Mason Hipp over at freelancers website Freelance Folder has posted a ‘Top 12’ of ‘Things you should never say to a client…’

For the full list visit Mason’s post, but a couple of selected highlights are:

“3. ‘Sure, take as long as you need with payment’

Almost every one of us has been in a position of financial difficulty at some point, so it is very difficult not to empathize with people in the same situation. That being said, you still shouldn’t slide on your payment dates.

If a client hires you for something, they should be prepared to pay you on time. It’s not fair to you if they don’t, and it shows them that it is an acceptable practice, which it isn’t. Of course, you should evaluate your specific situation before deciding exactly what to do.

And:

“9. ‘I really need this project’

It’s something about human nature — everyone wants to get the best deal. If you tell a client that you really need more work from them, they are probably going to exploit that fact and you’ll end up at the wrong end of a bad project.

Even if you’re really desperate for work, it’s usually better not to show your clients and prospects. What you can do instead is lower your prices a carefully determined amount before hand and then go out and sell to clients/prospects.”

Any other words that should never be uttered?