1 / 1814 PAGES · A4DOWNLOADPDF
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Choose better fit clients, and protect the work.
A 14-page guide to qualifying clients with confidence. It walks through the warning signs at every step, from the first enquiry and discovery call to budget, scope, decision-making, contracts and the middle of a project, and pairs each one with what to do about it. It includes two ready-to-use messages for turning projects down kindly, steps to take if a signed project goes wrong, and a client fit checklist to run before every proposal.
BEST FOR
- Designers who keep taking on projects that overrun
- Anyone who finds it hard to say no
- Studios tightening how they qualify enquiries
- Designers dealing with a difficult project right now
HIGHLIGHTS
- Red flags at every stage, each paired with what to do
- Questions to ask at enquiry and on the discovery call
- Two ready-to-use messages for declining a project
- What to do if you've already signed
- A client fit checklist, including the green flags to look for
WHAT'S INSIDE
Every chapter in the guide
How to use this guide
Who it is for, how it is organised and the full contents.
01 · Why fit matters
What a poor fit project really costs, and how to define the clients you want more of.
02 · At the first enquiry
Warning signs in the first message, what to do about each, and the questions to ask every time.
03 · On the discovery call
Signs to listen for on the first call, and four questions worth asking every client.
04 · Budget red flags
When budget and scope don't match, and how to talk about money early.
05 · Scope and expectations
Growing scope, unlimited revisions and unrealistic timelines, and how to put expectations in writing.
06 · Decisions and decision-makers
Absent partners, reversed approvals and slow decisions, and how to make decisions visible.
07 · Money and contracts
Clients who avoid contracts, delay retainers or pay late, and how your terms protect you.
08 · During the project
Red flags that appear after work starts, and how to respond before they become habits.
09 · How to say no
How to decline kindly, with two ready-to-use messages and when to refer.
10 · If you've already started
Steps to take when a signed project goes wrong, from one direct conversation to ending the agreement properly.
11 · The client fit checklist
A checklist to run before every proposal, plus the green flags to look for.
About The Design Index
A CLOSER LOOK
Inside the guide
A NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN
General information, not legal advice. Rules on contracts differ by country; the guide tells you when to ask a lawyer.
WHAT YOU GET
In the file
14-page PDF guide, A4
Delivered by email
Print-friendly layout
Request the guide with your email, then use the private link in your inbox to read it on screen or print it.
FROM THE SHELF
Pairs well with
1 PAGEGuide · Free
Client Onboarding Guide
FreeVIEW RESOURCE →
1 PAGEGuide · Free
Handling Difficult Client Conversations
FreeVIEW RESOURCE →
FREE DOWNLOAD4-page A4
Contract Template
€28Members €22.40GET IT FREE →