Are There Ever Clients You Should Avoid?

If you’re new to voice over and you’re doing everything possible to build your clientele and, thus, your portfolio, you may think turning down a client sounds like a crazy thing. I have news for you, though. There are certain clients who just aren’t worth it in the long run. Maybe you haven’t met one yet, but I sure have. And you surely will too! Here are the types of clients that I avoid at all costs:

The Control Freak

We all know someone who is control freak. They’re that person who has to have their hands in everything, and everything has to be JUST SO. And if it’s not? Well, you better watch out. In voice over, this gets real old, real fast. When you’ve got someone breathing down your neck and micromanaging your every move, it just makes your job that much more difficult - especially when that person expects perfection (and trust me, they do).

The Last Minute Changer

Know what is really annoying to most voice actors? Clients who decide to make changes at the last second. Whether it’s the script or the deadline or something else, when you’ve agreed upon something and then your client says, “Wait, now we’re going to do it like this,” it stops the train. This results in stress, more of your time spent on the project than you’d planned, and ultimately, a loss in revenue.

The Dictator

The Dictator is like the Control Freak on steroids. This is the guy (or gal) who demands to be in charge and will not consider anyone else’s viewpoints. Talk about putting a damper on your creative license with a project. One of the best things about working with good clients is being able to openly communicate and have YOUR expertise as an artist recognized. With a Dictator, this isn’t happening. 

The Cheapskate
I set a rate for everything I do and don't let the client do that for me. I try to work within their budget if one is presented, However, if they will not be flexible on the budget, I give a polite "thanks but no thanks" response and move on. Working with a Cheapskate will always take up more of your time than it is worth and will bring you only more cheap work in the future.

The Ones that Drive me Nuts

It takes a lot to truly get under my skin, but there are certain things that will do it instantaneously. Like being wishy-washy about a project, not communicating with me, not paying me - that last one is a biggie. Basically, if my initial conversations with a client make me think that any of these things are going to happen, I usually politely decline the project.