Setting Expectations with Clients

Have you ever had any issues communicating with your clients? Have you ever had a project go out of scope? Have you ever found that you and your client are not on the same page as each other, leading to miscommunications? Wouldn't it be great if you had a tool to inoculate yourself against these issues that also helped build stronger relationships with your clients?

That's where setting expectations comes in. Setting clear expectations with your client upfront will make all the difference in your freelancing career.

By setting expectations, we mean laying out the framework of what your client can expect, and it two main areas: communication and scope.

Communication

There are three main things your client will need to know to build trust and confidence in you

When are you active/available?

• It's important to note to your client any information regarding core hours and time of day that you are likely to be responsive to their messages.

What is the best way to reach you?

• Would you rather get a quick phone call instead of a text or email? Make sure your client knows the most effective way that they can reach out to you!

When will your clients receive updates on their project?

• When working on multiple projects, you focus on getting the work done and don't worry about giving progress updates as long as you are not over the deadline.
• Meanwhile your client might be on the other end wondering, "I wonder how far along my project is?" "Is it going to be done on time?" "Has it even been started?"
• Providing your clients with updates on a regular basis will ease their nerves regarding the status of their project with you.
• Let them know how often you will update them and then follow through on this.

Scope

The key here is to set clear expectations about the scope of the project. 

While it is important to be clear about what is included in the scope of the project, it is often equally important to be clear about what is not included. After discussing the scope with your client, you should clearly address both of these in your quote for your client.

Additionally, it's important to remove any ambiguities that could leave to problems down the road. For example, maybe you are working on a site-speed project with your client. In this case, it's important to agree how you will measure improvements and to discuss this with your clients (and include this in your quote). So:

"Speed Optimization improvements will be based upon an agreed upon report by the client and member to measure improvement by, either Lighthouse or GTMetrix. Any additional reports' stats will not be considered."

Or maybe you are working on an SEO project with your client. It's important to set expectations about what sorts of results they may expect to see and when.

Remember to always be clear and realistic with your clients even if, at times, that may not be what the client wants to hear. It is far better to be truthful and honest about what can and cannot be achieved than to overpromise and underdeliver. By being truthful and honest, you will build trust with your client, and that in turn will lead to more successfully completed projects.

Resetting expectations

Oftentimes, you will need to reset expectations with your clients throughout the life of a project. This may be because circumstances change (maybe the project was more complicated than you initially thought and it requires more time/a revised scope or cost) or it may be because of miscommunications

As soon as you realize an issue needs to be addressed, it is important to reset expectations so you can both get on the same page.

We recommend jumping on a call in these situations as it is by far the fastest and most reliable way of resolving issues. You can explain to the client how the circumstances have changed, or you can listen to your client's concerns. Being on a call means you can immediately react to and address what your client says and work together to resolve the situation.

How to Set Expectations

You can set and reset expectations by using the tools available to you. Jumping on a call with your client early is a great way to make sure you are both on the same page and to agree how you will communicate with each other and agree on the scope of the project. It's also an ideal way to reset expectations if things go awry.

Additionally, clear communication via text or email can be a great way to reinforce what you have discussed or to address/confirm specifics.

Finally, make sure you use the power of a well-written quote to set expectations and to give you and your client a clear and thorough point of reference for your whole project with them.