Ask HN: Client Threatening about blog post against me | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Client Threatening about blog post against me

2 pointsrioboz5 comments

I am a creative designer with a good reputation. I have recently done a logo for a social media marketing guy. He sells information product on social media marketing. After doing several revisions of the logo and working very hard for the client, he told he don't want to continue with me and asked for refund of advance. I dont do that because I have put lot of work into it.

Now the client is threatening me by telling about his skills in social marketing. He says he will do all possible thing to do negative publicity against me and a reputed Design agency, where I am working part time.

Just got an email telling he has given me deadline till Wednesday and after that he will start putting blog posts and other social media things against me.

Anybody faced similar thing before ? What should I do ?

FYI: There was no official agreement or any thing signed. Only exchange of emails.

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At first I wouldn't worry about it. Firstly it could just be a threat, if he actually does start doing such things, you should wait and see what happens.

You know what they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity. It is possible that he could end up promoting you if your name gets out there.

He isn't going to recommend you anyway.

If he defames you, you've got a potential lawsuit. Otherwise, you could get a bit social yourself and link to his posts with copies of your work. Comment and respond to his negative posts, if he actually does post something. Make sure you're out there answering the questions and standing up for yourself if you believe in your work.

But if he is a professional, I doubt this is anything but a threat.

I'm sure a lot of people won't like this, but hey, fight fire with fire. Send him an email - use formal language - stating how he's not entitled to a refund due to the nature of your work, and making slanderous threats about damaging your reputation. Make sure to point out the legal implications of the threats he's making.

Here's the fun part: end it with "P.S. I've CCed in my lawyer". Find a local lawyer firm and just make up anybodysname@lawyerfirm.com, paste that in the CC field.

Worked for me once before. They get scared, look up the actual lawyers online - they're real - stop with their threats. This is cheaper than getting an actual lawyer but equally as effective at scaring them out of it.

IANAL, but what was exchanged in those emails is your agreement. Do you state in those emails that the advance is non-refundable? If so, you're completely in the right.

On the other side of it, is there anything in those emails that suggests the other party expects a full refund if the work doesn't meet their standards?

You're probably already thinking this, but in the future don't do a project without a contract. I'd agree with pedalpete that you should take a stand for yourself if he chooses to run anything negative.

Send him this:

http://vimeo.com/22053820

(That's the "F*ck you. Pay me." from Mike Monteriro that was doing the rounds a few weeks back)

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