A few weeks ago, I was broken up with. It was by a longtime client, one whose relationship I thought I’d be nurturing for several years. It came completely out of the blue after working for weeks not only to figure out their six-month strategy but also to put into place their 12-month contract. The breakup was delivered with the line that makes every marketer roll their eyes: “We absolutely love working with you, but we’re looking to go in a different direction.”

Everybody in this business knows what the “it’s not you, it’s me” excuse means. Ninety percent of the time, this means that a client found a less expensive option and has decided to take their business there, likely without looking too closely at the quality of the work their new agency will provide. The hard work is getting them to admit it.

This article originally appeared on Forbes.com, on March 2, 2021. Read the rest of the article here.