Unfortunately, I encounter many stories of clients who were bamboozled by other less scrupulous web designers. Designers who charged a lot and did little, or outright cheated. Designers who lacked basic understanding and knowledge about the craft. Designers who simply did not listen to their clients, and twisted their arm to agree to something that was not in their best interest, by pulling out the "I'm an expert" card. That's often when I come in, usually at the recommendation of another past client, to rescue the poor and abused chap. It's my philosophy that if you provide a good and honest service your business will thrive, Chicago, India or anywhere in the world. There's no reason to take advantage of people, and in the end, you will have a pile of cash, and no more clients. You'll use up your cash sooner or later, and then you'll have nothing.

I've had many clients who had come to me for my services, only to decide I was too expensive and go elsewhere. I can't count the number of times in the last 10 years that a client had then come back after having had a bad experience. A few of them had been hacked; the designer didn't deliver; their website didn't increase any leads; they couldn't use the system; or the design was simply boring. So they came back. They always come back...

At that point, the client is wounded, jaded, hurt, and looking for help. He's guarded and cynical, and wants to make sure he won't get the wool pulled over his eyes again. I'm his rebound web designer. So, how do you deal with this? How do you make him comfortable, and protect him and yourself? Here are 7 tips to help you out:

Listen.

People love to talk about themselves. Even more, when they're angry and get the opportunity to vent. Ask the prospect what their experiences in web design have been until this point. Ask them want trouble spots they encountered; what went wrong. Listen, pay attention, take notes.

Be positive

Don't reference past bad experiences, either yours or his. Don't put others down, don't bad-mouth, and don't even mention a negative word. Instead, start from scratch, with a positive attitude and language, about why they should choose your services.

Give data, real numbers, and case studies

The prospective client is going to be extra cautious this time around. But he's not necessarily sure what he needs to know to make the right choice. He knows he needs a website, and he may know what went wrong the first time, but he may not know what to do. Appeal to his mind, not his emotions, by giving him cold, hard facts. He wants to make an intellectual decision, and will be super-analytical of anything you tell him.

Be reassuring

After he's heard why you're so great, and is convinced you have the skill and ability to design a successful website, you'll need to develop a relationship. Be empathetic and reassure the prospective client that you're looking for a long-term working relationship. Tell him you want to make sure he's comfortable with working with you and ask him to raise any concerns.

Make the web design goal-oriented

When discussing actual solutions you'll provide, make the conversations goal-oriented. You're making a new website to accomplish specific goals, serve a specific function for his business. Business owners appreciate that, rather than someone who is just trying to make a "pretty picture." Having the discussion in that light puts you both on the same page.

Stay away from jargon

Even if the prospective client is well-versed in the nomenclature of web design, stay away! Use laymen-friendly terms, and explain things clearly. If even once the client is confused, it creates a rift between the two of you. You want to be on the same page, so the client knows he can trust you.

Use a contract, then discuss it

Always use a contract! Always!! Tell the prospective client that although there's a lot of fine print, you would like him to read the contract and discuss any issues. Let them know that not everything is written in stone, and that you had it written to protect yourself and him: to make sure you deliver work on time, according to the scope of the agreement, and that you get paid for your work. I personally leave my contracts open to allow for unlimited client revisions, and let them know that. I let them know I'm confident my clients will be satisfied with the work I produce, and they should feel comfortable knowing I won't stop until they're satisfied.

Offer references

True, you would never offer a bad reference. But making the offer to put the prospect in touch with past clients shows them that you're looking for an honest working relationship. It also gives the client the opportunity to get the perspective of another non-designer on how the process went working with you. (It's a good idea to ask clients on completion of a project if they'd give you a testimonial and would mind being available as a reference in the future.)

Being the rebound-designer can be a great opportunity to develop fantastic working relationships. These people will have already experienced poor performance, and if things work out well, they'll know you're really a stellar web designer!

Have you had experience being the rebound designer? Have you ever had a bad experience with a web designer? How did you deal with it?