There are quite a few circumstances which should be an indicator that it might be best to call it quits with someone interested in your service before even accepting him/her as a new client. Sure, we all want to get more business, but some business will be more hurtful than beneficial when you think 2-3 months or less down the road. The key is to see the warning signs early, see if you can compromise, and then ask yourself if it will work out in the long run. Just like a real relationship. There are quite a few warning signs that seem to reoccur when you open your eyes.
Here is my
top ten list of reasons for not accepting a new client:

1) You can’t deliver what the client wants done and finding the right person to do so would take too long and may not be within your ability to accomplish.

2) The client doesn’t have any idea what he wants and expects you to start a business for him from the ground up. If you don’t get the right benefits from it, then don’t take on a job which will involve you on too many levels exceeding your area of expertise.

3) Unreasonable demands and rudeness. If the person gets to the point where he thinks he can talk to you any which way he wants because “you work for him”, don’t go for it. The warning signs usually are there before a business relationship is being formed. See them, correct it, and if not correctable … don’t take them!

4) Client talks bad about you in public.

5) Client doesn’t trust you. Many reasons such as disappointments with previous companies can be the case. However: you were not the one who has abused the person’s trust. Before starting a fruitful business relationship, make sure that the prospector stops tripping. Trust is a must! If you have to prove your trustworthyness on a daily basis, it will drain you.

6) Wants to pay when results are in. No no. A total no go in my book. Corrolates with #5. “Let’s see what you can do for me first” is a suggestion that is not acceptable. You are asked to put out work and invest time and effort. I can see the “send half now and half at a later point” thing, but it needs to be a “meeting you half way” scenario.

7) Hasn’t cut the ties with the previous person working on his site. That person is still involved and sabotaging your efforts. At that point, you should make sure that there is a clean and final seperation between that person and the work you are about to perform. Unless of course you’re dealing with a professional who is either helpful or enough of a teamplayer to compromise with you on the important levels.

Doesn’t get it and won’t listen. Unless you are very patient, there need to be rules. If a client calls you 10 times a day asking when Google results are going to show, you don’t need to answer the same thing each time. Let them know what they can do to help, but make sure they will give you the needed space to do your job.

9) Has been hard-headed and working against the process. If there is a sense of standstill and he listens to you, great. But if you deal with a client who has been banned for spamming, and continues to do what he’s been doing after hiring you, you may spin your wheels.

10) Client is far too cheap and keeps mentioning competitors of yours. If they want to spend very little on you, and instead mention some competitors charging 4 times as much, let them come down to earth first. Get a feeling for what they can and are willing to spend, and make sure that they will see value in your service. Otherwise, don’t be a push-over. Tell them “Go with so and so, go hire them. Good luck! ”

A good working relationship is going to be pleasant, productive, efficient, and everybody wins. Winners hang with winners. Sometimes it’s just better to cut the ties, swallow the losses and move on to better things

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