unwilling to work with him. But I'm very frustrated and there's no end in sight. I don't know how to approach him about this, though. How do I tell him I can't work with him on this unless he decides what he wants and sticks with it? Is there a way to ask for a higher fee given that I've done more work than this usually demands? If anyone has a suggestion for a script to use, I'd appreciate that very much.
The short version if you don't want to read: I'm working on a small writing project--it's for one individual and it pays $50. It seems that with every email exchange we have he wants something different. This is getting to be more hassle than it's worth, and I don't know what to say to him.
Longer version: I write promotional materials (bios, press releases) for musicians. I wrote a bio for this guy, J, a few years back, and the process was smooth. He got in touch with me to write him a new one and I agreed. This time around, he doesn't seem to know what he want and keeps telling me about his "hangups" which make the process very difficult.
Usually, the bio writing is pretty straightforward. The client sends me a download of their music and answers a questionnaire that I send. Then I write the bio, let them read it, and revise it once according to their feedback. That's how it was when I worked with J before. This time, after I agreed to do it, he said he had some big hangups. He didn't want to seem at all self-important or eager to please. I was trying to think how I could accommodate that when he sent me a half hour video to watch of his band performing. I watched it, came up with an approach that worked with him, and we worked on moving forward.
His band doesn't have any new releases, so I asked him what his goal was with the bio. He said he wanted to book better gigs, including festivals and opening for touring bands passing through. I asked him some questions about the band's live shows and he responded with a couple anecdotes that weren't helpful at all. I responded with a more detailed, pointed list of questions about their live shows, including previous festivals and opening act stints. He wrote me back that he was more comfortable talking about their studio work and didn't want to answer the questions about live gigs. I tried to gently suggest that mentioning their live shows might be good in a bio meant to help him book live shows but said I'd proceed how he wanted. I sent him the questionnaire from a few years back and asked him to update his answers as necessary. He said he'd work on that this weekend. Then today he emailed me that his band might be making a new album after all and if so this bio would be about that instead.
Naturally, I don't want to upset J or be unwilling to work with him. But I'm very frustrated and there's no end in sight. I don't know how to approach him about this, though. How do I tell him I can't work with him on this unless he decides what he wants and sticks with it? Is there a way to ask for a higher fee given that I've done more work than this usually demands? If anyone has a suggestion for a script to use, I'd appreciate that very much.
What does the scope of work in your contact say?
posted by furnace.heart at 2:02 PM on June 9, 2017
posted by furnace.heart at 2:02 PM on June 9, 2017
Best answer: Hi J --
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for about an hour of my time, which covers almost all of my clients for what they need. This process will be a lot more efficient and ultimately more effective for you if you can step away and finalise what it is you want. I can reschedule with you at that time.
Thanks,
Mermaid Cafe
Do not apologise for wanting professionals to be professional.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:06 PM on June 9, 2017 [17 favorites]
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for about an hour of my time, which covers almost all of my clients for what they need. This process will be a lot more efficient and ultimately more effective for you if you can step away and finalise what it is you want. I can reschedule with you at that time.
Thanks,
Mermaid Cafe
Do not apologise for wanting professionals to be professional.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:06 PM on June 9, 2017 [17 favorites]
Best answer: I like DarlingBri's script. Here is a tweak:
Hi J,
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for an hour of my time, which is usually enough to get the job done. In this case we have already gone multiple hours so I have two ideas about how to proceed. If you want to keep doing [whatever] I can keep that up for [$X more]. Or, if you can finalize what you want and get back to me with that, and we can finish the original project for the original price. Thanks for understanding,
Mermaidcafe
posted by hungrytiger at 2:14 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hi J,
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for an hour of my time, which is usually enough to get the job done. In this case we have already gone multiple hours so I have two ideas about how to proceed. If you want to keep doing [whatever] I can keep that up for [$X more]. Or, if you can finalize what you want and get back to me with that, and we can finish the original project for the original price. Thanks for understanding,
Mermaidcafe
posted by hungrytiger at 2:14 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
I like the draft emails and would include an option for him to pay you as a "communications strategy consultant" for $X/hr.
So maybe:
Hi J,
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for an hour of my time, which is usually enough to get the job done. In this case we have already gone multiple hours, so I have two ideas about how to proceed. If you would like to step away and finalize what you want and get back to me with that, I can finish the original project for the price we agreed. Or, if you would like to continue discussing your goals and the best communications strategy for achieving them, [including possibly tailoring multiple bios for use in different contexts - if you still think he's really into that], I'd be happy to do that at my hourly consulting rate of $X. I want to make sure you get the bio that you are looking for and also have to be mindful of my own limited time. Let me know how you'd like to proceed,*
* I think "thanks for understanding" is perhaps a bit too apologetic. But you could say "thanks for understanding, and let me know how you'd like to proceed,"
Mermaidcafe
posted by salvia at 2:34 PM on June 9, 2017 [10 favorites]
So maybe:
Hi J,
Just so you're aware, the $50 fee pays for an hour of my time, which is usually enough to get the job done. In this case we have already gone multiple hours, so I have two ideas about how to proceed. If you would like to step away and finalize what you want and get back to me with that, I can finish the original project for the price we agreed. Or, if you would like to continue discussing your goals and the best communications strategy for achieving them, [including possibly tailoring multiple bios for use in different contexts - if you still think he's really into that], I'd be happy to do that at my hourly consulting rate of $X. I want to make sure you get the bio that you are looking for and also have to be mindful of my own limited time. Let me know how you'd like to proceed,*
* I think "thanks for understanding" is perhaps a bit too apologetic. But you could say "thanks for understanding, and let me know how you'd like to proceed,"
Mermaidcafe
posted by salvia at 2:34 PM on June 9, 2017 [10 favorites]
There's a great Facebook group where these kinds of questions are answered all the time: Editors' Association of Earth Backroom. It's a closed group invisible to outside searching, so it's a place where you can ask frank questions under your real name and get smart answers from editors who have been there. It's a spin-off group of Editors' Association of Earth, which is more generally about the profession of being an editor.
posted by Mo Nickels at 5:10 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Mo Nickels at 5:10 PM on June 9, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I've been there, I feel your pain. Time to talk a step back maybe?
This is not a criticism of your work at all but it sounds like he's not getting what he wants, which is currently in his head and I'm guessing not very clearly defined. I suspect the problem isn't just that he's changing his mind but he's got something in his head he's not yet shared with you. Or has, but hasn't stressed its importance. I'd be up front with him and say to him you're obviously at cross purposes here and give him one last chance to understand what he's after. Whatever it is he's trying to achieve, and "how it works at mermaidcafe LLP" needs to be discussed before any more writing happens.
You need to manage that with him up front and not by gently guiding him to a better solution. Even though you're right, and your way is better, he's still the client. I know it sucks.
And yeah, that's when you explain costs to him. But you need to have the expectations conversation as an entree to the conversation about charging more money.
Then if that doesn't work you can start charging him each time he changes his mind. You just approach it as a transaction.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 10:37 AM on June 10, 2017
This is not a criticism of your work at all but it sounds like he's not getting what he wants, which is currently in his head and I'm guessing not very clearly defined. I suspect the problem isn't just that he's changing his mind but he's got something in his head he's not yet shared with you. Or has, but hasn't stressed its importance. I'd be up front with him and say to him you're obviously at cross purposes here and give him one last chance to understand what he's after. Whatever it is he's trying to achieve, and "how it works at mermaidcafe LLP" needs to be discussed before any more writing happens.
You need to manage that with him up front and not by gently guiding him to a better solution. Even though you're right, and your way is better, he's still the client. I know it sucks.
And yeah, that's when you explain costs to him. But you need to have the expectations conversation as an entree to the conversation about charging more money.
Then if that doesn't work you can start charging him each time he changes his mind. You just approach it as a transaction.
posted by BAKERSFIELD! at 10:37 AM on June 10, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
* Going forward, it's incredibly important to have an agreement in place before starting a job.
posted by mcduff at 2:02 PM on June 9, 2017 [3 favorites]