Freelance Freakout…

I’m a reasonably calm person. I would say that I’m laid back and mellow. Sometimes, probably a little too laid back.

But – on occasion, I FREAK OUT.

It’s not a terribly common occurrence, thankfully. But, when I do, it’s for a reason.

Recently, I freaked out on a client who is using me as a subcontractor. I fussed and complained and whined. I felt that I was being treated unfairly (mostly by the end client, but that’s another story,) and I let the contractor know about it in no uncertain words.

When I calmed down and the vein in my forehead went back to it’s normal shape and color, it occurred to me: Freaking out is not a bad thing. It’s not a good thing, either. But freaking out BIG can be avoided by freaking out LITTLE to start with.

I had felt that I was being taken advantage of for a while – and instead of just speaking up to begin with, I waited too long and blew up. So – the advice in this column: small, preemptive freakouts.

At the first sign of trouble – say something. You don’t have to freak out, and it can be civil. I’ve found that most clients understand, and that they’re willing to work with you, especially if you’ve displayed a good value for their investment. Pick up the phone, shoot an email, fire off an I.M. – but say something. Let them know that there’s a problem. If it’s billing, work hours, expectations, poor communications, etc., SAY SO. Don’t let it fester into a giant meltdown, kicking-and-screaming, knockdown-drag-out fist fight. Cut it off at the pass.

This will do a few things:

1st, it will let the client know that you’re paying attention. Not just to their project, but to your business and their business. It’ll buy you some credibility and show that you care.

2nd, it will keep the client’s understanding of you in line. They’ll see that you’re not going to be taken advantage of, and they’ll either respect that (90% of them, anyway) or it will at the very least weed out the clients that are just there to take advantage of you (and you don’t want that kind of client anyway.)

3rd, it will show that you’re not a one-client firm. Once they see that they’re not the only client you have, it will buy you some time and space. More space = better work, less stress.

4th, it will keep client expectations in line. They’ll better understand what to expect, when to expect it, and how much to pay for it. They’ll feel better – and you’ll certainly do better.

If client expectations are managed properly, you’ll be able to build a better long-term working relationship, maintain your sanity, and do better work. Plus, it’ll keep you from needing to freak out.

Although freaking out can be kind of fun…