10 Things We’d Never Let Our Clients Do (and Why You Shouldn’t Either)

Author’s Note: As part of The Good Lemon’s 10-year anniversary celebration, we’re continuing to share the strategies, lessons, and values that have shaped our work over the past decade. In our last installment, we explored 10 Essential Strategies for Building Rock-Solid, Long-Term Client Relationships, a look at what it takes to foster trust and keep it. This series is our way of reflecting on how far we’ve come and what continues to guide us forward.

In this blog, we’re sharing 10 things we’d never let our clients do: the red flags, risky habits, and hard no’s we’ve learned to steer clear of. Why? Because part of being a good partner means protecting your brand, even when that means saying “no” to things that might feel tempting but don’t actually serve you. Consider this our tough love list, built on a decade of experience, strategy, and care.

1. Publish Without a Purpose

Just because you can post doesn’t mean you should. Content for content’s sake clutters your channels, confuses your audience, and can dilute your core message. We never advise clients to post just to “get something out there,” even after a stretch of inactivity. Every piece of content, whether it’s a post, email, or campaign—should serve a clear purpose, whether that’s raising awareness, deepening engagement, or driving action.

2. Ignore Audience Preference

If there’s one marketing rule to stand by, it’s that your audience should always come first. When their preferences shift , and they will! — you’ll need to shift with them. Maybe it's a drop in engagement, or a simple poll reveals they're craving something new. Either way, staying tuned in and actively adapting your content to meet their wants and needs is what keeps your message relevant and your relationships strong.

3. Rely on a Single Communication Channel

We’d never let our clients rely solely on one social media platform or method of connecting with their audience; doing so limits your reach and leaves opportunities on the table. Your audience is likely spread across different platforms and communication styles, and meeting them where they are is key to growing your brand and deepening support. Diversifying your channels helps ensure your message lands, no matter where your community is paying attention.

4. Wait Until a Crisis to Communicate Clearly

Your clarity shouldn’t only show up in tough moments. We always advise clients to build strong, transparent communication habits before things get messy. That means setting expectations, speaking plainly, and reinforcing values regularly … not just damage control when something breaks.

5. Treat Security as an Afterthought

We’ve seen it all: weak passwords, shared logins floating around in spreadsheets, and no plan for what happens if someone leaves the team. Social accounts (and the data tied to them) are too valuable to leave unprotected. We never let our clients risk losing access, or worse, getting hacked, because of sloppy security. Use strong, unique passwords, turn on two-factor authentication, and keep login info stored securely. Your mission is too important to be one password away from a crisis.

6. Buy Followers (Seriously, Don’t)

We get the appeal! Bigger numbers can look impressive at a glance. But buying followers or fake engagement does nothing for your goals. It wastes your budget, inflates vanity metrics, and leaves you with a hollow audience that won’t show up when it counts. We’d never let our clients trade real impact for empty stats. Focus on building an authentic, engaged community through your work: the kind that actually reads your posts, shares your mission, and takes action.

7. Slack on Visuals

In this day and age, yes — people do judge a book by its cover. That’s why we’d never let our clients treat visuals as an afterthought. Now, we’re not saying you need to become a digital Picasso, but putting real thought into the look and feel of your content matters. Whether you're using Canva or another tool, choosing images, colors, and fonts that align with your brand helps your message land. Your audience can tell when a graphic was chosen intentionally, and when it was just the first stock photo that popped up.

8. Bury the Lead Below the ‘See More’

If a platform tends to cut off long captions, we make sure our clients don’t let their most important message get hidden beneath a “see more” link. Whether it’s a strong call to action or the emotional hook of a story, lead with what matters most. Attention spans are short, grab your audience early or risk losing them before they even get to click.

9. Copy-Paste Across Channels

Each platform has its own culture, tone, and audience expectations. What works in an email might fall flat on Instagram, and vice versa. We’d never let our clients copy-paste the same exact post across every channel. A little tailoring goes a long way in making sure your message actually connects.

10. Keep Us Out of the Loop

We’re here to lighten your load, not add to it. Think of us as your second set of eyes and your second voice, helping make sure everything you share sounds like one consistent, trusted brand. But that only works if we’re in the loop. When we’re not aware of internal changes, shifting priorities, or updates to your brand voice or visuals, things can start to feel off. We don’t want your messaging to sound like one person wrote it one week and a completely different person the next. Keep us close so we can help everything stay aligned, intentional, and impactful.

Whether you're a nonprofit leader, communications director, or a solo professional working to amplify your message, avoiding these 10 pitfalls will help keep your work sharp, strategic, and aligned with your mission.

Need help identifying and avoiding these traps in your own comms strategy? We're here for you—reach out or subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected.

Next up in our anniversary series: 10 Ways To Keep Clients Involved Without Overwhelming Them. Stay tuned!