I want to talk to you about when clients cancel or change their minds about a project they’ve hired you for. One of the things you need to know is that the more precise and specific you are in your Letter of Agreement, the more you will be protected in this situation. It’s also one of the reasons why you should have one in place instead of just stating verbally what you will do for a client.
I want to share a story with you about a designer whose client hired her for a new build. She was hired to do all the specifications. However, when she had done about 80% of the work, the client decided to stop the job because they had a dispute with the builder. Instead, they decided to buy a house and remodel it.
Of course, the designer is left wondering what to do. But it’s important to remember that in this scenario, the client changed their mind, and the designer is not responsible for it. You want to treat everyone fairly if this happens, especially yourself. It’s easy for us to think that maybe we should still take care of our client, give them a deal, or that we are obligated to do the new work.
The reality is that the contract is for the original work. You need to let go of trying to be the hero and save the day. Don’t do it because you deserve to be paid what you’re worth.
Watch my latest video above, where I discuss this scenario in more detail, how to ensure you get paid, and how to separate the old project from the new one. The idea behind all of this is to ensure you get paid for your work. You’re not trying to penalize your client for changing their mind, but you’re also not trying to be the hero. It all comes down to setting boundaries.
Until next time, design something beautiful and get paid what you’re worth.