# Red-flag client checklist

Score a lead in 3 minutes, before you write the proposal. Most scope creep and late payment can be predicted from the first call. This list is built from patterns freelancers report again and again. It's not a science, so use your judgment.

**How to score:** 1 point per flag. Flags marked ★ count 2.

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## Money flags
- [ ] ★ Asks for a big discount before seeing the proposal ("We're a startup, budget is tight")
- [ ] ★ Refuses or "doesn't do" deposits
- [ ] Offers "exposure", equity, or "lots more work later" instead of your rate
- [ ] Can't tell you who approves invoices or how payment works
- [ ] Wants to pay entirely on completion for a project longer than 2 weeks
- [ ] Insists on 60–90 day payment terms for a small project
- [ ] Mentions a previous freelancer "who didn't deliver" and didn't get paid

## Scope flags
- [ ] ★ Can't describe what "done" looks like
- [ ] "It's a quick job" / "should only take you an hour"
- [ ] Brief changes between the first message and the call
- [ ] Wants a fixed price but won't commit to a fixed scope
- [ ] Asks for free samples, spec work, or a "test task" that's actually the real job
- [ ] Says "unlimited revisions" is normal

## Process flags
- [ ] Multiple decision-makers, and you can't talk to the final one
- [ ] Slow or chaotic replies during the sales stage (it gets worse after you're hired)
- [ ] Wants to start "tomorrow" before signing anything
- [ ] Pushes back on a written contract ("we trust each other")
- [ ] Wants daily calls or expects replies within minutes, evenings included

## Respect flags
- [ ] ★ Talks down about past freelancers or their own team
- [ ] Questions your rate as "too much" instead of discussing scope
- [ ] Ignores your process questions and jumps to "how fast can you do it?"
- [ ] Asks you to bypass a platform's payment rules (if you met on a marketplace)

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## Your score

| Score | Read | Action |
|---|---|---|
| **0–3** | Normal client | Proceed with your standard process |
| **4–6** | Risky | Raise the price 20–30% (calculator → risk buffer), require 50% deposit, tight exclusions list, shorter payment terms |
| **7–9** | High risk | 100% upfront or milestone payments **before** each phase. Short contract. Be ready to walk away. |
| **10+** | Walk away | Politely decline (script below) |

## Polite decline script

> Hi [NAME], thanks for walking me through [PROJECT]. Based on what you need [timeline / budget / scope], I don't think I'm the right fit for this one, and I'd rather tell you now than slow you down. [Optional: You might try [ALTERNATIVE / referral].] Best of luck with the launch.

## Turn a flag into a filter (phrases that work)

| Flag | Say this |
|---|---|
| "Budget is tight" | "Totally get it. Let's adjust the scope rather than the rate. Which of these 3 deliverables matters most?" |
| "Quick job" | "Let me scope it properly so you get an exact price. If it really is quick, the price will reflect that." |
| "No deposit" | "Every project starts with a deposit. It reserves your start date. It's the same for every client." |
| "Unlimited revisions" | "I include [2] rounds because a clear feedback process gets better results faster. Extra rounds are available at [PRICE]." |
| "Lots of work later" | "Great, let's start with this project at my standard rate and talk about a retainer rate once we've worked together." |
| "Start tomorrow" | "I can start as soon as the agreement is signed and the deposit lands. Both can happen today." |

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**Made by Dan Shipped — @danshipped.** Part of the Freelancer Money Kit.