5 Reasons Clients Leave Their Web Designers (Avoid These Costly Mistakes!)

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Are you unknowingly pushing clients away? In this video, I reveal the 5 main reasons clients leave their web designers—and how to make sure you’re not making these common mistakes. Retaining clients is just as important as getting them, and by avoiding these pitfalls, you can build long-term relationships, increase recurring revenue, and grow your freelance web design business sustainably.

💡 You'll Learn:
✔️ The top 5 reasons clients stop working with web designers
✔️ How to improve client relationships and increase retention
✔️ Simple strategies to ensure clients stay happy and loyal

👉 Don’t just avoid these mistakes—take proactive steps to make sure they never even enter your client’s mind!

🔥 Subscribe for more tips on running a profitable web design business!

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#WebDesign #FreelanceWebDesign #ClientRetention #WordPressDesign #WebDesignBusiness

Episode Transcript

Cathy Sirvatka (00:00):
It's ideal to have clients come back to you
again and again.
When you get clients who comeback to you over and over again,
it can contribute substantiallyto your annual income.
The repeat work that they bringto you proves that they're
happy with you and your serviceand that they trust you.
Also, happy clients will referfriends and associates to you.
Eventually, you won't even needto seek out customers.

(00:22):
They'll come to you.
This is the ideal situation fora freelancer, but the fact is
not all clients come back.
Once a new customer comesthrough the door, so to speak,
it behooves you to do everythingyou can to make them happy.
You want them to continuecoming back to you.
Today, I'm going to talk aboutfive common reasons why clients

(00:42):
might not come back to you.
If you take these actions,you'll be able to retain more
clientele and have moreconsistent income and less sales
effort.
So let's address these issueshead on.
Here we go.
Welcome to the Web Pro SavvyPodcast.
This is your host, CathySirvatka S as in Sam I-R- V, as

(01:03):
in Victor A-T-K-A.
It's a great feeling when acustomer returns to you for more
work or, better yet, signs onfor a maintenance plan or
retainer.
You can enjoy an ongoingrelationship with them and have
more consistent income.
In order to facilitate thishappy scenario, we're going to

(01:25):
count down the top five reasonsclients tend to not stick around
and how you can avoid them.
Number five poor quality workand lack of professionalism.
When you pay a businessthousands of dollars, you expect
it to be professional in bothquality and care.
Well, the same goes for yourcustomers.
Make sure you keep up with yourtech and your design skills.

(01:47):
It's easy to rest on yourlaurels with the knowledge and
experience you already have, butwe all know in this
technology-driven business,changes are the norm.
Be sure to include your owncontinuing education in your
yearly business plan.
That's true for tech and design.
Keep up to date with the latesttrends of website design and
layout.
Take a course in user interfaceor user experience.

(02:10):
Learn some new CSS and designtricks that you think will be
beneficial going forward.
Keep up with the latest bestplugins and WordPress techniques
.
Subscribe to a podcast or aYouTube channel, or subscribe to
a helpful blog and considertaking courses that will further
your skills.
Keep up with your professionalskills, like in meetings, and
with deadlines.

(02:31):
Communicate in a pleasant,business-like tone in any
interaction, whether it's online, on the phone, in person, email
or text.
People react to tone, so youwant it to come across as
pleasant and steady.
Stay focused on the matter athand and don't get caught up in
too much small talk.
Show up to meetings on time,whether in person or on Zoom,

(02:53):
and if you're running themeeting, show up early and be
prepared for meetings.
Do homework on your prospect.
Look up their current website.
Look up their LinkedIn andtheir social media.
I even look at their code ontheir website just to see if
they have a WordPress site ormaybe it's Wix.
I like to know as many detailsas possible before going into a

(03:14):
meeting.
Sometimes I even search fortheir hosting or their domain
registrar.
All of this gives me a fullerpicture when I go into the
meeting.
Number four lack ofcommunication.
Make sure clients understandwhat's happening at all times,
at the very beginning of aproject.
Lay out the entire process.
They don't need the technicaldetails, just give them the

(03:36):
general steps.
Give them a timeline that goesfrom the initial conversation
through to post-launch.
Check in with them regularly tokeep them apprised of your
progress and also keep themmoving on, whatever homework
they may have for the project.
It's really easy for a clientto go dark on you and it's easy
for you to kind of let thembecause you're really busy doing

(03:58):
stuff, but that is a slipperyslope and it only ends in tears
I mean yours.
When a project gets drawn out,everyone loses their momentum
and enthusiasm and you startlosing money because you allow
that deadline to slip.
Be that person that encourageseveryone to keep talking and
moving, including yourself.

(04:19):
Number three poor management ofexpectations.
This is not something a clientwill verbalize not in this way
but they will get frustrated ifthey think they were supposed to
get something from you that youdid not plan for.
Any kind of misunderstanding ormiscommunication can upend an
entire project.

(04:39):
So use contracts.
List out everything that youwill and won't be doing in this
project.
This sets your client'sexpectations from the get-go.
In addition to a signature page, have them initial those pages
where the specific steps of theproject are listed out.
That way, if any questionsarise, you can both refer to

(05:00):
that list and they can see whatthey approved.
Use it like a checklist foryour project.
This has come in super handyfor me over the years.
When a client has disputedsomething.
A good contract is especiallyhelpful to prevent scope creep.
If a client wants to addservices that are not in your
contract, you can tell them yeah, we can do that, but it will be

(05:22):
an additional fee because itwasn't part of the original plan
.
It just keeps everyone calmbecause it's all there in black
and white.
This aids in growing theirtrust in you because they can
clearly see you're not trying toget away with anything.
Number two lack ofresponsiveness.
Respond promptly to calls,emails and texts as long as they

(05:42):
land within business hours,because boundaries right.
If it's an emergency, reply assoon as possible.
Otherwise, respond during thatpart of the day that you have
set aside for clientcommunications.
Just don't leave them wonderingif you got their email or,
worse, whether they're importantto you.
If you don't respond in atimely manner, their mind will

(06:03):
make up all kinds of unfavorablethings.
So respond as soon as possible.
Now.
If a client texts you on aSaturday afternoon and your
contract clearly states that youwork Monday through Friday,
nine to five, then you shouldrespond to that client on Monday
morning.
If you reply on Saturday, youopen yourself up to the client,

(06:24):
treading all over your personaltime.
Set the tone in the contractand then stick to it.
This is not you being difficult, this is you being professional
.
And number one missed deadlines.
When you commit to a projecttimeline, stick to it.
This is something I struggledwith early on.
But missing deadlines wears ona client's attitude when working

(06:46):
with you.
Their time is just as importantas yours and they trust you.
So these are pretty simplethings that you can do to give
your client a good experience.
It seems pretty basic, butyou'd be surprised how many
freelancers don't pay attentionto this stuff.
But if you practice thesethings, you're going to be way
ahead of the game and yourbusiness will do well.