Breaking up with a client is like breaking up a romance.
It needs to be handled gently with the least amount of damage done to the person receiving the bad news.
If you’ve reached the point where you feel the relationship isn’t going anywhere, and your goals aren’t aligned, that means it’s time to move on. But there’s a tugging feeling of obligation that can make you feel trapped.
How do you end it without burning bridges or closing yourself off to future opportunities?
Well, there is a way.
Back in March I needed to step away from a lot of my freelance writing clients.
90% of my income came from a niche I hated. I had anxiety about going to work. I couldn’t sleep. And I put on 15 pounds through comfort eating.
Something needed to change. I became a freelance writer to escape doing work that I hated. But now my business was as bad as my dead-end job.
In order to grow my income through work I enjoy (and improve my overall health) I needed to find a way to let go of my existing clients without hurting my business. I had to maintain my income, my reputation and their results.
I spent the next weeks listening to podcasts, reading articles and consulting mentors to learn how to delicately handle these crucial conversations. This helped me put together a simple formula for effectively breaking the bad news with minimal repercussions.
Using the six steps I’m about to show you, I was able to step away from these clients, maintain a good relationship with them, and prevent any negative outcomes for their business or my reputation.