Now, what do you do if a client doesn’t seem critical or difficult, and they truly do want to work with you, but they just don’t like your work?

It’s a tough question. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some clients on multiple projects where they approve nearly all my outputs except for that one outlier project in which nothing seems to look right in their eyes. So good clients–those who are fun to work with–can get stuck in a hate-everything mode, and unfortunately, the project will suffer as will your relationship with the client when communication becomes strained.

If anything, this post is a healthy reminder for myself. Below, I’ve outlined some of the methods and means I’ve put into practice for handling those clients who, to use a strong word, hate my work.

Be Responsive

Negative client feedback is an important juncture of any project. The way you treat it will determine the course of the project and your relationship with the client. This is why it’s absolutely essential to be responsive, no matter how much you disagree with the client, and to understand their stance. Don’t ignore the client, and don’t respond with a curt email message.

Identify What They Don’t Like

The first thing you should do whenever a client comes back with negative feedback is to identify the specific area or areas of the output that they’re unsure of. I’ve experienced feedback that appeared as if the client considered my entire design rubbish, when in fact, they only disliked a single color in the mock-up. Don’t be afraid to ask a client for specifics.

Change Communication Method

Communication seems to be the root of all problems in society and web design is no exclusion. Oftentimes, designers will throw out an initial mock-up via email and expect to receive electronic feedback. In a perfect world, this would be flawless, but alas, email does not convey the breadth of description ideal in explaining the reasoning behind design decisions. Instead, if a client shows hesitation over a design, pick up the phone or schedule a meeting to gain a better understanding of their position and to help communication your ideas more precisely. I’ve settled long-chained email disputes in a matter of minutes by establishing quick and simple sit-down meetings.

Find Examples

Once you’ve determined a client doesn’t like your work, ask them to find examples of websites that they do like. Usually, you would be better off doing this during the initial phases of the project–before any design work is done–but the rush of the moment can sometimes push a designer too deep into the process without looking around first.

Start Smaller

Building off my previous point, moving too fast for a client in terms of design work can often lead to confusion, misinterpretation, and ultimately, negative feedback. To combat this trend, try slowing down and moving your sights back a couple of notches. A standard conflict resolution tactic is to find common ground. Find common ground with your client by gaining acceptance on the smaller things such as a color scheme, layout or general theme. You can then increase the amount of output you feed them until either a design is settled on or a roadblock is hit.

Get Independent Feedback

In most projects, you’ll be dealing with one or a couple of client stakeholders. When design disagreement strikes, a helpful suggestion might be to involve other stakeholders within the client organization to review the design. If that doesn’t seem possible, then you as a designer or project manager can seek out independent review of your work to see where you might be going wrong. A fresh set of eyes can always shed new light on work that we can sometimes become too involved with.

Defend Your Work

A client hating on your work is not the end of the world. I would be highly skeptical if I never ran into the occasional client who didn’t like my work. It’s part of the business, especially considering the highly subjective nature of design. Many business owners have stood by the mantra that the client is always right, and perhaps in some cases or industries, that might be true; however, when it comes to design, you are the professional. Stand up for your work. Explain the decisions you made. Many clients do not understand the workings of the web or user psychology, and thus may not be qualified to provide constructive criticism. A good web designer doesn’t just produce beautiful work–they’re also able to explain why it’s the right approach for the client.

Start Over

Finally, there are some instances where you need to scrap everything you’ve done and step back to square one. This can give you a fresh start with the client and another chance to understand their needs and expectations.

Botched projects, negative feedback and strained nerves are not things to be ashamed of. We all experience them at one time or another. These experiences should instead serve as a learning exercise where you can analyze what went wrong, what you did right and how you can prevent future occurrences. Without failure, we would have no definition of success.

Getting the wrong message across can be detrimental to progress. Usually, when a client – or anyone for that matter – doesn’t comprehend a subject, they’ll make assumptions and draw incorrect mental maps. That incorrect interpretation can generate false expectations, or worse, dissatisfaction with the project’s progression.

This is why it’s essential to be crisp and clear when communicating the tough areas of web design. The web is a very visual and conceptual place where the application of creative thought is free and untamed, and unfortunately, hard to describe. Therefore, the following methods may help to communicate your creativity in a manner clients can appreciate.

• Surveys: Using a quick and painless survey to field your clients’ needs and methods of communication is a great way to proactively adjust to their way of thinking while gathering valuable information.
• Show By Example: Communicating complex concepts goes both ways, and the client will at some point need to describe their desires. To help them, suggest that they find examples from other sites or resources that highlight the specifics of their ideas. However, don’t build in the expectation that you’ll be copying the other site.
• Mixed Communication: Like investing, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to communication. Instead, use a variety of communication methods including email, project management software tools, telephone, and meetings. This will help to ensure concepts are conveyed and reinforced in a meaningful format.
• Tangible Deliverables: Wireframes, mock-ups, site maps, and asset inventories are all tangible deliverables. They convey, on paper, a description of your creative direction for the project. Where words are insufficient to outline a concept, use a solid deliverable.
• Communicate Backward and Forward: When explaining a concept or deliverable, describe the steps you took to get to that point. This will help the client understand your creative formula. Next, describe the steps you’ll take moving forward so that the client can have an early understanding of what to expect.
• Annotations: Annotations are like the little Microsoft Office paperclip assistant. Okay, bad example. But annotations are extremely important in providing textual backup to a visual concept. They can be used to explain your reasoning, and they’re useful for addressing potential client questions.
• In Person Unveiling: For the big-ticket items such as a completed prototype, you may want to consider establishing a face-to-face meeting. During the meeting, you’ll have the opportunity to respond in real-time to client reactions; otherwise, they could sit there, confused and unsure of what they’re looking at.

Of course, not all of these methods are necessary for a single engagement, so use your insight into the client’s preferences to formulate a workable communication strategy.

Those projects stink, and it’s okay to give up on them.

What? Give up? We’ve always been told to stick our chins up and grind out the hard work, even if it leaves us devoid of mental reasoning by the end of the day.

I’ll readily admit that I’ve cultivated myself never to leave a project hanging. That may sound haughty, but I actually view it somewhat as a shortcoming. Being able to confidently give up on projects that warp time and make money disappear is an admirable quality that I wish I could better attune to. This may sound counterintuitive to good customer relations, so let me explain my reasoning.

There’s no such thing as a perfect project, but there definitely is such a thing as a horrendously bad project. The best way to think about web project management in this stream of thought is by comparing it to chess. In chess, you sacrifice lower status pieces to give your valuable pieces more time and better plays. Sacrificing a pawn is forgivable, but if you lose your king, game over.

In thinking about client projects, one may counter that you should pre-qualify and avoid the bad apples from the beginning. Unfortunately, that’s unrealistic. Like chess, you’ll always find yourself with pawns that maybe you thought could turn into queens (for those unfamiliar with chess, if you can get your pawn across the board to the opponent’s side, it becomes a queen). Or, maybe the relationship started out great but turned sour.

Whatever the case, once you begin to accept the fact that some projects just won’t live up to expectations, you can start allotting your time more effectively. But first, how can you identify a project worth giving up? Here are a few qualities of potentially bad projects.

• The project is for a small amount of money, perhaps accepted based on the promise of more.
• The client is impossible to reach or communicate with.
• The client is susceptible to wild changes in needs or desires.
• The project never seems to end.
• The client continually forces scope creep on you.

Bear in mind, it may take more than one of these qualities to create a truly awful project. Also, notice how all of these qualities relate to the client or project. You need to think about yourself as well. Are you happy with the project? Does something about it seem off?

Now, the big question. Once you’ve determined that a project is no good, how do you go about giving up on it? Well, there are really only three ways I can see of approaching the situation.

The client does it for you. Sometimes the client will see the writing on the wall and confront you about ending the project. This is the best scenario, because you both understand the disconnect.

Announce your intentions. If the client doesn’t have a clue about your dissatisfaction with the project, tell them straight up. Pick up the phone or setup a quick meeting. Whatever you do, do not send an email. Web project management is like dating. You can’t break up via a text message unless you want to be perceived as a jerk.

Desert the project. This is the worse case. If you find the client intolerable or impossible to reach, and the amount of money due to you not worth fighting over, then abandon ship. Just freeze your activities on the project, and work on something else. You may want to revisit the project after a week or even a month, but it’s simply not worth the stress of dealing with it in the short-term. This tactic may seem like an absolute no-no, and you’d be right. Employ it only as a last resort, and make sure you carefully analyze the opportunity cost involved. No one wants to waste endless amounts of time trying to end an already rotten project.

And finally, when you have succeeded in ending the project, here are some tips that may help to alleviate any tension between you and the [former] client:

• Offer up some alternatives. For example, if the [former] client is cheap, suggest they look into GoDaddy for their needs.
• Be amicable, even if the [former] client is a tough nut. A friendly attitude can be like a cool stream of water over some hot coals.
• Use your network to refer them to someone else. Be careful, though, because you don’t want to taint your network by shoving your bad clients onto other people.
• Go the education route, and explain why the project isn’t working. Lack of knowledge can lead the [former] client to make assumptions.
• Make yourself available for an hour or two to provide transition support, and definitely do not, under any circumstance, hold their site or domain hostage.

If this seemed like a surprisingly negative post, then I’m sorry, but this is what life can be like in the busy world of web design and development. Not everything works out, and occasionally, you have to value your time above that of projects and clients. Otherwise, you’ll miss opportunities, spend countless hours chasing undesirable projects, and worst of all, never be happy.

Believe me, we’ve all been there and will continue to experience that uncertainty in projects. Web sites are complex, and the job of creating them requires tons of flexibility. I’ve always said that the key to managing smarter projects is by being proactive and by communicating effectively. But what specifically can be done to finish those lingering projects and to be satisfied with the end result?

Get as much done as you can before actually starting the project work

The initial phase of any project is the most important one. It’s at this point expectations are shaped, communication established, and a roadmap fleshed out. The initial phase is also where you can get the most done.

How is this possible? I like to think of the time and effort I spend on the initial phase of a project as a high-interest yield investment. I deposit my chunk of time spent communicating with the client, and I expect to receive big dividends at the end of the project.

For example, before even touching the project work, I try to clarify the following questions:

• Where is this site going to be hosted? What are the capabilities of the hosting account?
• Does the client have content prepared? Will they need a copywriter? (I try to push this question into the pre-sales process.)
• What sort of control is the client going to need over the finished site?
• Will the client need any third-party accounts such as Wufoo, FeedBurner, and Google Analytics?

I’ve made the mistake in some projects of leaving one or more of these questions unanswered. The result was confusion toward the end of the project. The client would hit me with questions I was unprepared for, or I would run into technical incompatibilities with what I was developing. This isn’t good and will blur the finish line for your project as you run around trying to come up with alternative plans at the last moment.

Develop smarter contracts

Everyone preaches that you should always have a written contract in place and they’re absolutely correct. However, there’s an obvious difference between a one-page contract you typed up in your off hours, and a contract that was carefully crafted and critiqued by a qualified attorney.

Smart contracts can translate into finished projects because they’re able to assess and address multiple outcomes. For starters, a smart contract plans for the possibility of client content delay by tying the payment schedule to a specific date and milestone. Problem contracts tie the payment to the “web site launch” or “completion of the web site.” This is bad because the client can delay the launch indefinitely by not getting the content done. In the smart contract, you can demand payment as soon as you reach the specific date and milestone, and there’s nothing that lights a fire under clients faster than an invoice. They’ll receive the invoice – and hopefully pay it – and they’ll have more incentive to get their part done so that the site can be finished.

Another component of smart contracts is their precise language. There is no room for different interpretations in a strong contract. When you come toward the finish line for a project, the smart contract will back you up instead of serving as a liability. For example, I’ve had some clients think I was to develop the content until I pointed out in the contract that this was their responsibility. The problem was resolved in a mere minute, and the project was able to move forward without confusion.

Be aggressive about client obligations

Clients play an essential role in web projects. They can’t sit back and let you do all the work. You need their input on designs, content, collateral, and a number of other project-dependent deliverables.

Don’t let slow clients continually move the finish line. This is by far the trickiest part of managing a project. How can you encourage clients to become more invested in the project?

I’ve already mentioned one method, which is the invoice, but that should serve as a last resort. Instead, the best way to cultivate proactive clients is by being proactive. You may even need to become aggressively proactive.

Proactive behavior involves constant communication with the client in which you ensure they’re staying on top of their obligations. You must also communicate to the client the work that has been done. Sometimes, when clients can see the progress you’re making, even if it’s just baby steps, it can motivate them to become more involved. Getting things done is an infectious behavior that can be transmitted to other people. So get things done, and be aggressive in showing your progress to clients.

Define the finish line

Once you near what may seem like the end of the project, make it a reality by establishing a wrap-up meeting. This meeting can serve as the de facto finish line in which you discuss the finalities of the project and set a specific launch date.

I emphasize meeting with the client because it really is essential to see them in person, or at the very least, hear their voice over the telephone. This helps to impress upon the client the importance of the communication to take place.

During the meeting, you should only focus on items that relate to the launch of the web site. This includes the launch date, final payment, final deliverables (hopefully, there aren’t many), and of course, how the client can get into the content management system. I stress again establishing a specific launch date. Ingrain this date in your client’s mind, and they’re likely to stick with it.

Thanks for tuning in. As always, if you have any feedback or ideas of your own, please feel free to leave a comment!

Why don’t you know? Perhaps they aren’t vocal and prefer to seethe in silence, or maybe they’re too busy to guide you in a more suitable direction. The fact is, they have chosen not to communicate this dislike of your work, which is a very big problem.

Some clients may never voice any concern, and instead just go along with the show. In the end, they’re left unhappy and with a site that they don’t think achieves their goals. Other clients may just go behind your back and hire another designer. Whatever the case, the client isn’t happy, and you’re left to pick up the pieces, wondering what went wrong.

How can we avoid this mess in the first place?

There are five simple, though effective, methods below that can help you to discover, address, and alleviate client concerns before they turn into a whirlwind of trouble.

Practice being proactive

Being proactive takes a lot of work. Most of us are reactive, meaning we respond to issues as they’re brought to our attention. On the other hand, proactive behavior requires a certain amount of foresight and planning, which can be tough when you’re juggling multiple projects. Proactive communication can help get your clients to express themselves more openly, because you never leave the ball in their court. For example, if you’re requesting feedback on a design, you need to be proactive in following up when the client fails to respond. Otherwise, the ball will be stuck in their court far too long, and your proposed design will grow stale, and the inaction – regardless of who’s at fault – will be viewed negatively.

Work in small steps

Working in baby steps and continually communicating is a great way to keep your client in the loop. By involving the client early on, and in more steps of the process, they can help you make minor course corrections before the direction of the project heads down a dark, ugly spiral. Once the direction turns sour, you’ll have a hard time buying back the trust of the client in your abilities.

Ask questions

When interacting with the client on feedback, ask more forceful questions. I don’t mean questioning their feedback, but rather digging further into what they mean. Oftentimes, by probing a client on a specific piece of feedback, I can learn much more about their desires than I could by producing another design iteration. Getting to the root of the feedback can eliminate bad design direction early on.

Have confidence in your work

Sending mock-ups and designs to a client, especially if conceptual in nature, is nerve-racking business. You will be rejected at some point in your career, and that rejection can be painful. Nevertheless, the potential for rejection should never cause you to shelter your work. Instead, you should strive to be more open with it. Get it out there, and fast. By being transparent with your work, the client becomes a participant in, rather than an audience of, the design.

Know when to be defensive

The client is not always right. A shocker, I know, but as a design professional, you need to understand when it’s appropriate to defend your work. If the client questions aspects of the design that you think are spot on, be willing to explain why you chose that direction. Of course, this type of communication needs to be extremely professional as to avoid condescending or rude tones, which can alienate clients.

There you have it. Five extremely easy ways to discover and repair client issues with your work before they destroy the project. If you have a method of your own, please share!

But what if we could avoid the mess in the first place?

It’s not easy, but it’s certainly feasible. Moreover, preventing client anger is something you should strive for, because no one likes dealing with angry people.

So, how can we prevent the anger? Below I’ve outlined eleven tried-and-true methods of proactively handling projects and clients before they succumb to strained feelings.

Clarify expectations

Right off the bat, you should clarify the roles of everyone involved in the project. Who is responsible for what? Defining these areas of accountability will help the client understand what they are responsible for and what you are responsible for. If you don’t define this, they may expect you to do everything, and when you don’t meet that expectation, problems will occur.

Set goals and deadlines

Projects operate on a series of finite deadlines, goals and milestones. In other words, you should always be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Be transparent about it, too. When clients know what date to expect a certain activity to be complete, they’re in the know, and they won’t become angry during the gaps of seemingly empty time between activities.

Be responsive

Many self-management and efficiency experts advocate a minimalist style when it comes to email. They say you should only check it twice a day and respond only when necessary. Unfortunately, for effective project management, this just doesn’t cut it. Clients, who have presumably paid you money, expect to receive attention when they call or email. If their attempts at communication go unanswered for prolonged periods of time, the client will quickly become distressed.

Communicate frequently

I’m going to expand even further on the previous point. Not only should you be responsive, you should also be proactive in your communication. When you check off a milestone in project management software such as Basecamp, it’s announced in the system, and you may think that the client will notice this. That may be true, but it’s better to err on the side of excessive communication and independently notify the client that a milestone has been met. Furthermore, it doesn’t hurt to send out occasional status updates on the project, especially if you’ve gone dark because of coding or design activities.

Determine communication preferences

Let me expand even further on the two points above. Figure out how your client prefers to communicate immediately (as in the beginning of the project). Some may prefer the dreaded telephone while others may be fine with email, and still others may actually embrace tools like Basecamp. Regardless, determine the most effective way to communicate important updates to the client and use those means to deliver the message. I’m not saying you need to call a client constantly if they prefer the telephone. Most people are capable of handling multiple communication channels. However, if that client does prefer one channel to another, use the preferred channel for the most important messages.

Address problems upfront

I don’t care if you’re a model of perfection, mistakes and problems will always occur during a project. How you respond is what will determine the level of anger in the client. When a problem happens, communicate openly with the client about it and offer an immediate plan of action for defeating the problem. Implement the plan and keep the client informed during the process. Problem solved.

Be honest

Most people don’t like liars or politicians. Therefore, don’t act like one. Be open and truthful to your client about every aspect of the project. Of course, there are times where the damage of a truth outweighs the telling of a small fib, so you have to use your judgment. However, and as clichéd as it may sound, honesty is the best policy. Additionally, politico speak will frustrate your clients. If you don’t have an answer or don’t know, just simply tell the client that you’ll get back with them. Or, even more frightening, you might have to tell the client, “no.”

Ask questions

If you think liars and politicians are bad, then you most certainly detest yes-men and yes-women. These are the people who accept everything the client says and offer simple statements of acceptance such as “yes” and “we can do that.” There’s no thought involved and everyone’s happy – for that moment. The anger will arise, though, if it turns out you can’t do that or something isn’t feasible. Instead of trying to appease, aim to be pragmatic. This means asking questions and looking at all possible viewpoints. Clients may resist a little at first, but in the end, they’ll love you.

Get everything in writing

So far I’ve mentioned liars, politicians and yes-people. Now, to complete the list, let me throw in the lawyers. However, I mean this in a good sense. When contracting with a new client it’s vital to get everything down in a legally sound document. Otherwise, arguments will form around he-said, she-said logic, which never gets anywhere. A well-written document with a lawyer’s stamp of approval will clear the air of uncertainty.

Don’t be afraid to educate

Sometimes clients get angry and frustrated because they don’t understand. They don’t understand the content management system, or maybe the wire frame you sent them is hard for them to read. This is where you need to step up to the plate and educate your clients. Effectively educating a client about the web design process can help alleviate irritation and leave you with a more informed client.

Be empathetic

Some anger happens for reasons outside of your control. A bad day, flat tire, recent divorce and so on can all seep into your project. The best way to manage this is to be empathetic to the client’s current demeanor. Ask yourself why they might be angry, and if you think it’s because of something outside the project, treat them carefully. You don’t need involve yourself with their problems, but be willing to give them some breathing room.

Used correctly, Twitter can become an integral part of your projects from client screening to web site integration to ongoing client education and interaction. In this post I will step through some ideas on integrating Twitter with your projects and clients before, during and after the project process.

Read the rest at TwiTip!

Wrong. I discovered through a series of poor projects that accepting everything is not a profitable strategy. I began to understand and value the concept of opportunity cost. Let’s say I’m working on a low paying project that, while bringing in some money, eats up all my time and leaves me exhausted at the end of the day. What else could I have done with my time? Could I have worked on a more rewarding project? Or perhaps hunted for more profitable business? I will never know.

This is not a foreign concept to most veteran designers. As you grow, you must become more selective about how you spend your time. But how can you screen potential projects to eliminate the problem ones as quickly as possible?

I’ve developed a set of internal heuristics that I run each new project through as a test. Keep in mind that sometimes a project with a small budget or a client with a demeaning attitude is not necessarily a deal breaker. You have to use your judgment and analyze your own opportunity cost. What else could you be working on?

When writing this post, I realized that most clients are actually good and that you should maintain a positive outlook in your project screening process. With that thought, I decided to amend my post to include a way to think positively about each warning sign.

1. They have a “small” budget

The most obvious warning sign. Anyone who declares outright that their budget is “small” or “limited” is a person without real conviction to a solid web project. Maybe they really don’t have the money. Unfortunately, your time is valuable and must be compensated fairly.

Think positive: Are they a non-profit? Is there a reason why they can’t afford an extravagant web presence? Some organizations with a good or interesting cause might be worth reaching out to. Perhaps you can arrange a trade of services or a sponsorship. Sponsoring non-profits and donating time can be an incredible way of attracting new business (people like people who give).

2. They’re price shopping

They claim you’re one of three companies they’re looking at for a quote. They waste your time with numerous emails and questions when in reality they’re just fishing for prices. This is a classic budget shopper who will drain you for everything you have.

Think positive: Perhaps there’s something you can do to help you stand out from the rest. Suggest unique solutions to the client and help them understand your mode of thinking. The client may actually be stuck making a tough decision between several local firms. Help convince them that you’re the right choice.

3. They require spec work

This is the most outrageous warning sign that every designer has encountered. A prospect who demands a mock-up or design to be submitted with a proposal is a prospect not worth dealing with. They essentially want you to work for the job, which can be extremely risky and time consuming. Your portfolio should speak for itself.

Think positive: Does the prospect understand what they’re asking for? Try explaining that they’re essentially asking you to work for free. Compare this to the prospect’s line of work. Would they ever submit work without a guarantee of getting paid? This might help them to rethink their proposal requirements.

4. They want to establish sort of ownership deal

Thanks to the dot com bubble, people seem to have left that mess with the thought that ownership equates to value. If you’re approached by someone who has no money but the next “killer” idea, be cautious. They’ll want you to work for a percentage of ownership. If you accept, you’ll waste the next six months of your life working toward a pipe dream.

Think positive: What can I say? There really is nothing positive about this. In fact, I would advise anyone to avoid these propositions at all costs. However, should someone you know very well approach you with this scenario, it may be worth your attention to at least see what the opportunity is.

5. They’re hard to get a hold of

If you’re trying to work out a proposal or deal for someone who doesn’t answer questions or never gets back to you, this is a sign of their behavior during the project. This is the exact behavior that causes projects to drag on forever and eat into your valuable time as you try to spur the client into action.

Think positive: Analyze your own communication method. Are you emailing someone who clearly is more receptive to a phone call? If so, pick up the phone. People can become hard to reach if you’re not using the proper channel.

6. They’re rude or inconsiderate

You pick up the phone to speak with a new prospect and they bark commands at you. Or, you receive an email littered with curt and arrogant statements. No one wants to put up with that, especially during a prolonged project period.

Think positive: Is there a reason why they’re treating you in this fashion? They could have had a bad day or perhaps they aren’t adept at using a certain communication method. For the prospect who writes seemingly offensive emails, try giving them a call. They might be the nicest person in the world who’s just absent-minded when it comes to email.

7. They want you to rip off some other site

I’ve learned that some people will become overly fixated on the design of another site and will outright ask you to copy it. Not only is this wrong, it should be completely avoided. You can’t include it in your portfolio and you might even get into copyright infringement territory.

Think positive: Explain the consequences of copying another site to the client. They might not realize that other people will notice. Most people want to avoid embarrassing situations; help the prospect to do that. Furthermore, try to identify what parts of the design the prospect liked and assure them of your skills.

8. They need the site done in a week

We’ve all heard this one before. They need a super extraordinary web site built in less than a week and they need you working on it around the clock. Avoid.

Think positive: Do they have the dollars to back up this extreme time condition? If they’re willing to pay for expedition, it might be worth it. Otherwise, explain that the timeframe is not feasible under their budget constraints.

9. They have multiple hoops to jump through

Do some proposal processes seem like a circus show with you jumping through all the hoops? This test of will can be very time intense and draining. There might be committees to weave through, multiple layers of bureaucracy or numerous channels of acceptance to reach.

Think positive: Is the pay off worth the show you have to put on? Many of the bigger web design deals go through an extended proposal process since it’s usually for a larger organization. Keep your head up and work through the muck if you think you have a good shot.

10. They keep picking apart your proposal

The proposal nitpickers will literally highlight every nook and cranny of your proposal and ask questions ad nauseam. These prospects are a concern because their nitpicky behavior is indicative of how they’ll act during the project.

Think positive: Take an honest look at your proposal. Is it too vague or undefined? Are the questions and nitpicks valid? Just because the prospect is shooting holes all over your proposal doesn’t mean they’ll turn out to be a bad client. They might just want to protect themselves.

11. They want you to buy a template

Templates are everywhere on the web. They are so easy to obtain that some prospects will pick out a design and ask you to adapt it to their organization. I think this is sort of like what tracing is to art. You might end up with something that looks good, but you didn’t really create it. Templates also have a tendency to ooze of that cookie-cutter feel.

Think positive: If the prospect is adamant about using a template, then make sure the compensation is enough to justify the project. Remember, you probably won’t be able to use this project as an example for other prospects since you’ll just be tweaking an existing design. These projects can also be nice fillers between more intense projects.

12. They have no content or marketing materials

These prospects literally have nothing about their company in writing. No web copy, very little brochure copy and nothing in the works. They might think you can adapt their tiny brochure to the web, but we all know that doesn’t work. Getting content out of them will be a hassle and the project will drag on forever.

Think positive: This is a great opportunity to hook up with a copywriter to extend those services to the prospect. In all likelihood, the prospect doesn’t understand the importance of good web copy. Help them to realize its importance and build copywriting into the proposal (or provide a separate quote from a copywriter you trust).

13. They keep getting cold feet

Have you ever had a prospect one pen motion away from closing a deal only to have them back out? They get cold feet because they’re questioning their own decisions. It’s hard to get anything done because their indecisiveness leads to more questions and concessions on your end.

Think positive: Try to get into the shoes of the prospect and understand what their fears are. Is it the price, scope, project requirements or something else? Most of the times, the prospect just needs an expert to help guide them in their decision-making process, especially if they’re not accustomed to web design work.

14. They continue changing the scope

You have a solid proposal ready to go and the prospect seems excited by it. You hand it off to them only to get it back with a completely new scope for the project. What may have started as a simple blog all of a sudden has exploded into the prospect wanting to have a custom community blogging system. The big problem with these prospects is that when they do become clients, they’ll likely be big scope creep offenders.

Think positive: Just like the prospect that gets cold feet, this one is indecisive. They have so many thoughts swimming around in their mind that they can’t make a decision about what they want their web site to do. This is where you need to employ your expertise to help nail down a single vision. Some clients are just dreamers who need to be brought back down to reality for a brief moment.

15. They marginalize your job

There will be some prospects that just don’t respect the web design profession. They’ll demean it and make statements along the lines of, “I could do this myself, but I don’t have the time.” The problem is web design is not a simple profession and involves a lot of hard work. If the prospect cannot respect this then how can you expect to be treated during the project phase?

Think positive: Maybe the prospect only seems condescending because they are in fact knowledgeable of web design. If so, try getting their input on how they want the project to proceed. And make certain that you both understand clearly what your role is in the project.

Do you have some warnings signs of your own? If so, I’d like to hear about them. Please feel free to share them in the comments area!

Unfortunately, that dreaded call is inevitable. Something will go wrong and when it does, you will be the first person to know.

Of course, the best defense to a client crisis situation is to double or even triple check your work to ensure everything is working. A thorough pre- and post-launch checklist can help you remember all the nooks and crannies for last minute fixes.

When the inevitable does occur, be prepared. Regardless of how the client is reacting to the situation, you need to have a cool head so that you can understand what’s going on and how to resolve it.

Below is my 10-step action plan that I try to follow every time a client crisis situation arises.

1. Calm the client down

When you get a frantic call or email from a client that there is a problem with the web site, the first goal is to calm them down. Cool heads prevail so you need your client thinking as rationally as possible. Most of the times, the problem is minor and clients just don’t have the knowledge to understand the extent of what’s not working.

2. Be empathetic

When problems arise, make sure you let the client know that you’re there to help them and that you understand their frustration. Just knowing that someone else is aware of the problem at hand can bring much relief to the client.

3. Ask questions

Once you have the client calmed down and somewhat relieved, start asking questions. I don’t mean interrogate the client, but ask enough questions to help you pinpoint the problem. Some clients may know exactly where the problem is originating while others may need to be prodded a bit more.

Active listening is also a good tool to employ. To actively listen to your client, you should take what they say and rephrase it back to them. For example, if a client says, “A few of my web site visitors have complained that my contact form isn’t working,” you could say in return, “So you think that there might be a problem with the web site or contact form that’s preventing people from getting in touch with you?” While this might not be the best example, rephrasing a client’s statement in the form of a question can help probe them for more information. It also gives you the opportunity to think of solutions since these questions are pretty easy to form.

4. Determine the issue

Get to the root of the issue and figure out what the problem is. This might be pretty easy to determine or it may take a while to nail down. Regardless, understanding the issue is the most important part. If you need time to figure it out, explain this to the client and then hang up the phone or close your email. You may even find that you’re not responsible for the problem but that shouldn’t preclude you from helping.

5. Take blame

If you find out there was something on your end that caused the problem, don’t try to shield yourself. Take the blame and explain to the client how the error occurred. This show of responsibility and maturity is an important step in developing your relationship with the client.

If you’re not to blame for the situation, don’t play a “it’s their fault” game. Instead, identify who you think the culprit might be and try to reach out to them before contacting the client. If the best works out, you can both approach the client with a workable solution.

6. Apologize

If you’ve taken blame for the issue, apologize immediately. If it’s a really big problem, you may want to consider offering the client a discount on services or at least a written apology. This will go a long way in re-solidifying your relationship with the client.

7. Offer a definitive plan of action

Once the dust has settled and the issue has been pinpointed, offer a concrete plan of attack to the client. This might not be necessary if the problem is small, but if it’s something a little more significant, you may want to explain the procedure for fixing it to the client. This can help relieve them further when they know there are steps being taken to resolve the situation.

8. Supply a timeframe

Obviously, some problems take a little longer to clear up than others. Create a timeline for fixing the issue and make sure the client is aware if it. The biggest question on the client’s mind is going to be, “When will this be fixed?”

9. Fix the problem

Carry out the work needed to fix the issue as promptly as possible. If this means putting a hold on lesser priority work, do it. If you’re not the responsible party for the problem (for example, if the issue was caused by something or someone else), see if you can refer the client to another person or company who can help. If another vendor erred, offer to communicate with that vendor on behalf of the client (if you haven’t already) to get the problem resolved.

10. Follow-up

When everything is said and done, and the problem successfully resolved, follow-up with the client to ensure no further errors have occurred. You should then reiterate your apology, if necessary, and make sure the client knows how to reach you in the future should anything else occur.

Of course, each situation will demand a unique course of action. This list is just a template that I hope you find useful. Are there any remedies that you employ not in the plan above? Let me know!

Keep in mind this isn’t a problem. Web design must be a flexible and fluid service that changes to the varying needs of the client as well as the quick pace of the internet. What is a problem is scope creep.

Scope creep occurs when a client keeps piling on requests for additions or changes to their project that are outside the scope of the project. Some clients are mindful of this and will explicitly ask if it will cost more. Others, unfortunately, are not this considerate or knowledgeable enough to know when they’re pushing it.

How can you combat scope creep? I don’t think you’ll ever get rid of it completely, but there are some ways to prevent and reduce it.

Preventative Measures

The first five ways to fix scope creep are preventative in nature. Stop the problem before it becomes a problem is the best method.

Conduct a Scope of Work before beginning the project

A Scope of Work is a document that details the specifics of the web project. Some prospects will complete this in the form of a Request for Proposal. If they don’t, offer to create it for them (at a fee, of course) or insist that they complete one on their own. The Scope of Work will detail project requirements, initial site navigation, technology needs, expectations, available materials and so on.

Build a provision into your proposal addressing scope creep

Be upfront about scope creep and address it in your proposal. Such a provision could describe what qualifies as scope creep and what will need to happen should scope creep occur. It’s also a good idea to list out hourly rates that will be used for anything above and beyond the extent of the proposal.

Include a strong terms and conditions section along with your proposal

Most web design proposals are weak. They describe little and are vague on the legal side. A solid terms and conditions section can spell out, in legal terms, how scope creep will be dealt with. This is not a section you should write. Hire a good lawyer who can work with you on defining your terms. It’s worth every penny.

Have a plan

What are you going to do if scope creep occurs? Sometimes it’s inevitable and the best defense is a good plan of action. How are you going to approach the client? What steps will you follow to resolve the situation? List these out in an actionable manner so that when the time comes to address scope creep with a client, you’ll know exactly what to do.

Explain scope creep to the client

Using verbal communication (e.g. picking up the phone or meeting) with the client can go a long way in preventing scope creep. Whereas a proposal can often use dull and robotic syntax, just having a chat with the client about scope creep can be more helpful. Most clients understand the problem of scope creep since they themselves have to deal with it in their own line of work.

Defensive Measures

The last five ways to tackle scope creep are defensive measures. If the scope creep has already happened, there’s no need to fret. It can still be fixed.

Address the scope creep immediately

Once scope creep starts happening, you need to address it right away. The longer you let it occur, the more comfortable the client will become in making out-of-contract demands of you. Have a friendly chat with the client about what is and what isn’t within the scope of the proposal. The operative word in that last sentence is “friendly.” The moment you take a defensive posture with a client is the moment you kill the relationship. Some clients just don’t understand the concept of a scope and need a little guidance. Don’t treat them with hostility.

Make recommendations

Is there a reason why the scope creep is occurring? Maybe the client wants to add things that aren’t necessary. This is where you can use your expertise to quell scope creep. Explain to the client that the new additions they’re asking for aren’t necessary. However, don’t be dishonest about it, and only recommend against an addition if it really isn’t necessary.

Use the “Phase II” defensive strategy

One of my favorite strategies for defeating scope creep is what I call “Phase II.” If a client starts requesting some really good things that just aren’t within the scope of the project, I’ll tell them that their ideas are good but that we need to build them into a second phase of the project. This is a great strategy for two reasons. First, it gets the client excited and they start generating more ideas for the next phase of the project. Second, it gives you an immediate in for working on a new phase of the project. It doesn’t work all the time, but when it does, it’s a benefit to both you and the client.

Use project management software to keep the project on track

Scope creep can be a very disruptive distraction from the primary goal of the project. Using project management software such as Basecamp can help you shepherd the client back to the original project. Milestones clearly outline the long-term vision of the project while to-do items turn these milestones into actionable chunks. Once a client starts to veer off course, use the project milestones and to-do items as a point of reference.

Go the legal route

This is the worst, I repeat, worst way to go, but it may be necessary if you’ve exhausted all other options. The legal route is to refer back to the terms and conditions the client signed off on. When a project goes out of scope, you might have to forcibly remind the client of these terms. You can be gentle about it but sometimes you have to get nasty. Unfortunately, once you start getting nasty, the chances of saving the relationship go down quite a bit. It may even be wise to conduct a quick cost-benefit analysis first. Use this as a last resort.

How do you prevent or combat scope creep? Or, do you employ some of the tactics mentioned above? Leave a comment and let me know. It’s always interesting to learn new and different ways to approach this issue.