Let me tell you something most copywriting courses won’t:

It’s not just about learning how to write killer copy.

It’s about learning how to protect yourself from bad clients—the kind who eat up your time, kill your confidence, and disappear faster than a “limited-time offer” timer on a scammy sales page.

I’ve been there. In my early freelance days, I once said yes to a “dream” gig from a client who sounded excited, legit, and ready to go. No contract, just a few Slack messages and a verbal agreement. What could go wrong?

Well… everything.

The guy vanished after I sent the draft. No feedback. No payment. Nada.

And what I learned the hard way (so you don’t have to) is this:

There are always signs.

Subtle things people say or do that hint they’re going to be a pain in the ass—or worse, straight-up ghost you. But if you don’t know how to spot them, you’ll miss them.

This post is your filter.

We’re diving into 10 common copywriting client red flags that too many freelance copywriters ignore—especially when they’re hungry for work or trying to build their portfolio.

Some are obvious. Others are sneaky. But they all point to one thing: freelance client warning signs you shouldn’t ignore if you want to build a sustainable, profitable career.

By the end of this post, you’ll know how to spot bad clients, how to protect your time, and most importantly—how to identify bad copywriting clients before they wreck your workflow.

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This one’s sneaky because it sounds reasonable—especially when you’re new or desperate to land more copywriting gigs.

“Can you just write a quick sample to show us how you’d approach it?”

Sounds harmless, right? It’s not.

Here’s the truth:

When copywriting clients ask for a “free sample,” what they’re often doing is fishing for ideas—without paying for them. It’s spec work in disguise. You write something valuable. They “review it.” And then suddenly they’re not interested… yet a few weeks later, a near-identical version of your sample ends up on their site.

I’m not saying every client who asks for a sample is trying to rip you off. Some just don’t know better. But either way, this is one of the biggest client red flags you can’t afford to overlook.

Want proof?

John Carlton—one of the most respected badasses in direct response—used to get these kinds of requests all the time. He’d respond with:

“Sure, I’ll do a custom sample—for my full rate.”

Boom. That’s how pros handle it.

If a client values your time and skill, they’ll either:

• Look at past work or testimonials

• Do a paid test project

• Hop on a call and feel you out that way

If they insist on unpaid work first? That’s a clear case of how to spot bad clients in action.

Save yourself the stress. This is one of those bad clients to avoid no matter how tempting the project sounds.

👉 Freelance copywriting clients who respect your work will respect your time. The ones who don’t? Walk away.

Ah yes, the classic “it’s just words” line.

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this from freelance clients, I could retire and write emails from a beach in Bali just for fun.

Let’s be clear—when a client says this, what they’re really saying is:

“I don’t understand the value of what you do… and I’m not planning to.”

This is one of those copywriting client red flags that doesn’t get enough attention. Because when you’re trying to land work, it’s easy to think: “Well, maybe I am charging too much. Maybe I should lower my rates to get the gig.”

Don’t.

When a client doesn’t see the value in persuasive, strategic writing that drives results, you’ll always be in a lose-lose situation:

• You’ll get nickel-and-dimed.

• Your ideas will be second-guessed.

• You’ll feel underpaid and overworked.

Here’s the reality: People who say it’s “just words” have no clue what copy actually does. They think like consumers, not marketers. And that makes them the worst kind of freelance copywriting clients—because they’ll question everything you write, constantly want “more content,” and never be satisfied.

Want to know how to identify bad copywriting clients in 5 seconds flat?

Bring up your rate, and listen closely. If they flinch, mock, or scoff? That’s your cue.

You’re not here to educate clients on why good copy is worth it. You’re here to work with people who already get it—or at least respect your expertise.

Ben Settle says it best: “When you sell to broke people, you end up broke, too.”

Save your energy for clients who know your copy isn’t “just words.” Because the ones who don’t? They’re glaring freelance client warning signs in human form.

Sounds reasonable on the surface, right? You want the client to be happy. They want the copy to be perfect. So what’s the harm in tweaking things until it’s “just right”?

Here’s the harm: that phrase—“until it’s right”—is as vague and slippery as it gets. And it’s one of the most dangerous freelance client warning signs out there.

Why?

Because “right” is subjective. And if you don’t define the limits, some freelance clients will turn your project into a never-ending feedback loop from hell. You’ll spend weeks going back and forth on minor edits, getting contradicting feedback from different team members, and watching the scope creep faster than a trending TikTok audio.

This is one of those client red flags that kills your hourly rate, your mental bandwidth, and your excitement to even open their emails.

It’s not just about revisions. It’s about control.

Copywriting clients who push for unlimited revisions are usually:

• Indecisive

• Disorganized

• Or expecting you to magically “fix” a bad product, offer, or business

And they’ll try to mask it with flattery:

“We love your work… we just need a few more changes.”

Cool. But unless you set a hard revision limit (I recommend no more than 2 rounds, clearly outlined in your contract), you’re opening yourself up to weeks of unpaid, frustrating work.

This is textbook how to spot bad clients. The ones who push boundaries, move goalposts, and make you feel like the copy is never good enough.

Here’s the fix:

• Put your revision policy in writing.

• Stick to it.

• If they keep asking for more, offer to do it—for an additional fee.

That’s how pros operate. And the moment a client fights you on this? You just learned how to identify bad copywriting clients without writing a single word.

Don’t get stuck in the revision trap. You’re not a copywriting vending machine—they don’t get to keep pressing buttons until they get what they want.

If you ask a potential client, “Who’s your target market?” and they say, “We don’t really have one,” or “Anyone could be our customer”…

🚩 That’s one of the biggest copywriting client red flags in the game.

Look, as a copywriter, your job is to enter the conversation already happening in the prospect’s head. But you can’t do that if your client has no clue who they’re trying to talk to.

Clients who say “everyone” is their audience are essentially saying, “We don’t want to commit to a message. We just want copy that magically works for all humans everywhere.”

And you know what that leads to?

• Endless rounds of vague feedback

• Mixed messaging that doesn’t convert

• Frustration on your end, because the goalpost is always moving

This is a key lesson in how to identify bad copywriting clients early on. If a client can’t clearly define their market, you’re not just writing the copy—you’re doing their brand strategy, positioning, and customer research for free.

Let’s keep it real: most great offers solve a specific problem for a specific group of people. When a client tries to be everything to everyone, they end up being compelling to no one.

And the worst part? These types of freelance copywriting clients will blame you when the copy doesn’t perform. Even though they couldn’t give you a straight answer about who you were writing to in the first place.

If you want to know how to spot bad clients during the discovery call? Ask them about their ideal customer. If they fumble through it or toss out generic fluff like “people who care about quality,” you’ve just uncovered one of those subtle-but-deadly freelance client warning signs.

You can write world-class copy—but if the client doesn’t know who it’s for, it’s never gonna land.