How To Fire Clients: Tips And Advice

Needing to “fire” clients is never fun. It can be difficult to do and just simply awkward. But it’s a skill your company needs to have, and is often more profitable for you in the long term. 

Today we cover why firing clients is sometimes important, as well as our four tips for doing it as painlessly as possible. 

Why You Need To Fire Clients

Don’t let the title of this post mislead you. It’s obviously better to have working relationships that are respectful and profitable for all parties involved.

But the fact is, just as with customers, there are good clients and bad clients. Good clients make you feel energized. They know what they want, understand how your organization can help them, and are clear about the goals they are trying to achieve.

Bad clients? Well, they are usually not worth the time and energy they take to maintain. Still, remember this: just because a client isn’t a good fit for your agency doesn’t automatically make them bad. Again, maybe it’s simply not a good fit. That said, firing clients is something your agency should always be willing to do because staying with the wrong one can prove costly.

4 Tips To Fire Clients

Let’s cover our top tips for firing clients.

While this is obviously not the ideal end result of a partnership, it’s often better for both parties.

1) Have standards for the types of clients you take on

Agencies often get started by taking on any work they can get. They are trying to find their footing and simply need to establish a cash flow. 

But after a certain point your standards become increasingly important. You develop an “ideal client” and should focus more of your efforts on finding them. After all, the bigger your company gets, the more choice you will have over the type of clients you take on. This experience will give you a much better idea of who you want to work with.

Setting these standards straight from the beginning makes “filtering” much easier. This will prevent you from taking on bad clients in the first place. While you will have your own idea of what the ideal client looks like, there are certain attributes that most clients should have. Be sure to keep them in mind!

2) Set expectations from the start

Just because you’ve agreed to work together doesn’t mean your work is done. There is always the chance for a working relationship to turn unprofessional. That’s where expectations come in. Be sure to set these in writing, as it’s easy for things to be forgotten about that were only discussed once over the phone.

This is also why the type of contract you sign is essential. It should have a clause that allows you to terminate your working relationship any time you want. In this case, firing your clients is often more about simply walking away from working with them. The contract should also make payment and tasks to be performed very clear. 

3) Make clear what you won’t tolerate if it comes up

This tip is a natural extension of setting expectations. The only difference with tip #3 is that it happens when you have already started working. 

It’s natural that difficulties will arise. No working relationship is perfect, and often the types of tasks your agency will perform (content marketing and SEO are good examples) are areas that are important but usually take a while to see results. Wondering if your partnership will pay off for them is a natural question for clients to ask.

Still, it should be clear what exactly you aren’t being hired for. Setting boundaries and drawing lines in the sand is important for your agency. You expect to do your job and get paid for it, and you also expect a certain level of professionalism. Violations of these shouldn’t be tolerated.  

4) Give notice in advance

If a working relationship no longer benefits you (or your agency simply doesn’t want to work with a client anymore) it’s important that you give them due notice. Depending on what tasks you do for them, walking away at short notice could be devastating for them. 

Be sure to give them enough time to prepare for your departure. For them this could mean simply wrapping up the project you are involved in or giving them a window to hire somebody else. Even if you aren’t leaving on the best terms, it’s still difficult to transition to not working together. 

Giving enough notice is also important for your agency’s image. It establishes your reputation of professionalism and dependability. It also salvages the chance for a positive review (or at least no negative one), which can be essential for your agency’s long term success.  

One Last Words About Firing Clients

Nobody wants to fire clients. It’s the end of a working relationship that at least started out positive and can often bring negative emotions. It can be a frustrating process on both sides, and one that can bring resentment.

But it’s essential. There are plenty of clients out there that are a great fit for your agency, and these are the ones you should be striving for. Plus, you only have limited time and resources; why spend it with clients that are a bad fit?

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