From my blog

Why you lost that client… and why it doesn’t matter

If you sell services, whether as a freelance or an employee, you know the scenario all too well. One day you and your client are getting on like a house on fire. The next, the phone stops ringing. What happened? Here’s a few clues:

  • They’re broke. These days, many firms are tight for cash, or choosing to safeguard their reserves. Don’t take it personally. If you got paid, count yourself lucky that you got the heads-up in time.
  • They got bored. B2B relationships are like marriages. First comes the thrill of getting it together. Then the satisfaction of developing deeper understanding. Before you know it, the spark is gone. The flip side of reliability is predictability, and sometimes people just want a change.
  • They moved on. Businesses change. Their strategies, priorities and cultures develop. Perhaps your client, once a perfect fit for your services, is a different company these days.
  • Your service wasn’t sexy enough. People like to feel cutting-edge. They don’t want to miss out on trends. Shallow, but understandable. If you’re an established player using proven methods, however effective, a new kid on the block can make you look staid and uninspiring. It may not be fair, but it could get them a foot in the door.
  • You weren’t sexy enough. Buyers are people. All else being equal, they’ll go with the provider who gives them an emotional thrill as well as a tick in a box. What’s more, they’ll bend the rules for someone they like. Being fit for purpose might not be enough.

Now, here’s why all that doesn’t matter:

  • Plenty more fish. There are always more clients out there. Look at your remaining clients, identify the common thread and profile your ideal customer. Now go and find more clients like that. Your existing clients might be able to introduce you.
  • Everything flows. Companies are formed, go bust, merge, split, buy each other. People move on, change role, get fired, start companies. Change throws up opportunities every day. Remember: ‘every exit is an entrance somewhere else’.
  • Go where you give value. If your client moved on, it could mean you can’t meet all their needs. But that’s a reflection on them, not on you. Now you need to find new clients for whom you can add major value. There’s no point chasing a gig that’s not right for both parties.
  • You are still you. You’ve lost a client. You have not lost your ability to gain clients, or to add value. Your offer is still just as strong as it was yesterday.

The psychological theme here is attribution: the way we think about the causes of events. Natural optimists attribute negative outcomes to others, while taking credit for success. Pessimists do the opposite, blaming themselves for setbacks while putting success down to fluke, circumstance or the actions of others.

If you want to move on from losing a client, cultivate optimistic mental habits. The client has moved on for reasons of their own, not because you fell short. And you already have all the resources you need to find a replacement.

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Comments (5)

  1. Nice post Tom – and a positive message, timely for the current climate. For a freelancer, or the owner of a small business, the only good reason to look back is to pick out the things you can learn from.

    Must say I agree with just about everything, except the slightly dim view of marriage. I hate to think my marriage may lose its spark at some point, despite approaching the 7th year in a matter of weeks! For me, it may be the case that, from the client’s point of view, the grass will always be greener. Even if it doesn’t turn out to be when they finally jump – as you rightly point out – it’s more than likely them, not you.

    Keep up the great work, Tom.
    .-= Larner´s last blog ..Copywriters: never mind who’s the Daddy, who’s the market? =-.

  2. Thanks for an ever-timely reminder that freelancers must to roll with the punches.

    Here’s another reason I’ve had clients move on: Their company is going through internal disputes, leaders vie for power and the copywriter gets stuck on the wrong side.

    As you note, “You’re still you.” Tough as it is, it’s important not to take this kind of loss personally.
    .-= Lorraine´s last blog ..Discover 10 Ways to Mine Copywriting Gold From Twitter =-.

  3. I agree with the comments. This is a great and motivating post. Would also fully back up what Lorraine says. Company changes happen way out of our range – budgets and personnel move around, politics goes on in ways we don’t get to see. Sometimes the freelancer is just collateral damage. We need to concentrate on areas where we do have control – keep on improving our skills, expanding our learning and making new and interesting contacts.

    Thanks again Tom. You’re a star.

  4. I’m trying to cast my mind back to the days when I was about to enter the freelance world… or unemployment as some would have it.
    Your article would have been a great help except for the fact that I knew it all in those days.
    Now that I know a little bit more, your article might not be such a great help but it is still a great read.
    But forget about attribution Tom. I’m out for retribution.
    Where’s that client that dumped me?
    .-= Peter Baruffati´s last blog ..Your (PIN) number is up =-.

  5. “Go where you give value” was great insight. Sometimes you can do everything right and it still may not work out. If you know you’re doing a good job, accept the feedback you receive, and constantly aim to improve, then you’ll have success in whatever your chose to do in life.

    I always look at lost customers like pruning a tree, sometimes you need to cut back a little in order to grow.
    .-= Scott´s last blog ..The colors were just not light enough – part 4 of 5 =-.

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