The Code of Practice states that professionals should “fulfil commitments made to clients” and “end engagements professionally when necessary.”
Sometimes relationships don’t work out. Knowing when and how to end them professionally is an important skill.
Ending professionally
Ending a client relationship means formally bringing ongoing or future work to a close in a professional, documented manner – one that respects the terms of contracts and agreements.
Consider ending a client relationship when:
You don’t need a dramatic reason
You can end a relationship simply because it’s not working for you. You don’t need to justify your decision or wait for something terrible to happen.
A professional exit protects your reputation and leaves the door open for the future:
Check termination clauses, notice periods, and any obligations. Follow the process you agreed to.
Where possible, end at a natural break point, such as after a project completes, at the end of a retainer period, or at year-end.
Tell them in person or by call first, then follow up in writing. Be clear but not brutal — you don’t need to catalogue every problem.
Complete any committed work unless your contract allows immediate termination or the situation makes continuation inappropriate.
Provide any files, access, or documentation they’ll need. Don’t leave them stranded.
Try to avoid ending professional relationships in the heat of a difficult moment. Take time to consult your agreements, understand your obligations, and document your decisions.
Immediate termination
Immediate termination should be reserved for serious issues such as abuse, harassment, or breach of contract, and may carry legal implications.
Keep your explanation brief and professional:
“I’ve enjoyed working with you, but I’ve decided to focus my business in a different direction. I’d like to complete our current project and then hand over to another provider.”
“Due to other commitments, I’m not going to be able to continue as your copywriter after [date]. I wanted to give you plenty of notice to find someone else.”
“I don’t think we’re working together as well as either of us would like. I think it’s best if we wrap up our current project and part ways.”
Keep it simple
You don’t need to justify your decision or provide detailed explanations. A brief, professional statement is sufficient.
Some situations require immediate or firm action:
You don’t need to tolerate abuse. A single serious incident can justify immediate termination: “Following [incident], I’m ending our working relationship effective immediately.”
Repeated non-payment justifies termination: “As payment remains outstanding despite multiple requests, I’m pausing all work and will not accept further projects until the balance is cleared.”
If asked to do something you’re uncomfortable with: “I’m not able to do this work. If this is the direction you need to take, you’ll need to find another provider.”
If a client pushes back on your decision, stay firm: “I understand this isn’t what you wanted to hear, but my decision is final. Let’s focus on making the transition as smooth as possible.”
Protect yourself and your reputation:
Keep records of your final communications, work delivered, and any outstanding issues.
Send a final invoice for all work completed. Be clear about what it covers.
Don’t denigrate the client to others, even if you feel they deserve it. The industry is small and reputations matter.
Reflect on what went wrong. Are there warning signs you should watch for in future? Would better contracts have helped?
Ending a difficult relationship is often a relief. Use the freed-up capacity for clients who value what you do.
Ending client relationships is a normal part of business. Not every client is right for you, and that’s okay. What matters is handling endings professionally: honouring your commitments, communicating clearly, and maintaining your reputation.
A clean ending is almost always better than a slow deterioration. If a relationship isn’t working, address it directly rather than letting resentment build.