Comments on: What to Say When a Client Says, “Your Work Sucks.”

By: How do you handle negative client feedback? | Flackrabbit: PR Flack / Writer / Geek

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:30:50 +0000

[...] tip to the hubby for sharing this great post from The Wealthy Freelancer, which suggests a six-step strategy for dealing with the dreaded [...]

By: Freelance For Free » 12/04/2008 Writing Jobs and Links

Freelance For Free » 12/04/2008 Writing Jobs and Links — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:05:53 +0000

[...] What to Say When a Client Says, “Your Work Sucks.” It doesn’t start with an F. [...]

By: Ed Gandia, Editor

Ed Gandia, Editor — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:07:28 +0000

Allan – I wouldn’t take it to mean that the work you submitted was trash. I would take it to mean that the client simply expresses dissatisfaction with the work submitted.

I’ve found that in most cases, the disatisfaction is NOT the result of poor writing skills. It’s due to poor communication between the client and the writer (and that could be the fault of one or both parties).

While I didn’t write the post, I believe Steve used the word “sucks” to connect emotionally with anyone who’s received negative feedback from a client, regardless of the reason.

Frankly, I don’t know of a any good writer or copywriter who has NOT been in that position before. Happens to all of us at some point in our careers.

By: Allan Katz

Allan Katz — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:18:15 +0000

I didn’t think we wealthy freelancers did work that sucked?
How do you base your fees on results when your work sucks?

Allan

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:47:57 +0000

I’m all for working with your clients, but you have to admit that some people do give unfair negative feedback on the work they hire you to do. Some people just don’t know what they want, give you one set of guidelines and then change their mind when they see it completed.

By: 12/04/2008 Writing Jobs and Links | PoeWar

12/04/2008 Writing Jobs and Links | PoeWar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:06:03 +0000

[...] What to Say When a Client Says, “Your Work Sucks.” It doesn’t start with an F. [...]

By: Ed Gandia, Editor

Ed Gandia, Editor — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:07:10 +0000

These are all fantastic comments. I echo Roberta’s suggestion about working from either a creative brief or a questionnaire. I usually use a questionnaire (tailored to the type of project in question) as the basis for the project kickoff call. It’s a huge help in setting expectations and getting everyone on the same page.

Finally, I always ask that the person who’s going to make the final decision be on on this kickoff call (the person with the final say on revisions). You’ll avoid lots of headaches if he/she is there providing direction and feedback.

By: Jan Verhoeff

Jan Verhoeff — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:20:18 +0000

This offers clear concise solutions that I’d been looking for. While #1 goes without saying, it often needs saying. It’s always amazing how easy it is to become defensive when someone condemns your work – after all, those words came at great cost to you.

Self-doubt is a big issue for writers. We already question our work beyond recognition in editing stage, but to have someone else critique our work is just TOO MUCH!

Thanks for sharing these simple rules.

Jan

By: Mike Klassen

Mike Klassen — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:28:05 +0000

I can relate to this. As a designer, I’ve heard the same thing from time to time. Early on in my career, I got this piece of feedback from a client: “My wife hates it.” That was it… nothing more.

Looking back, the wife was right. I was a rookie at the time and just didn’t have the experience to nail something right the first time because I didn’t ask the right questions up front.

It was Step 3 that salvaged the project… going through almost every little detail to find out what wasn’t working and then remembering that feedback on future projects.

Getting negative feedback is no fun, but it can help us improve and sharpen our skills for the future. I, too, have had those moments of “Is this really worth it?” Then I remember that there’s probably no job immune to criticism. And the upside of freelancing outweighs all the negatives.

Still, reading those types of negative words wrecks my whole day. Yet maybe we should be happy about how it affects us. I think it’s a sign that we really care about what we’re doing. Believe me, there are plenty of people who would take negative feedback and then blame the client for being a no-nothing and not be shy about letting him/her know it.

By: Charles Carney

Charles Carney — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:52:38 +0000

Very sound advice. Moreso, it’s a relief to know that other writers have faced the same situation and have professional solutions. I just went through the same thing with my biggest client, who asked for a complete rewrite on a project. Though I was at that point bludgeoned by self-doubt, I handled it professionally and there is only slight bruising left. Sometimes, I have to admit that the client knows more about his/her needs than I do, and I have to be not only a better listener, but a better questioner as well. If I take Steve’s post-mortem questions and rework them, they become the perfect pre-project client interview.