Does this sound familiar? You book a design client 🙌. You think you’ve figured out what they want, so you start working on their project... You’re super proud of your work 😍, so you send it to them...

They come back and ask for a ton of revisions. Revisions that you know won’t look as good. You try to explain your strategy, but they insist on the changes. 😫

Thoughts go through your head like, “Why did they hire me if they think they know more than me? I wish they would listen...I’m the expert!” This “quick” project turns into a huge time suck. (And they probably end up going with one of your first versions anyway 🤦‍♀️.)

You’re left feeling disposable, undervalued, and mentally exhausted.

I’ve been there. I started this my design brand strategy business at 19 years old in my 500 square foot basement apartment. I struggled with each and every client to make sure they were happy and my bank account was paying the bills...

Until I started implementing my signature email & video scripts.

And THEN my business changed forever. I was able to go from undervalued to indispensable.  From “order taker” and “pixel pusher” to valued expert and trusted authority. From surviving to thriving.

I'm Carli Anna and in the past 3 years I've been able to take a design business from $400 a logo to working on 10k and 20k branding projects. I've been able to 10x my rates without having to add a ton of deliverables and work to the end of every project. 

I want to share this script & template with you, my friend. Imagine your clients viewing you as…

✅Irreplaceable (so much that they never even look at your competition) 
✅An absolute expert (who they trust to make a huge difference in their business)
✅A “mind-reading” genius (who is booking new clients without the constant hustle)
✅Worth every penny (even when you start charging 10X your current rates, like I do now!)

The Email Template

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS TEMPLATE: Send this template when you are attaching the first draft of anything! I use this template for sending finalized brand strategy, logo drafts and website drafts! Just adjust the language and link where it's appropriate.

Hey [INSERT NAME]!

How are you doing? We have your [INSERT DELIVERABLE YOU'RE SENDING THEM... LOGO, STRATEGY, ETC]  all finished up for you! I've attached it through a link here as well as a video explaining [DELIVERABLE] in more detail. [LINK TO LOOM VIDEO HERE]

Please provide feedback about the [DELIVERABLE] through this link! [LINK TO QUESTIONNAIRE] Any feedback that isn’t submitted through the form may get lost in all of the emails and we can’t promise it will be included in the next revision. You can submit multiple times and you can edit your submissions so you don’t have to do it all at once!

And remember: Receiving effective feedback is critical to the design process and the successful execution of the project. 

Feedback needs to be descriptive, inclusive and in line with the strategy that we decide upon in the beginning. Feedback should be an open discussion between us.

If there’s something that’s just “off” for you, let’s talk about it! I truly want what is best for you and your brand! For example, instead of saying “°the logo is too thin, let’s make it thicker.” try saying “I’m afraid the logo may be too hard to see and won’t contrast enough with its background. What do you think? What would be a good solution for that?” It’s important to point out and discuss the PROBLEM instead of self-diagnosing the solution to the problem. 

If you have any questions or need any further explanations about the [DELIVERABLE], please don't hesitate to let ask. I would be delighted to hop on another phone call and make sure we have it nailed down and answer any questions you may have. It's always easier to make adjustments in this early stage rather than later on.

Please let me know the [DATE DELIVERABLE IS DUE] or sooner if you have any revisions and your choices!

If everything looks good, the next step is to start [INSERT NEXT STEP IN THE BRAND PHASE HERE]! After we receive your feedback we’ll let you know the next step officially starts. Hope you're having a lovely day!

Here's that links for the feedback form and & video again if you need it!
[INSERT LINKS HERE]

Talk soon,
[INSERT YOUR NAME]

The Questionnaire

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS TEMPLATE: I like to put this questionnaire into google forms, you can choose whichever platform is best for you! I don't attach a PDF version to the above email, instead if they want to view the work, they view it through this questionnaire. This reinforces them to use the questionnaire to provide feedback. I upload each page that needs to be approved as an individual PNG and get their signed approval. 

[INSERT INDIVIDUAL STRATEGY PAGE, WEB PAGE, OR LOGO ABOVE THIS QUESTION}

Q: Is this page approved by you or does it still need to be improved? Explain if the latter, write approved if not.... REPEAT THIS QUESTION WITH EVERY INDIVIDUAL PAGE

Q: Initial thoughts on [INSERT DELIVERABLE]... USE THIS QUESTION WITH SECTIONS OF THE STRATEGY OR AT END OF THE FORM

Q: What part of the [DELIVERABLE NAME] were you most excited about?... USE THIS QUESTION WITH SECTIONS OF THE STRATEGY OR AT END OF THE FORM

Q: Is there something that feels off to you about your [DELIVERABLE NAME] that you would like to improve upon?... USE THIS QUESTION WITH SECTIONS OF THE STRATEGY OR AT END OF THE FORM

Q: What [DELIVERABLE OPTION] would you like to go with? ... USE THIS QUESTION WHEN THE CLIENT NEEDS TO PICK AN OPTION TO GO WITH

The Video Script

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS TEMPLATE: Make a video with the free application loom. It lets you link the video directly into the email so your client doesn't have to download anything. This is a pretty loose script, the main objective of the video is to explain your reasonings and link everything back to a strategic purpose. If you can explain why your choices help solve a problem, your client is more likely to approve the first time. Keep the tone, helpful and confident!

[GREET YOUR CLIENT]

I'm so excited for you to see what we've been working on! I'm creating this video for you so you can better understand your [DELIVERABLE NAME] and make a better decision for [DELIVERABLE NAME]. We made every design decision with a purpose behind it, to help you better solve [PROBLEM YOU WANT TO SOLVE]. It's important to us that we not only create a beautiful [BLANK] but we help your business move forward.

When looking over your [DELIVERABLE NAME] for the first time, it's really easy to see it objectively only. As we're showing you everything, I want you to pay attention to how it makes you feel and how it solves the problem so you can try and see it from your ideal audience's eyes.

But, if there's something that still feels off you, let's open up the conversation and talk about it.

Time to get started. [START PRESENTING DELIVERABLE, EXPLAIN THE REASON BEHIND EVERY DECISION YOU MADE]

[FINISH PRESENTING EVERYTHING]

That's everything! We're excited to see which option you choose and hear your feedback on the [THE DELIVERABLE].

Remember to give your feedback through the form attached in the email and I'll talk with you later!

That's everything!

Now go out and put these templates in your system so you can get fewer revisions in your client process! I recommend you download the google docs version and copy them to your google account so you can access these templates and scripts anytime! 

You're going to create some amazing brands! 

Talk later,
Carli Anna

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