Should You Keep Working With Your Clients?

Working with clients on creative projects is an exciting process. You get to learn about their business. You get to help them reach more customers. It can also be a difficult process. Too much direction and you feel like you’re not a creative anymore. Too little direction and you feel like you’re floating in outer space. 

Some clients are very comfortable letting go of the reigns. Some prefer a tight grip on the wheel. Some creatives thrive with near total freedom. Some creatives execute tight creatives well. There’s no right or wrong way, there are only good fits and bad fits. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some really great clients, for myself and for TOBK Studios. That said, about 50% our clients, we decide to not work with again, or only to work with them again if there’s a budget to justify it. 

Maybe you’re in a position where you need to take any work that comes up. I don’t recommend this to anyone. I decided to go full-time freelance too early. I was making too little money, so I needed to take whatever work came across the table. This led me to pitch too low for projects I wasn’t excited about, just so I could get paid. The quickest way to kill your creative client career is to work on projects you hate. If you need to, get a part time job to cover your expenses so you can pitch high for projects you really want.

After the term of the project ends with a client, be sure to reevaluate. Was it fun? Did you love it? Does the client direction style suit you? There’s nothing wrong with deciding to part ways or restructure things. It’s how it goes for everyone. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It’s just the way it goes.

Soon enough, you’ll find clients that are perfect for you, and you for them. And you’ll be stoked. 

Good luck out there!