What To Do When Your Client List Gets Too Long

Don’t worry. This is one of those good problems.

Steven Toews, JD, MBA
The Writing Cooperative

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

Two weeks ago I discussed some of the signs and symptoms that plague freelance writers who take on too many clients. In today’s article, we’re going to chat about what to do when you find yourself in that position. And no, we won’t be resorting to randomly firing clients without rhyme or reason. We’re going to fire them with rhyme and reason.

Thou shalt increase thine prices

Seriously. Before you do anything else, strongly consider a price increase. Having so many clients that you’re running into problems is a big, flashing, neon sign saying, “Warning: Price too low.” What you’ve effectively proved is that the demand for the service you’re selling — at the price you’re selling it — is so overwhelming that no mere mortal can keep up with it.

Your duty at that point, like any faithful disciple of Adam Smith, is to (incrementally) raise your price. This should have two immediate effects.

First, some clients will probably no longer want to buy your service and they’ll fall away. Which is fine. You had too many anyway, remember? Second, you’ll get paid more for, proportionally, the same amount of work. (And that’s just a straight-up win for you.)

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