Spooky season has arrived, and there are a number of things every entrepreneur faces: your doppelganger known as Imposter Syndrome, the skeletons in your business that you’ve been avoiding, the fear of joining the graveyard of other past businesses, and more. However, there is one that isn’t mentioned nearly enough: the Vampire Client. These are the individuals who drain your time, energy, and profit while giving an unsatisfactory return. It begins with an innocent, friendly discovery call. Then the late-night texts start to come, requests for “quick favors” that take hours, and invoices that haven’t been paid yet. You don’t realize that you’ve been bitten by these clients until you notice your own exhaustion, underpayments, and boundaries that have been crossed, making you question why you took this client on in the first place. The good news is that there are ways to spot these vampires, avoid them, and use the stake to terminate your work with them if necessary. First, let’s recognize some key factors:
Signs That They’re Sucking Your Blood:
1. Everything Is “Urgent” for Them During Your Off Times
These vampires are notorious for emerging from their coffins at night with urgent calls or requests. They don’t respect your personal boundaries, and they get frustrated when you don’t respond to them until your business hours.
2. The Scope Keeps Creeping
There are constant requests on top of what you’re already doing for them without a change in price. It’s the “while you’re at it, could you also…” requests. This isn’t always bad, depending on the rapport you have with the client, but be careful not to let these individuals make it a habit.
3. They Haggle Everything
Vampire Clients want to haggle with you for every ounce of your blood (money). They may question your rates, compare you to others, or consistently ask for discounts. Do not allow a customer to manipulate you into making major changes to your pricing for them. They are welcome to use another company if they feel your prices are too high. It’s okay, on occasion, to offer them a discount, but it’s best to stick to your prices and do not allow clients to strong-arm you into lowering them at every turn.
4. Payment Isn’t a Priority for Them
Payment becomes a ghost story with these clients. There are constant payment delays, with invoices sometimes going unpaid, and deadlines may slide. Vampire Clients will want to discuss everything besides payment with you, so stay vigilant of this becoming a tendency.
5. They Are Never Truly Satisfied
There are constant revision requests and rarely concrete approval from these individuals. The work is never truly done with them because there is always something in the project they want you to correct, which can add unnecessary time and leave you stuck on one task.
6. You Feel Drained After Interacting with Them
It’s a big problem when you dread seeing their name appear in your inbox or on your phone. Your nervous system should not react negatively to their notifications instantly. This is the major sign that they are a Vampire Client.
Safeguarding Yourself from Vampire Clients:
Now that you’re familiar with the qualities of a Vampire Client, let’s consider ways to keep them from sucking your blood:
1. Make Sure the Contract Is Clear
Set the contract parameters before you even begin the work. Make sure the scope is clearly defined, limit the number of revisions, and have a clear payment schedule and terms for what happens if something falls outside the agreement.
2. Require an Initial Deposit
To ensure that your cash flow is protected, it’s a good idea to require a percentage up front before you get started. Remember that even with a deposit, your boundaries still need to be respected by these clients, and they must abide by the terms of the contract.
3. Have Transparent Policies
Make your office hours clear, along with response times and preferred communication channels from the beginning. Any communication outside these terms does not warrant a response, so do not feel obligated if they bring up something “urgent.”
4. Have a Change Order Process
Be sure to include the cost and timeline adjustments when the client wants to add additional services to the agreement. This will help you manage the amount of scope creep that can occur while discouraging them from haggling over pricing with you.
5. Properly Screen Every Client
An initial discovery call can tell you a lot about a client and whether you two are a good fit. Understanding their budget, how they’ve worked with past clients, and how decisions have been made prior can give you valuable insight before you decide to work with them.
When You Have to Use the Stake:
Unfortunately, there are times when you’ll have to end the working relationship with a client. When boundaries continue to be crossed, and they’ve sapped too much valuable blood that could go to clients who respect the terms of the agreement, it is time to drive the stake through the heart of the contract. Here are a few professional steps to take in this situation:
- Review the termination clause in your contract and notice period to exit properly.
- Keep the message short, neutral, and professional. You can say something along the lines of “After reviewing our work together, I’ve determined that I’m not the best fit to support your goals moving forward.” Be sure to provide a completion date for the current deliverables and when you’ll send the final files.
- Finish the open work that’s been paid for and hand off the files to the client.
- Send a final invoice for what you’re owed with a follow-up in writing.
- Refer them to another provider if necessary for a more graceful exit.
Things to Remember:
Vampires Have to Be Invited In
Vampires cannot cross your threshold without being invited. This is demonstrated in one of my favorite horror movies, Sinners, where the vampires were unable to enter Club Juke until called in. Be careful not to say “yes” before properly vetting them, whether out of excitement about a potential client or out of financial need. Trust me, the payoff truly isn’t worth it in most of these situations. You have a lot more control over who crosses the threshold than you think.
Vampires Can Be Family and Friends Too
There are times when a family member or friend may want to use your services, and it’ll be at your discretion to set the boundaries you choose for them. Just know that they can be a Vampire Client, knowingly or unknowingly, so apply these same concepts to ALL clients, regardless of your personal relationship with them.
Final Thoughts:
Your time, energy, and expertise are the lifeblood for your business that keeps you thriving. Good clients respect these things and will honor your boundaries. Think about whether your client roster has any vampires on it and use some of these tips to safeguard yourself this spooky season.
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