Every wonder what goes through a client’s mind when they see your name?

If you’re professional and easy to work with, your clients probably think highly of your service and personality. But if you’re difficult or approach opportunities with an attitude - your clients might feel differently.

I used to joke about clients having underground websites, in which they dish about different freelancers. If a particular freelancer is known in the client-world as a troublemaker, he or she is blackballed, wherein it could be months before they acquired work.

I doubt the existence of a website like this - but being a troublemaker can still land you in hot water with your clients. They’re busy and trying to run a business. And few clients have the time (or patience) to deal with freelancers who don’t understand the meaning of the word “deadline,” or freelancers who can’t follow simple directions.

We are only given one opportunity to please a client and show we’re competent. If we fail, there goes our relationship with the client. Not to mention, we lose out on any referral business. Yeah, clients can be grouchy, unprofessional and some don’t know how to express their wishes.

But this isn’t an excuse to reciprocate the behavoir or lower our professional bar.