Here's the story. A local publication has contracted me to write business profiles for their summer guide. I meet with the clients, write up a piece, and then submit it for their approval before sending it along to the publisher. I have written 6 of these. Three people wanted minor tweaks. One client did a major re-write, but here's the problem. The last two clients, who have had the profile write-up for over three weeks haven't given me a yay or nay. I have tried polite phone calls and e-mails, but they aren't working. I feel like calling them and explaining that I can't get paid until I submit the article, and I can't submit the article without their approval. I think that would be unprofessional, so fellow DPers, I'm simply venting on a Friday afternoon. Anybody have any good methods for prompting slacker clients?
Just like they give us deadlines, could you simply give them one. For my clients, I always say, "Please review the TITLE document that is attached. We are in the final stages of the project and require your edits before DATE. If no feedback has been received, we will consider the PROFILE has been approved and will proceed with the next phase." Okay, this isn't exact, but deadlines work both ways. For my personal clients, they get 7 days to submit edits else it's considered approved. Good luck.
That's pretty much it. You give them a deadline and if they don't meet it, it's approved. Leave a phone message and an email. Document it, keep it, mark the date so you have a record of it.
Would it be possible to call or send an email that says "I have been trying to reach you regarding your profile. If I do not hear back from you within [x amount of time] I will assume that everything is alright and send in the profile as-is." Or is that legally...murky? I think it is okay to call them again--I don't know if I'd mention that "I won't get paid" but that "the article can't run until I get your approval." and maybe mention something about them losing out on some free publicity if the article doesn't run. The free publicity part will get their attention (hopefully).
Ok, what am I missing here? They are not replying back, which means they are no longer interested. Why send it in???
Thanks everyone. Here is the part that I left out. These clients have paid for this write up as a part of an advertising package. I need to stay in the good graces of the publication that hired me. I got a little work from them last year and additional work this year. After mulling this over all weekend I am going to call each client tomorrow morning and let them know that I will not be calling them or e-mailing them anymore and that my deadline is May 9, but I will need to receive their feedback by at least May 6 in order to have sufficient time to make the changes and submit the final product. Then hopefully I can add something about knowing I can count on them. We shall see.......
In all types of businesses there is risk, just as there is risk in freelance writing. This happens time to time to all writers. If they are an agency that gives you regular work, you should just overlook it unless you want to lose your business with them altogether.
I don't let those I profile see the piece before it's printed unless the one profiled is the one paying me. And I do mean NEVER, even if they ask. If you want, next time, just email them and say something like, "...your profile is finished and ready for print, here's a copy for your records. Hope you like the article." Don't ask their opinion, just proceed to forward to your editor. If you want, wait a couple of hours just in case they scream about something. Take control, again, as long as they aren't the paying client. Elsewise, they'll drive you nuts. Hope this helps. Shirley
As I said, these people have paid thousands of dollars to have advertisments and a write up of their business in the publication. My job is to do the write up and have it approved by the client prior to submitting it to the publisher. That is where the "stickiness" comes in, being the middleman. The publication does not want their high paying clients to not like what has been written about them. I can't be a b*tch about the whole thing because it would reflect bad on the publication, the publication that gives me work. FYI, I telephoned both clients Monday. One was quick to respond and I turned in the write up and submitted my invoice for payment. I told the other client they had until May 6th to get the approved copy to me. And thanks again for all the input, everybody. It will help me with future decisions.