We’ve got an exciting line up of guest bloggers filling in during the next few weeks while Lorna cherishes every moment of her hard-earned maternity leave.
We’d like to give some special thanks today’s featured writer, Allena Tapia. �Allena can be found pretty much anywhere freelance-writing-related,�including About.com, WritersUnbound,�and�Parenting�Diva.
Seriously, this woman is everywhere.
With one half of my favorite up and coming blog/freelance team about ready to have her first child, I began thinking about project extensions and late work. Of course, I’m not talking about Berry Brewer when I write such a thing - but more from experience!
Whenever I throw my hat in on a job I promise a solid deadline with “No Excuses, No Exceptions.” I’ve had people hire me specifically because of that promise.
From speaking with some of my clients, my understanding is that freelancers are sometimes looked upon as a fickle folk, and deadlines are sometimes eyed with suspicion.
In addition, I’ve contracted with a lot of clients who have hired me to clean up or complete jobs from which other freelancers have mysteriously disappeared, had multiple grandmas pass away, or contracted rare but serious diseases.
Now, I’m not saying that these things don’t come up. Trust me, I KNOW this happens, and I wonder sometimes if I should not include such a stalwart promise as “No Excuses, No Exceptions” because, I guarantee you, if something happens to a member of my family, a project is decidedly second place.
So, when is it ok to ask for extensions?
- When extensions are truly needed.
- When an extension will vastly improve the final product.
- When a client has indicated that they’re not concerned with dates.
- When a client has added a significant piece to your original project.
�Avoid asking for extensions for these reasons:
- Poor planning on your part.
- To take on a (new) rush project.
- To take on a (new) project with better pay.
- Because you simply don’t like the project, and are therefore procrastinating.
Ok, so that last one was for me.
Have you ever had a real life emergency that required an extension on a project? How was it taken by your client?
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I had to deal with this when I lost my mother. Most of my clients were supportive, but a couple of them needed their sites worked on “yesterday”. I didn’t hesitate in letting them go, because I needed the time to deal with my grief in my own time.
next STEPH’s last blog post..What’s my online status?
Hi Steph,
I would most likely clear my schedule completely for a couple weeks in that situation, without batting an eye! I guess that’s one advantage of knowing other freelancers that you can suggest or refer to.
Great post, and right on target!
laura’s last blog post..Are You Professional?
There are always jerks amongst most kindhearted and understanding people. One of them insisted I meet - and beat - my promised deadline after an emergency.
My senior mother climbed a ladder, fell, broke her hip and dragged herself across the floor to get help from a neighbor. The closest hospital is 45 minutes from my home. The hospital that they transfered her to was 1 hour away.
So for a week while she waited for surgery, I traveled two hours a day (after getting my kids off to school) to sit with her. I spent the next five weeks helping her through rehab and worrying my ass off. I had about 1 hour spare time each day… and an ebook to finish.
“No problem,” the client said. “I understand completely and I’m sure you’ll meet your deadline as promised.”
The sympathy was amazing.
I finished the ebook a week early, got my mother home (which required my presence and help regardless), and waited 6 weeks to get paid.
Everyone else was really cool.
James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips’s last blog post..Sorry, We�re Having Technical Difficulties
Thank you kindly Laura. Love your blog.
good god james, that’s a horrible story! I bet you wouldn’t hesitate to turn their work down instantly if they ever approached you again.
Actually, that client did come back and ask for extra work, believe it or not. I politely and firmly refused - but we parted on good terms nonetheless.
He did mention that he had a hard time finding a good writer to work with long-term… wonder why.
James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips’s last blog post..Sorry, We�re Having Technical Difficulties
I’m pretty jaded as far as excuses go. When I hear someone say, “My computer is down” or “My mother is ill,” my first thought is almost always that the person is a big fat liar. HOWEVER, no matter how petty my thoughts might be, I always act like a decent human being and give that person a chance.
See, I’m waiting on a client to give ME a piece of a project, and they are taking longer than expected. They told me that they’re exhausted and burned out, and although not an excuse per se I totally get that.
I’ll one up you - try three months waiting for a sitemap to write the content.
But it’s understandable. The client said, “The hardest thing to do is stop focusing on my own clients to work on my website… the long-term ROI is so hard to justify when the short-term is crazy!”
How about the best excuse a client ever handed you?
James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips’s last blog post..Sorry, We’re Having Technical Difficulties