Being an entrepreneur and running a business is fluid and dynamic. Clients will come and go, and that's ok. I have run businesses since I was 15 years old, and most of them are related to IT and the Web, which are very competitive markets nowadays. I have had have quite a few clients who have stayed with me long-term. Most of them have stayed with me for 3, 5, 10, or even 15 years. In light of the current mindset of “what have you done for me lately,” that amazes me..
On the other hand, I also had clients who only stayed with me for 1 month, 6 months, or perhaps a year. I usually don’t require a long-term contract, so all clients are free to leave after their first month. It’s those types of customers that I would call “short-term”, and I used to feel terrible for days or maybe weeks when a customer decided to go with someone else for business. It was just recently that I learned that a client leaves is just a normal thing, Does not matter if you do great work if you're a great person, or if you doing the right thing or not, this is just normal human behavior. But I also learned that most of the time these are the two reasons clients leave;
Business Health: If a business is not healthy, chances are it's not gonna be a long-term client of yours. Maybe they are struggling with cash flow, employees, or just bad management really. Sometimes businesses are failing and they become desperate to turn it around. Any scenario will cause a business owner to cry over every dollar they put into service and when that happens, it’s never a good sign. No company or service should ever be looked at as a savior for a struggling business. Any service augments a company’s existing success. No one can create it for them.
Out-of-the-world expectations: The second reason customers don't stay is because of this. I have literally heard prospective clients say that their Website or SEO campaigns must yield a 10X ROI or they will be deemed unsuccessful. Prospective customers have informed me that they anticipate ranking on Google's first page for the majority, if not all, of their crucial keywords. I politely respond with “thanks but no thanks” whenever I hear those remarks because I am aware that they are preparing me for failure. A customer whose expectations are too high will never be satisfied, and by definition, they will always look for the door.
So if you are having the same bad thoughts about losing a client, just relax, it's not because you're not as good as the person they ran into, but because this is the way things are, and always will be. The world is full of people that will appreciate your work and there are plenty of people in this world. Pay more attention to things that make you happy and go on with life, everything will be fine, and people will come to you for sure. Good luck with your journey!
