I want to talk to you about boundaries & client expectations today. Even if you are just starting out building your business you need to hear this. I’m sure you set up your business to get freedom & be your own boss. Dare I say it? Build the business of your dreams.

When you work for others these boundaries are set for us but when you are in charge you have to be the one to make those decisions. Especially in the beginning when you are trying to figure all these things out & get clients fear can take control. Before you know it you are trying to do everything a client asks for, answering emails at 3 in the morning, & changing your policies for fear of losing a client.

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This is unsustainable. You will most likely feel icky in your business & like you have lost your freedom to build the business you dream of. I know that isn’t what you set out to do when you started your business. Trust me your clients will respect you more when the boundaries & expectations are clear.

How to set boundaries & expectations

1. Set work hours for yourself. And don’t answer emails or schedule calls outside of that.
2. Make sure expectations are clear at the beginning of a project so everyone knows what the expectations are.
3. Be consistent. Don’t change halfway through a project stick to the boundaries you set so you don’t confuse yourself or your client.
4. Require content from the client to be complete up front. This will keep you from waiting on clients to get all their stuff together.
5. Have a contract. This will make it very clear what your boundaries are and you can refer back to it if a client has questions.
6. Put together a guide or email to hand over to a new client that lists all your policies clearly.

When you have a clear idea about how you want to operate & what your policies are you will feel much better sticking to your guns with clients. As scary as it is that you might loose a client that doesn’t agree with how you like to work they weren’t the right fit for you anyway. And will save you a lot of headaches while trying to work with someone that works differently from you.

Your time is valuable and you should guard it like the resource it is.

Do you struggle to set boundaries for yourself and your clients? I’d love to hear more comment below!