If you’re a service provider, you know all about project creep. It starts out as a simple re-do of an outdated site and suddenly you’re adding live feeds and, “Oh, would you mind adding a blog?” Been there?

It’s called project creep – a project that expands without additional compensation – and it’s pretty common among consultants, SEOs, and others who sell information and counsel. How often have you received client calls long after a project has been completed? Do you charge for that “additional” information or “minor tweaking?”

Of course, we all want to give a little extra – a few free suggestions, a few new site features – but what about the “project time forgot?” The one that keeps going and going, well beyond your expectations?

The problem only gets worse with time, and the more you give away, the more  information the client expects.

So what can you do to prevent project creep from nibbling away at your margins?

1. Vet the client. The last thing we need is more slow-pays, or worse, no pays. It's tough to collect from a client 12 time zones to the east, so how long has the business been in business? If a face-to-face meeting is doable, do it. It’ll tell you a lot about what the prospect is looking for.

Avoid the client looking for a little paid consultation and months of hand-holding as the project moves forward. The best clients recognize the value of a well-designed, optimized site, but don’t know so much that you can’t prove your credibility and expertise.  

2. Go through an extensive discovery phase. What does the client want done? The worst clients are those who don’t know what they want done – they just know something needs to be done. This almost always leads to a trial-and-error approach to the project and client decisions made by committee. (Now there’s a real time waster.) 

3. Prepare a detailed SOW (statement of work) that details all phases of project development. The SOW should also include project milestones and pay dates. If you’re into a new client for $5K, chances are you won’t sleep well at night. The SOW should avoid open-ended work, described in SOWs as “unlimited revisions” or “until sales goals are met.” These kinds of descriptions can keep you in a client’s pocket for weeks, months, years. Make sure all work has start and end dates with quantifiable results. Don’t leave anything to chance. 

4. Detail what you won’t be doing. Often, client expectations and service provider expectations don’t synch up. If your work contract or SOW states that you build a functioning, optimized site and you find yourself posting to blogs for that client, you’re being ripped off. 

What will you and you company deliver: a complete, detailed inventory of deliverables and services to be provided? If it isn’t on the list and the client wants it done, it’s an additional cost to the client. 

5. Know where the exit is. Your statement of work or contract should include an exit clause, e.g., if the client is 45 days past due on that last invoice, you can bail and take your deliverables as well. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but the last thing you want is to deliver consultation much later than described in the SOW.

Not all clients are good clients. Not all clients are profitable for your business. Some simply don’t recognize the value your bring to their online businesses. If you set the rules early, if you don’t let the client add “one little thing before you sign off,” and you’re paid at specific milestones, you’ll never get in too deep with a deadbeat.