Tip #150: What NOT to Do When Interviewing A Potential New Client:

26. be unwilling to be flexible on work expectations
27. neglect to add into a contract limitations on edits and revisions
28. neglect to add into a contract provisions for work beyond the initial scope of the project
29. forget to ask for referrals and references from the client after completion of a successful project
30. disregard your intuition that the client might not be the right fit for you
31. walk into situations where they are looking for a –fall guy” to blame
32. assume you know what the client means or wants without asking clarifying questions to make sure you are on the same page
33. accept work that is contrary to your ethics
34. talk the client out of hiring you
35. be unrealistic about workload and time commitments
36. overbook yourself rather than negotiating a more reasonable time frame
37. speak negatively about former clients or client experiences
38. go into the meeting without having all relevant experience, references, and project dates available
39. neglect to anticipate questions and prepare answers
40. neglect to anticipate and plan how to minimize or address client concerns
41. assume that larger corporations are more professional and fiscally responsible than smaller companies
42. neglect to propose follow up services as part of the project package
43. plan to work without a written contract
44. be apologetic about your fees
45. be unprepared to discuss your fees
46. rush to answer questions rather than taking time to think them through
47. assume the client needs an immediate proposal the next day rather than asking or negotiating a reasonable turnaround time
48. tell the client what they should think or do, versus what they are prepared to think or do
49. believe your business and professional credibility begin and end with the outcome of the interview
50. forget to consider each client interview situation as an interesting new learning opportunity!