UGH, deadlines! They are SO easy to revile.
Work deadlines keep me chained to the computer when I’d rather be off on a bike ride, or reading a favorite novel, playing Pickle-ball with friends, heck, even cleaning the bathrooms. (Deadlines can make any activity inviting.)
But I’ll be the first to admit it. Without deadlines I’d be lost, poorer than poor, forced to clean houses or resume employment at Burger King. (Long time ago; don’t ask.)
Now I’m learning that clients need deadlines too. Otherwise, they become slacker clients, just like me. (Read my slacker client confession in this week’s Cape Cod Times.)
Dina Lyons, a print and web graphic designer in Centerville, Mass., recommends deadlines to keep clients on-time and on-task. “Deadlines serve the purpose of organizing everyone’s schedules,” she says. And when clients have specific deadlines, their projects are far more successful.
Having learned the pitfalls of “deadline-less” projects, Lyons now communicates more clearly with clients about her deadline limitations and how it could affect their project.
For instance: “‘Dear client, here is your latest round of proofs. Would it be possible for you to give me feedback within the week, as I am facing a busy schedule in 2-3 weeks?’”
This has worked wonders, Lyons says.
In the future, rather than take on a deadline-less project, Lyons may build in a schedule upfront, then use pricing to enforce it, charging extra when a client fails to meet the schedule.
“How am I supposed to organize my workweek if the clients don’t cooperate?” she asks, adding: “That is the crux of the issue, isn’t it?”
Like I said: Deadlines – you gotta love ’em.
I’m really tired today so this response may not be very clear. I agree with deadlines. However I would never word it, “‘Dear client, here is your latest round of proofs. Would it be possible for you to give me feedback within the week, as I am facing a busy schedule in 2-3 weeks?’”
Instead – deadlines, I believe, need to be polite – yet specific. I would word the above this way: “Dear __, here’s your latest round of proofs. Hope you like them. I have a deadline of September 20th. Please let me know your feedback by September 7th so that we can include your proofs in our ?? issue. Looking forward to hearing from you, as I would love to include your material in our ?? issue.”
Deadlines are so helpful, and even more difficult to set when the tasks are mine alone and the consequences of lagging projects are not apparent (yet).