FREELANCE CLIENT COMMUNICATION CHECKLIST
Project Kickoff — What to Confirm Before Starting
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HOW TO USE THIS CHECKLIST
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Run through every item before you start work on a new project.
Either discuss each point on a kickoff call or send the list
to your client in writing and get written confirmation back.
A 15-minute upfront conversation prevents weeks of confusion.


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SECTION 1: SCOPE & DELIVERABLES
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□  Exact deliverables defined in writing
   (not "a website" — "5-page Webflow site with homepage, about,
   services, contact, and blog index — no back-end functionality")

□  Deliverable format confirmed
   (Word doc? PDF? Live URL? Figma file? Video file specs?)

□  Out-of-scope items listed explicitly
   (Spell out what is NOT included to prevent scope creep)

□  Number of revisions or review rounds agreed upon
   (e.g., "2 rounds of revisions included")

□  What happens if the client requests additional work
   (Change order process: how it's requested, approved, and billed)


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SECTION 2: TIMELINE & DEADLINES
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□  Project start date confirmed

□  Final deadline confirmed in writing

□  Milestone dates set (if multi-phase project)
   (e.g., First draft by [date], Final delivery by [date])

□  Client review windows agreed upon
   (e.g., "Client has 3 business days to review each draft")

□  What happens if client delays review
   (e.g., "Timeline shifts by equivalent number of days")

□  Rush fee policy communicated
   (e.g., "+50% for turnaround under 48 hours")


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SECTION 3: PAYMENT TERMS
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□  Total project fee confirmed in writing

□  Payment schedule agreed upon
   (e.g., 50% upfront, 50% on delivery OR milestone-based)

□  Invoice due date(s) confirmed
   (e.g., "Due within 7 days of invoice date")

□  Late payment fee communicated
   (e.g., "1.5% per month on overdue balances")

□  Accepted payment methods confirmed
   (Bank transfer, PayPal, Stripe, check, etc.)

□  Deposit or retainer collected before work begins


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SECTION 4: FEEDBACK & REVISION PROCESS
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□  How feedback should be provided
   (e.g., "All feedback consolidated in one document per round —
   not drip-fed over multiple emails")

□  Feedback format agreed upon
   (Google Doc comments? PDF markup? Video via Loom?)

□  Who the decision-maker is on the client's side
   (Only one person's feedback counts — agree on this upfront)

□  What "approved" looks like
   (Written confirmation: "This is approved, please proceed")

□  What happens if feedback contradicts earlier approvals
   (Counts as a change order, not a free revision)


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SECTION 5: COMMUNICATION
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□  Primary communication channel agreed upon
   (Email? Slack? Notion? One channel — not all three)

□  Point of contact confirmed on client side
   (One person you communicate with — not a committee)

□  Response time expectations set for both sides
   (e.g., "I respond within 1 business day; I ask the same from you")

□  Meeting cadence agreed upon (if any)
   (e.g., "Weekly 15-minute check-in every Monday")

□  After-hours communication policy communicated
   (e.g., "I do not respond to messages outside 9am–6pm Mon–Fri")

□  Progress update frequency agreed upon
   (e.g., "I'll send a brief update every Friday afternoon")


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SECTION 6: PROJECT ACCESS & ASSETS
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□  All assets and logins needed to start work have been provided
   (Brand files, copy, photography, CMS access, API keys, etc.)

□  Deadline for client to provide assets agreed upon
   (e.g., "Assets must be received by [date] or timeline shifts")

□  File naming and delivery format agreed upon
   (How will you deliver the final files?)

□  IP and ownership rights confirmed
   (e.g., "Full rights transfer upon final payment")


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SECTION 7: FINAL SIGN-OFF
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□  Contract or SOW signed by both parties

□  Deposit invoice sent and paid

□  This checklist discussed and agreed upon in writing

□  Kickoff confirmation email sent (see client-update-email-templates.txt)

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NOTES
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