What Success Actually Looks Like
Clients rarely care about clean grids or award-winning animations. They care about impact. Is this going to help them sell more, look more professional, or attract better customers? Talk about success in their language — not yours.
How Much Time They Need to Invest
You’re not a mind reader, and they’re not designers. You’ll need feedback, copy, assets, logins, and quick approvals. Let them know early on that their input is key — and late responses can delay the whole timeline.
What Happens After Launch
The website going live isn’t the end — it’s the handoff. Will you maintain it? Will they have access to edit content? Will there be training? Setting expectations now prevents frantic emails later.
One of the most underrated parts of client work is setting the emotional tone from day one. Clients want to feel taken care of — not just technically, but mentally. They want to know they’re in good hands, that you’ve done this before, and that you’re not going to disappear after launch. Clear communication builds trust, and trust builds freedom. The more upfront you are about how the process works, what can go wrong, and how you’ll handle it, the less friction you’ll face and the stronger your relationships will be.
— Jason Leong, Digital Project Manager & Consultant
Why You’re Pushing Back on Certain Ideas
It’s tempting to say yes to everything — but real experts explain why they don’t. If something isn’t good for the project, say so. Clients respect clarity more than blind compliance.
The True Timeline (With Wiggle Room)
A “2-week project” is never really 2 weeks. There’s feedback lag, scope creep, surprise bugs, and life. Bake in buffer time and explain why — it makes you look professional, not slow.
Most project stress comes from silence or surprises. When you explain your process, flag risks, and invite honest conversations, you stop being a freelancer and start becoming a partner. Every great project starts with setting the right tone — and that starts before any design happens.
5 Things to Communicate Early
- What you’ll need from the client to get started.
- Your preferred tools, timelines, and feedback process.
- What success looks like — and how you’ll measure it.
- How change requests are handled (and billed).
- What happens post-launch.
Unordered List: Red Flags to Catch Before Starting
- Vague goals like “we just want it to look modern”
- No single decision-maker on the client side
- Clients who ask for a discount before seeing the scope
- Resistance to timelines or process structure
- Radio silence after sending the proposal
