Q –

Should I refuse to work with someone who’s already sent me more than 100 emails, and isn’t yet ready to commit? He has yet to sign the contract for my services and he hasn’t paid me.

He sends me short questions, one at a time. I respond to each email quickly. Then, he sends me more and more emails. I respond, etc. The process keeps repeating. I’m starting to wonder if he’s a competitor trying to get his own business running, and is using my advice or processes, or if this person simply isn’t serious about hiring me. I also wonder if it’s a lonely person just wanting attention. I know that seems far-fetched but I just can’t understand what’s going on.

How can I politely tell him to get lost? I cringe every time I see a new email from him in my in-box.

C.A.

A –

This is something I’ve encountered numerous times over the years. If you consider how many hours you’ve already spent trying to land that contract, you may discover that you’re already in the red…even if he HAD paid you.

One recent example for me was an author who had technical issues with his file. I explained to him a simple fix for the problem (he had not yet hired us, of course, so I wasn’t going to do the work for him!). He kept sending me more and more questions. I finally, and very politely, told him that it was clear he wasn’t going to commit and that I could no longer give him advice unless he signed our contract, and paid our fee.

He wrote back, imploring me to change my mind. He said he would sign up right away so we could move forward. I told him that would be fine. That was two months ago. He submitted the contract, but never paid the fee. Yet, he kept sending questions.

I stopped answering his questions, and told him he needed to pay for our services before I could help him further. And, then he sent four more questions. I ignored his questions. Instead, I politely (again!) but firmly told him it was clear this wasn’t going to work out and that he needed to have his book published elsewhere.

I, personally, find it offensive when somebody expects free services. And, clients who act like this ARE receiving free services…because they never sign up and pay.

A friend of mine had a similar experience recently. After she told him she wouldn’t be able to work with him, he finally told her that he simply didn’t have the funds necessary to do the job. My friend then realized that the man was getting free advice on how to do the project himself, all the while pretending he was going to hire my friend.

It shouldn’t take more than ten or so emails to determine if a potential client is going to be one that you do not want to work with in the future. Also, if a client is acting badly before the contract is signed and the payment is made, imagine how much trouble they’re going to be when you are working on the project itself. They will expect even MORE attention from you and you’ll end up spending hours corresponding with him or her when those extra hours were not part of your original proposal.

RELATED

• Is Your Client Feigning Ignorance? Don’t Be a Dummy!!
• When Charging a Pain in the (Bleep) Client More Money…is More Than Justified
• Are You UNDERcharging Your Clients to be “Nice?” Don’t Sell Yourself Short! by Angela Hoy
• The 3R’s to Successful Client Screening (And why it matters!) By Jennifer Brown Banks
• 5 Direct Yet Diplomatic Ways To Handle Slow Paying Clients – by Louisa Eunice

Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles