The Complete Guide to Managing Digital Projects

Chapter 001: Client Proposal

Negotiating with potential clients eats into your billable time - the time you could spend working on projects and earning money. But saying yes to the wrong client will cost you a lot more. That’s why you need to screen clients, set the right budget expectations, and only take the projects that are right for you.

Client Screening

Everything starts with the client. They need something (say a new website) and they’re interested in hiring you. But first, they want to know much it’ll cost. How you respond to this question sets the course for the rest of the project; if you don’t do it right, the project won’t go right.

After they tell you what they need, don’t be afraid to give them a ballpark figure. It doesn’t have to be exact or detailed. Just say it looks like a $15k project, but you need more info to give a precise estimate.

The point is to get the potential client over sticker shock as soon as possible and anchor their expectations. If they’re not comfortable with that range, you can both save time and money by quickly ending a relationship that’s not right.

If they say they understand, the window-shopper becomes a prospect who’s worth your time. Now you can start thinking about the project and invest more time in the relationship.

Your time is limited so you have to manage it carefully between working with leads and your existing clients. Think of it like managing long-term and short-term goals: one is more urgent that the other, but they’re equally important; your job, besides working with the current client, is to keep the pipeline full and be ready to jump on your next project.

A screener is the best way to quickly assess if you’re right for each other. It’s a set of questions you give to a potential client to determine if you’re the right fit for the job (only you won’t name it Client Screener, but something positive, like Project Assessment).

In it, you ask:

what the budget is and whether it’s approved,

the timeline and the goals of the project,

and the requirements.

Based on their response, you’ll know if you can take the project and start devoting more of your (billable) time to pursuing the business.

It’s perfectly reasonable to want to know the client’s budget, not because you want to charge them that same amount, but to tell them what they can get for that money and guide them to an acceptable solution.

Once you know how much they can set aside for the project, tell them if they can have all the bells and whistles (what their marketing team envisioned), or if something else would be more budget friendly, yet still aligned with their goals.

Giving an Estimate

Give them a general item-by-item estimate and explain the reasons behind each item. An itemized quote tells the client you’re a pro and didn’t just pull a number out of thin air. It should communicate the price as a meaningful calculation which took a lot of thought.

It’ll also help them come to terms with the price. It’s like when your mechanic gives you an unattractive price, but once they break down the cost (new parts vs. their hourly rate), it makes sense.

You don’t have to create an estimate that’s too detailed. Just break down the project’s major parts and walk the client through. Highlight the benefit behind each cost and point out what’s crucial and what’s just nice-to-have. This will help your client prioritize their needs and agree on a budget they’re comfortable with.

Some items (eg. research) can’t be removed because they’re an integral part of the project as other phases depend on it. Explain that with confidence and stand behind your quote. You have a good reason why you quoted that price and you have to show that. Don’t cave in under pressure, as they’re just doing the same thing as you - trying to get the best price.

They’re not buying your time, they’re buying work and value they get from that time. You can make a site for $10k yourself, but only they can make $100k from it. That’s what you charge for: the value they’ll get from your work.

Example of an estimate with an itemized breakdown

Once you win the project, have a kickoff meeting to get a clearer idea of the scope of work, and create a detailed estimate that they’ll sign off on. Keep in mind that the project scope is prone to change and your original estimate doesn’t have to be the same as the final bill. That’s why it’s called an estimate. You’ll have plenty of time to communicate any additional work and costs that pop up during the project.

Tips & Tricks

Beware of small jobs. Small jobs have the same overhead costs as big jobs but come with a smaller budget and tighter deadlines. You’ll have to set aside youtime and resources for the work, only you won’t get a good return on investment. What seems like a quick win almost always turns out needing more work - while the budget remains the same because, you know, it’s just that small thing you can get done quickly.

Prepare a 14-page document which outlines everything you do, plus give examples or links to sample work. You can even go a step further and tailor it to eacclient, giving them a teaser of what they can expect if they hire you. For example, SEO agencies do a quick keyword analysis and include it in the document; it takes only a minute to analyze the website but it’ll tantalize the client and make them want to know more.

When communicating with prospective clients, work in shifts with someone so you can respond promptly to each client message. Aim to respond in under 5 minutes. Timely communication is important but do this early and you’ll score some major points.

Keep a one-page portfolio close at hand so you can quickly send it to a client if they want to know what services you provide (and by implication, services you don’t provide). It’s like an offering card that sets clear boundaries of your work and clarifies your range of activities.

Call yourself a consultant and not a freelancer. When people hear freelancer, they perceive your work and time as less valuable. Freelancers are perceived astaff augmentation: because a company has no long-term commitment to you, it’s ok to give you the dirty jobs which will save them time and money. Consultants, on the other hand, enhance business and bring unique expertise that the company can’t afford to hire full-time.

Appear bigger than you really are. If you’re a freelancer or a small team, register yourself as an LLC. This way, a client doesn’t hire you, the person, buanother business. To gain more credibility, some companies rent a virtual office in big cities like London so they can say they’re UK based agency, even if most of their workforce is somewhere less glamorous.

Don’t present yourself as the CEO when talking to the client. This puts you in a weaker position: you’re telling them they’re so important that they get to talto the boss. Instead, let a project manager communicate with the client under your supervision and get involved in the closing stage where you can leverage your title better.

Make it easy for a busy person to say yes when pitching to potential clients. Spend a few hours studying their business and create a document outlining everchange you’d make to their website, for example. It’s easier for clients to tweak the document and say I want this and this, but not this than to start with a blank slate. Then you’re the one framing the discussion, which isn’t about whether they should hire you, but what they should hire you for. Be cautious though: it’s a very time-consuming strategy, so use it only if you don’t have enough work and/or really want the client.

With that said, don’t accept spec work before being properly commissioned and have a contract. If someone tries to convince you to work for free (and that it’s actually a good thing for you), don’t be shy to tell them how inappropriate their request is. Would they have the nerve to ask a lawyer or a maid to work for free? Respect your profession, stand up for yourself, and tell clients to refrain from proposing free work like it’s an opportunity - the only opportunity any work should elicit is the opportunity to earn money and make a living.

Trust your instinct. The point of this initial phase is to see what type of client you’re dealing with. If your gut tells you a client is more trouble than it’worth, you’re free to turn down the proposal. You won’t be the first one to do it and it’s probably the best course of action for both parties. Explain that you’re not the right person for the job and direct them to someone who is. There’s no point in trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Chapter 002: Kickoff Meeting

After you give your client a rough proposal (and they say yes), you’ll be tempted to start working right away - but that’s not such a good idea. First, you need to flesh out the project scope, agree on how you’ll be working together, work out a payment schedule, and sign a contract - and then start getting actual work done. It’s important to set up ground rules from the start if you don’t want to spend the rest of the project extinguishing fires.

Before for the Meeting

After the client hires you, find out everything you can about them. You already know a lot from what you discovered during the business development phase. Now, delve deeper and focus on providing value by solving their problems.

Use your previous work experience to generate some ideas. Think of similar businesses that you helped, brush up on them, and have them in mind so you can offer examples on the fly during the meeting. In the client’s mind, previous success