Have you ever run a search through your email to find out you exchanged 257 emails with a single client over a website build, and realize that if you billed each email at a 1/4 hour you should be charging over 5K, and that doesn’t even include the other design work done?
Oh yeah, me neither. 🙄
But seriously, have you checked how much time you spend per project on communication and project management?
Odds are this number is higher than you could have even dreamed. That burned-out feeling when you look at your inbox and your messages piling up? It's real, and it's draining your energy that you could be investing into putting out amazing client work or growing new offerings in your biz.
Tracking, minimizing and charging for your project management time will increase your revenue and your level of satisfaction in your work, leaving you feeling excited, not drained.
START HERE
1. Emails, phone calls, text messages, Voxer, DMs.... it all counts.
Take an honest look into your last 3 projects and follow the thread of communication across all platforms. Take notes on how long the entire back and forth was, as well as any thought or production work that had to be done as a result of the communication.
Did you have to pop in to make an edit? Or research the answer to a question? Or rewrite your answer so it was honest yet tactful?
2. Simplify and streamline.
There are usually ways to make your project communication more efficient. Is it eliminating platforms, or pausing before hitting send to condense into one email? Do you find yourself typing the same thing over and over that would be better suited to a client guide? Do you need to set email boundaries with your clients and only check email within a specific timeframe?
3. Account for the time you do spend on communication in the pricing of your services and packages.
The more high-touch (read: higher price and higher value) your offer is, the more you can be charging to adequately fit your investment of time. Knowing you’re being compensated fairly improves your attitude towards your work and your client. You’ll feel less burnt out as a result, and you’ll produce better work for your clients.
4. Make sure to come back to this post after you’ve counted and let me know if you can top 257 emails. I’m ready to hand off this trophy ;)
Yay! You did it! Over on my Instagram feed and Stories, I share more tips for service-based business owners. Head on over to see!
