About a week ago, a business consultant found me on Upwork.
She lived in Asia, helped Western companies expand into China, and had one of the juiciest marketing situations I’ve seen all year:
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High-ticket offer
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Huge email list
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No email marketing system
A textbook dream client.
We hopped on a consulting call. She was sharp, open to ideas, and seemed genuinely excited. I went to bed imagining baozi and six-figure email campaigns dancing in my head.
Then I woke up to chaos.
The Great Wall of Red Flags
She had filled my LinkedIn inbox with messages. Not one or two. Dozens. Sent back-to-back over the course of hours.
She started with a simple pivot:
“Do you write LinkedIn posts instead?”
Then:
“Would you do a trial email for free?”
Then:
“Would you do a 60-minute consultation to see if we’re a good fit?”
Followed by:
“I mean a free consultation—your price is higher than others. 😅”
And of course:
“Love your emails but not sure if they’d work for my audience?? Thoughts??”
By the time I scrolled to the end, I saw that she’d moved on to voice messages.
And then—while I watched in real time—she was typing another message.
This went on for five hours.
Finally, she landed on:
“Actually I decided I don’t like your emails. Please advise when we can discuss social media marketing.”
When Clients Go From Curious to Code Red
Now, I’m not one to block people over one weird message. But this wasn’t one message. It was a pattern.
Neediness. Indecision. Constant boundary-pushing. And above all—disrespect for time.
This is how you spot clingy, chaotic clients before they blow up your calendar and drag your business into the mud.
And sadly, most freelancers never learn this.
Why Most Freelancers Burn Out
Freelancers get taught to chase every lead. To bend. To be “easy to work with.” To prove themselves.
And that’s how they end up:
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Taking unpaid discovery calls
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Doing free samples
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Letting scope creep destroy their margins
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Letting one bad client dominate their week (and their mental space)
It’s not sustainable. It’s not professional. And it sure as hell doesn’t lead to long-term success.
If you don’t learn how to screen, filter, and manage clients—you’ll always feel like the junior partner in your own business.
Want to Spot Red Flags Like a Pro?
If you’re a freelancer who wants better clients, stronger boundaries, and less time wasted on “just checking in” messages that never end…
That’s the kind of stuff I teach on my email list.
Daily emails. No fluff. Real talk about freelancing, client psychology, and marketing that actually gets results.
You’ll learn how to:
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Avoid needy, nickel-and-dime clients
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Set clear expectations without sounding like a diva
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Build authority that earns respect (and higher fees)
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Write emails, proposals, and messages that get the right clients to say yes
Sound like something you need?
Join here: https://nickbandy.com/freelance
And remember…
In the midst of messages, there is also silence. Let her type, and you shall win by doing nothing.
– Nick
