Setting Client Expectations That Stick

Nightmare engagements rarely start as a nightmare.

They become a nightmare—when scope gets fuzzy, edits never end, deadlines slip, payments drag, and your team burns twice the hours for half the margin. Not because the client is inherently difficult, but because you didn’t define the rules of engagement early on.

The truth is - the first 90 days set the tone for everything. They determine whether your team spends the next year collaborating or fire-drilling. Whether your client becomes a long-term partner—or a slow-motion trainwreck.

This guide is about making those first 90 days count. So you lead with clarity, communicate with confidence, and build a relationship where expectations aren’t just set—they stick.

Set the Ground Rules Early (And in Writing)

Your kickoff call defines the relationship. It’s not just a formality—it’s the moment your client learns exactly how this thing is going to run. And you don’t get a second chance to set the tone.

So don’t wing it. Arm yourself with a clear, repeatable Expectation-setting Framework that you walk through every single time. Here’s a sample:

Client Expectation Framework

• Scope – What’s included and what’s not. Be specific.
• Timeline – Key dates, deliverable milestones, and what you need from them to stay on track.
• Prioritization - Articulate to your client what you believe the priorities, trade offs, and order of deliverables to be - and make sure you get explicit alignment on those items, or revise accordingly.
• Communication – How and where communication happens—email, Slack, Asana, etc - and response SLAs.
• Additional Work – “Anything outside the agreed scope will be quoted separately.”
• Billing & Payment – Invoicing cadence, payment terms, and what happens if payment isn’t received.

On that last point—don’t gloss over it.
The first 90 days are critical for setting expectations around invoicing and collections.

If it’s a project-based engagement, bill a meaningful amount upfront. And here’s the rule: if payment isn’t received on time, work pauses. Period. That’s not being difficult—that’s being smart. The deliverable is your only leverage. Once it’s handed over, you’re just another unpaid invoice in their inbox.

Communicate Proactively, Not Reactively

Before you start handing over polished deliverables, your communication is your deliverable.

Treat the quality and frequency of your communication with the same care and attention you’d apply to a design mockup or campaign draft. Sloppy updates and scattered check-ins send a signal—whether you mean it or not.

Great client management looks like this:

• Weekly updates: “Here’s what we did, here’s what’s next, here’s what we need from you.”
• Visual progress tracking: Use project boards or timelines to make progress tangible.
• Confidence-building language: “Here’s how we’re solving this,” not “Just checking in…”

Know How to Say No (Without Saying ‘No’)

Here’s the deal: good clients will test boundaries. Great agencies enforce them—with grace and clarity. Practice your “yes, and…”

When the ask goes beyond scope:

“This is a great idea and definitely something we can help with. Since it’s outside the current scope, I’ll get you a quick estimate for what that would cost and how it fits into the timeline.”

That’s not confrontational—that’s professional.

When feedback spirals:

“We’ve already completed the two included revision rounds. Happy to continue iterating—let me know if you’d like to proceed hourly or via a fixed add-on.”

You’re not rejecting the request—you’re clarifying the terms. That’s leadership.

Say it with me. “Yes, and…”

Set Fees on Autopilot (Especially for Retainers)

If your engagement is retainer-based, here’s one move that will save you years of awkward, overdue conversations:
Baked-in annual fee increases.

Assuming you plan to give your team raises (and of course you should), your fees need to rise too. But instead of making it an annual battle, build a COLA clause (Cost of Living Adjustment) into your agreement from day one.

It doesn’t have to be complicated—just a line in the contract stating that your fee increases annually by, say, 3–5%. That’s it. Done. On autopilot.

It signals that you run a serious, sustainable business—and it normalizes fee growth as part of the relationship.

Send a “How We Work” One-Pager

Create a simple, beautifully branded PDF or Notion page that outlines your process, timelines, feedback structure, payment expectations, and communication style. Include this in your kickoff materials so there’s never a question later.

It acts like a “rules of engagement” document—clear, helpful, and scalable across every project.

BONUS: Ask the 10-out-of-10 Question

Here’s one of the most powerful things you can say on a kickoff call (Upsourced clients will recognize this one!)

“In 90 days, we’re going to send you a survey and ask you—among other things—to rate your experience with us on a scale from 1 to 10. I’m a 10 out of 10 person, so I really want to see a 10. What would need to happen in the next 90 days, or what would that experience need to look like in order for me to earn that score?”

This question does three important things:

1. Defines success in the client’s language. You’re not guessing what matters to them—you’re asking directly.
2. Signals ownership. You’re showing that you take the relationship personally and aim for excellence.
3. Gives you a guiding star. Whatever they say? Write it down. Make it visible. Share it with your team. It becomes your unofficial north star for the early part of the engagement.
   
   

Even better: when the 90-day mark hits and you send that survey, you can point back to this conversation and show how you delivered. That’s how trust gets built—and referrals get earned.

Final Thought: Don’t Be Afraid to Lead

Setting expectations isn’t just about protecting your time (although it does that, too)—it’s about creating a better, more respectful relationship. One where your team can do great work, the client knows what to expect, and nobody’s stressed out or confused three weeks into a project.

Lead with clarity. Follow with confidence. And remember: in the early days, your communication is the work.