Finally, someone who UNDERSTANDS

.... what my clients are like

[rocknbil]

Finally someone who understands what many of us go through . . . apologies if you've seen it elsewhere, but it's worth a second look.

YouTube Video, 2:20 [youtube.com]

[janharders]

loved it!

and it really hits some of the client types everyone has to deal with.

[g1smd]

This got a lot of coverage via Twitter about a week ago - and now already has 426 000 views and 650 comments.

I like the line "It's just a test. Just want to see if he likes it".
I'd reply, "Oh, we charge extra for R&D".

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Classic!

What I liked was the comment to the chef at the end, "Show us how you made it so we can do it on our own next time."
:):)

[jecasc]

What is missing is: I want to have it for free, but I will tell everybody that I got it from you. You will get rich with all those referals. In fact when I think about it: You should have to pay me for using your service or product.

[swa66]

I've once answered a customer asking for everything at a ridiculously low budget they had foreseen: "I want a Ferrari, but I only have a budget for a Fiat 500. The car dealer told me I was out of luck."

And then you wait, be ready to walk away from the deal if needed.

If you anticipate this, you should make sure you sit far away from the door, so you can first wait (don't talk, let the silence eat them as much as it does you). Next slowly but deliberately pack everything back in your laptop bag and start to walk towards the door.

Tell them to call you if they find the budget.

They did call within the next hour (in fact we turned back to them while still in the car to iron out the details...). Price paid was the price of the original offer, no discount at all.

[LifeinAsia]

Will definitely forward to all difficult clients!

[rocknbil]

^ ^ You know I did that with a couple pain in the patootie "throw away" clients, and guess what. They didn't get it. "Oh I hate people like that!" LOL . . . . Egos rule . . . unfortunately.

You should have to pay me for using your service or product.

They kinda touched on this with the video: "This is an OPPORTUNITY!"

I think all of them add up to the dangling carrot: "Do this for me and I swear on my mother's grave, we'll be bringing you LOTS of future work!"

Any time I hear that, it's almost a guaranteed one-off. In a way, it's kind of gratifying: do this one thing and you'll never hear from me again (is that a promise? :-) )

[LifeinAsia]

"Do this for me and I swear on my mother's grave, we'll be bringing you LOTS of future work!"

Yeah, that's just what we need- even MORE clients just like you, who feel entitled to discounts and freebies! ("you" being the screwy client, not rocknbill. :) )

[edited by: LifeinAsia at 4:49 pm (utc) on June 3, 2009]

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

The sad thing about these people is that they all think they're the first to use these tactics.