If you’re a creative freelancer—writer, videographer, designer—you’ve likely encountered scope creep, even if you didn’t have a name for it.

That uneasy feeling you get when a project starts morphing beyond the original plan? That’s scope creep.

It’s when a client’s expectations–or worse, their requests–swell beyond the original scope of the agreement, adding tasks or deliverables without adjustments to the timeline or budget. Left unchecked, that situation can derail your schedule, erode your profits, stifle growth, and ultimately burn you out.

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Scope Creep in Action

So what does scope creep look like?

• A writing gig turns into editing plus image sourcing. Oh, and can you upload that into WordPress?
  The client asked for a blog post. Now you’re adjusting tone, fact-checking sources, choosing stock images, and formatting for publication.
• You deliver a video, and suddenly there are revision requests… then more revisions… then color correction and graphics. Oh, and can you create a thumbnail too?
  All that wasn’t the original deal.
• That short animation? Now it’s a brand campaign with three deliverables. Can’t you just reformat that a little snip to share on our socials?
  And you’re expected to do so for free.

Why It’s Bad for Business

“Little extras” for a client is often a veil for giving away services.  Scope creep sneaks in and quietly drains your time, energy, and earnings.

• You lose hours doing unpaid work, cutting into your ability to take on other projects.
• Your value gets diluted when you give things away, making it harder to charge fair rates and get increases.
• When your boundaries disappear, it’s easy for burnout to creeps in, putting your creative spark and productivity at risk.
• Scope creep can set a bad precedent because a client may continue to be over-demanding and refer others with out-of-line expectations.
• Over-investing in one client’s work can lead to you robbing another client, which is clearly bad business.

How to Avoid Scope Creep (without burning bridges)

Combating this problem isn’t about being rigid. It’s about protecting the health of your business and your time, which isn’t available in unlimited supply.

• • Get specific upfront. Don’t be vague because you’re afraid of losing work. Taking work with uncertain terms can come back to bite you–hard. Lay out exactly what’s included: number of revisions, timelines, formats, etc.
  • Use contracts and write the terms clearly. Add clauses for change orders and fees for extra work to set expectations early.
  • Learn this phrase: “That’s outside the original scope.” Don’t be afraid to use it. And say it with confidence. Offer to provide a quote for anything additional–if you want to take on the extra work.
  • Track your time. I’m not saying you should never do any favors for clients. But we aware of how much time you spend on them so you’re aware how much you’re actually giving away. Consider that for future requests.
  • Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Be willing to outline your process so clients know what’s involved in getting a job done. That helps prevent clients from thinking you can easily make changes at any stage.

    For lengthy projects, give periodic updates that indicate what’s left to be done. Not only is this good practice, but it also reinforces when the work is complete.

    And manage expectations by talking in terms that indicate what you’ll be doing versus what the client needs to do. A quick statement like, “I’ll have that ready for you by Friday and you’ll be all set to add your photos and upload it,” clearly indicates you won’t be providing images or formatting the piece in WordPress.

If you aren’t willing to protect your time, you can expect people to respect your time.

LISTEN TO:

Listen to “Why Freelance Time is Different & Why It Matters” on Spreaker.