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How to Decline Client Projects (the Right Way)
10K views
Jan 17, 2024
Sometimes client projects just aren’t a fit. The pay’s too low… there are red flags…or you’re just too busy. Whatever your reason, in this video we'll show you exactly how to decline a client project professionally and politely using a few proven scripts. • • • VIDEO CHAPTERS • • • 0:00 Introduction 0:55 What to Ask Yourself Before Taking on a Client Project 1:08 Reasons to Decline a Client Project 3:03 How to Turn Down a Client Project (the Right Way) 4:20 Scripts & Examples for Declining Client Projects (Copy/Paste) • • • MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO • • • Copy/Paste SCRIPTS & EXAMPLES for declining a client project https://millo.co/when-and-how-you-should-turn-down-a-project-thats-not-for-you • • • SUBSCRIBE for more freelancing videos • • • https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHUE7dy9CxjtipQgGVhrNQg... • • • LEARN MORE on the Millo blog or podcast • • • Blog — https://millo.co/blog Podcast — http://freelancetofounder.com
View Video Transcript
0:00
Sometimes client projects just aren't a fit. They pay too low, there are red flags
0:05
or you're just too busy. Whatever your reason is, in this video I'll show you
0:10
exactly how to decline a client project professionally and politely using a few
0:15
proven scripts. So let's jump right in! Hey guys I'm Josh from Millo.co where freelancers come to level up their
0:26
business and today we've got a few easy ways to professionally and politely
0:30
decline a client project that's just not a good fit for you. Before we get started
0:35
consider subscribing to grow your freelance business. Okay if you want to
0:39
avoid burnout and grow your freelance business you're gonna have to learn to
0:43
say no to clients now and again. That's because every time that you say yes to
0:48
one project you're essentially saying no to another. So it's important that you
0:52
only take on the best projects for your business. Each time that you receive a
0:56
client request ask yourself will this project be exciting and fun to work on
1:01
Will the client pay me what I'm worth? Will the deliverables be something that
1:06
I could use in my portfolio? With that in mind here are a few reasons that you
1:10
might choose to decline a client project. First you notice red flags with the
1:15
project or the client. Red flags could include unrealistic or really tight
1:20
deadlines, pressure for discounts or a simple lack of trustworthiness. In these
1:25
cases the client simply doesn't align with you or your business. Saying yes to
1:30
clients who exhibit obvious red flags can leave you burned out, stressed out
1:35
and exhausted. For these clients politely decline. Next you may want to decline a
1:41
client project if you're already busy with other projects. As your freelance
1:45
business grows there may be many instances where you would like to work
1:49
on a specific client project but you simply don't have the bandwidth. In these
1:53
cases it's important the client knows that you're not necessarily rejecting them or future opportunities to work together. You're simply declining the
2:01
current project at hand. If you're too busy for a certain project or task you
2:05
are well within your rights to turn it down respectfully. Turning down projects
2:09
when you're too busy will allow you to give your full attention to those that
2:13
you have agreed to complete. This will ensure that your work remains at a consistently high quality level for all of your valued clients. Finally you
2:21
should politely turn down a client project if their budget is just too low
2:25
While you may choose to occasionally offer discounts or special rates for
2:30
your work, you have every right to turn down clients who approach you with a
2:34
budget that's significantly less than what you charge. Your time is valuable
2:38
and your rates should reflect the value that you bring to your clients. The last
2:42
thing that you want to do is devalue your worth by agreeing to projects that
2:46
don't meet your minimum payment thresholds. Saying yes to lower paying projects means that you have to eventually turn down higher paying
2:54
opportunities. We're about halfway through this video and if you're finding it helpful please click the subscribe button and leave us a comment letting us
3:01
know what you'd like to learn next. Alright, now that we've identified a few
3:05
reasons that you may choose to decline a client project, let's talk about exactly
3:09
how you can do it. Learning how to decline a client project politely can be
3:14
tricky but it's an essential skill if you want to remain in good standing
3:18
within your industry. Freelancers who are too abrupt or rude can quickly gain a
3:23
negative reputation that will follow them for years. In order to avoid
3:27
offending people, take the following steps when turning down a project. When
3:32
declining a client project, try to be as grateful as possible. Express gratitude
3:37
for the fact that the client took time to reach out and let them know that you
3:42
appreciate their consideration. Second, make it as clear as possible that you
3:46
are declining the offer. If you prefer, you can briefly explain your reasons for
3:51
declining, particularly if they are not offensive, but there is no obligation to
3:56
do so. Next, make sure you respond quickly when turning down a project. This allows
4:01
the client to move on to new prospects without delay, thus showing that you
4:05
respect their time and effort. Finally, unless you're declining the project due
4:09
to major red flags, leave the door open for future work together. This helps the
4:14
client know that your refusal isn't personal and you'd love to work with them if the opportunity arises in the future. Now that we've covered the
4:21
basics of how to decline client work, let's review a few possible scripts and
4:26
templates to make the job even easier. You can copy and paste these scripts and
4:30
others directly from our blog post at millow.co which we'll link in the
4:34
description of this video. Okay, first, a script for clients who exhibit major red
4:39
flags. We have a short, concise, and direct response. Since you likely don't need to
4:45
leave the door open with red flag clients, there's no need to offer future
4:49
support. Here's how it reads. Dear Jane, thank you so much for thinking of me for
4:54
your project. I appreciate you taking the time to reach out. I'm unable to take on
4:59
this project at the moment, so I'll have to respectfully decline. Wishing you the
5:03
best of luck, Josh. Next, here's what you might send if you simply don't have the
5:09
time to take on the project. Hi Jane, thank you for your proposal. I appreciate
5:14
that you have considered me for the job. After careful review, I'm sorry to say
5:18
that I'm currently unable to fully commit my resources and attention to
5:22
your project. Your project definitely deserves more attention and time than my
5:26
schedule will allow at the moment. If you can wait, I'll be available for more work
5:31
in three months and I'd love to work together then. If you're unable to wait
5:35
please let me know and I'll connect you with some other freelancers who I trust
5:39
who may be more available right now. Thanks again for considering me for your
5:43
project. I look forward to hearing back. Cheers, Josh. Finally, here's what you
5:49
could say if your client's budget doesn't align with your rates. Hi Jane
5:53
thank you so much for thinking of me for your project. After looking through your
5:57
project, I'm afraid it lies outside of the scope of what I am able to offer. I
6:02
charge $150 per hour and you indicated that you would like to stay under $75
6:08
per hour. So there's an obvious mismatch here. I understand money can be tight and
6:13
I respect your budget. If you end up finding more budget for this or future
6:17
projects, I'd love to chat. Thanks again. I wish you the best of luck with your
6:21
project, Josh. And that's it. Three simple copy-paste scripts for declining client
6:27
projects. Before we go, please be sure to leave any questions in the comments and
6:31
we'll make sure to respond to every single one. Until next time, I'm Josh from
6:35
millo.co and I'll see you later
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