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Yesterday, I received a very nice compliment from one of my long term clients. She stated that she really appreciated my assistance over the years and was happy to recommend me toher friends and family members. I was elated and asked her what she appreciated most about my services.She stated that I treated him like family. When I asked what she meant, she stated, “You make me feel like you genuinely care about my copy and my business. I feel like we’re a team that is in it to win. You can be counted on to get the job done. And, just like a friend or family member, I can trust you.” This made me smile all day long. I really thought about her comments and I realized that what she said was true. I really do care about my clients and their businesses. I work my darndest to please them and I really truly to establish long term and mutually beneficial relationships.

Therefore, my advice is to treat your clients like family and always:

• Keep your word. If you say that you’re going to turn in a project on a certain date then make sure that you do.

• If you find that you can’t turn in a project by a certain date, tell the client why and ask for an extension.

• If a client is unhappy with your work, don’t take it personally. Just see if you can fix the problem. If not, give them a prompt refund.

• Be fair with your prices and make them feel they’re getting a good deal. Command what you are worth but don’t overbill clients. They like to feel special and offering special deals and specials is a great way to build loyalty. Plus, nothing is more annoying than an inflated bill for subpar work.

• Take your client’s work seriously and do the best job that you can possibly do. Not only will this keep them coming back for more but it will demonstrate your sincerity and commitment to their business.

About a week ago, I received a notice from a prospect that was referred from another client. This lady wanted to retain my services for a small “test project” in which I was asked to write two short articles of 500 words each for her newsletter.From the very beginning, I had a bad feeling that this client was going to be a royal pain in the rump. First of all, she was super cheap and kept complaining about my price of $50 an article. Then, she told me that she had previously hired another writer and had to rewrite all of her stuff because she honestly didn’t feel as if they were able to write to her standards.I listened intently, but had an uneasy feeling. I then told her my payment terms of 100% upfront (sometimes I offer 50% down and 50% upon completion but not when my intuition tells me otherwise). Well, she accepted. I was still hesitant because she was a friend of one of my favorite clients, but I committed myself to doing a great job.

Big mistake. My initial intuition was right. Not only was this client unclear about what she wanted, she complained the whole time. Two short articles turned into four once she didn’t approve of the first two. Then, to make matters even worse, she still wasn’t pleased with the revised articles.

Now, here’s the kicker. This client didn’t even have the audacity to tell me herself. Instead, she waited an entire week and then asked her “assistant” to email me. Her assistant then wrote telling me that she would no longer be utilizing my services but that I could keep ½ the payment. I couldn’t believe it. No note from her, no chance to redeem myself or even resolve the issue. Nothing but a note from her administrative assistant.

Anyway, I did what any rational person would do, I had my assistant write her a letter. I told her that I would be sending her a complete refund as I don’t accept

partial payments when clients are not happy with my work. I then explained that I wished her the best of luck in future endeavors and would keep the work and publish it as my own.

Next, I edited it and submitted the work to Associated Content, spun it and sent it to Ezine Articles, and you know what? I am very happy with myself. After all, I spent my precious time and energy on this lady’s project and the articles were darn good.

In essence, I made lemonade out of lemons and feel good that I didn’t have to sacrifice my principles for money. Thank you, Internet Marketing, for this. A year ago, I would have sold my dignity for $50.00 – now I know the value of my work and will use the work to my benefit.