Why do old clients expect the same discount for new projects?
Clients often feel entitled to past temporary or one-time discounts on future, smaller jobs and react angrily when rates return to normal. This creates intense social pressure and can even damage relationships with the people who originally referred them.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Stating the standard fee and itemizing the one-time discount clearly on the initial invoice so the customer understands the full value.
- 2Standing firm on standard rates despite complaints and losing the client relationship.
- 3Cutting deliverables or scope of work to match the lower budget
- 4Refusing to work with clients who push for massive rate reductions
- 5Offering tier-based contracts tied to minimum volume thresholds rather than upfront discounts
- 6Walking away from the project entirely
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I get this a lot where someone asks about a high volume of work, then comes back asking for the same daily rate for a much smaller piece of work.”source ↗
“She expected me to keep working for 250 bucks just because that is what I charged her before..”source ↗
“She complained to my referring client, who chewed me out for abandoning her and dropped me.”source ↗
“The one client who tried to negotiate me way, way down is one of the few clients I refused to work with, because it was clear they were going to be a headache right out of the starting gate.”source ↗
“I had a client sign my contract with my rate and then a month later come back asking for a lower rate (retroactive) because “they would make up for it in volume” down the road.”source ↗
“I had one client negotiate me down (still was within my range, but at the absolute bottom). I told him that that fee was my last, best offer and that I wouldn't go lower. He asked if I could go lower. I declined the project.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5How to respond when a client says your rates are too high
- 5How to follow up with a client who picked a cheaper vendor
- 16How to handle clients who demand refunds and bully you
- 2Client disputing billing terms and rates after receiving the invoice
- 6How to tell a client their bookkeeper is incompetent
- 3Retainer client pays on time but never responds