More difficult than working with other clients.

  • It’s not that they don’t respect you as a person, it’s that they forget you are a professional other than a friend/relative.
  • They will always ask for a better price, when not for free.
  • ‘It’s not urgent’. Therefore the payment won’t be urgent (read quick).

OR

  • ‘It’s very urgent’ and ‘We’ll pay you as soon as we start making money out of it’.
  • They don’t like contracts or written agreements. ‘What? You don’t trust me?’
  • They keep it loose. ‘I like that thing to be a bit like that other thing, but with a twist and maybe later more like this thing too…’ Etc.
  • There won’t be any layout to stick too, no matter how often you email it to them, it will disappear (AND/OR change every couple of days).
  • You should know what they want without them telling you.
  • They don’t have much money to spend on this…
  • …But they will recommend you to anyone they know. (Whether that anyone they know needs a website or not is less than important).
    Oh, wait… This is exactly what happens with many regular clients. So what’s the difference?

You are going to see them again.
(And you love them.)

PS. Anyone can argue that if any of the above happens to you it’s your fault, as a professional, for not stating the obvious beforehand and set the rules as they should be.
I agree. But I also know that when I wake up in the morning the perfect relationship between a freelance web designer and a client was a dream.

PPS. No, seriously I agree that professionals should make every possible effort to prepare the ground for a healthy and productive relationship between them and their clients.
And things can go either right or wrong no matter what. So have a laugh, do your best and keep enjoying what you do.