"Can you just add…" is how projects grow without anyone deciding to grow them. Do not say yes on the spot, and do not say no. Say "Happy to. Let me tell you what it adds." Then send a short change request with the time, cost and new date, and let the client choose.
What scope creep sounds like
- "Can you just add a page for…"
- "While you're in there, could you also…"
- "It's a small change, but…"
- "We forgot to mention, it also needs to…"
Each one feels too small to argue about. Together they can add 20% to 40% to a project, unpaid.
Why saying yes hurts both sides
You lose margin and time. Other clients wait. And the client learns that the scope is soft, so the next request is bigger. Resentment builds on both sides.
The three-step response
1. Welcome it. "Good idea. Happy to look at that."
2. Name it. "That's outside what we agreed for this phase, so let me send you what it adds."
3. Send options within a day.
Change request #3: LinkedIn video (30 seconds)Adds: 12 hours · $1,200 · final delivery moves May 16 → May 21Options:A. Add it nowB. Add it after launch, for the replayC. Skip it
Most clients choose A or B. Either way, it is paid and planned.
Log every change
Keep a numbered list, even for changes you do for free. At the end of the project, it shows the client how much they added. It also makes the next quote more accurate.
Set it up in the contract
- A clear scope, with an "out of scope" list.
- A line that says new requests are quoted as change requests.
- How many revision rounds are included.
Use the project scope template and the change request template.
When to do it for free
Sometimes a small favor is good for the relationship. Do it on purpose, and say so: "This one's on us." Log it anyway.
See where the hours go
M-Tracker tracks time by client, project and task, and shows revision time on its own line. Clients can request changes from an approval link, and change requests never count as approvals. No screenshots and no activity tracking.
Where M-Tracker fits
M-Tracker gives every task a clear brief and every finished piece of work a first review, in plain words, before it reaches the manager. No screenshots, no scores.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
Will the client be annoyed?
Rarely, if you are friendly and quick, and give options instead of a no.
What if it really is tiny?
Five minutes, fine. Log it. If tiny things keep coming, group them into one change request.
Work you can trust, without redoing it.
Your team gets feedback before work reaches you, or your client.
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