The Project Prescription (for designers)

The designer's cure for client work.

Hooray! Your life as a designer just got easier.

From start to finish of any client project, you’ve got to provide documents to clients that help you stand out, get paid, and keep every project on track.

With over 25 years of combined experience, we’ve got your back because we’re designers too.

The Project Prescription is a set of digital documents that enable you to bypass the trial and error of developing a process of working with clients.

This isn’t theory about what might work, it’s hard data from the trenches on what does work. And now we’re sharing exactly what you need to do the same in gorgeous documents, checklists and processes.

Project Prescription is broken into 3 sets of InDesign files (in 8.5 x 11 and A4 sizing) + Office versions:

1 / Exposure

The first step in creating a long-lasting freelance career with your design skills is having a steady flow of people who want to pay for your services. We’ve created a set a documents to help with that.

Media kit - showcase your brand, skills, clients and success stories.

Getting started guide - automate how you take clients from interested to hired.

Potential/signed leads - a simple spreadsheet to help you keep track of project bids you’ve created and won.

Bookkeeping - track money coming in and going out.

2 / Onboarding

Taking a client from interested to signed off on doesn’t need to be complicated, stressful or even a lot of work. We’ve created documents to guide you through an automated process.

Questionnaire - what you need to know about a project and client before you agree to the work.

Estimate - list of deliverables, pricing and timing.

Onboarding steps/process - you need to educate and design the experience of working with you from start to finish.

Project checklist - keep track of what’s needed to start each project.

Project proposal - a standard terms and conditions document, based on this.

3 / Project

Once you’re hired, you need to make sure the project stays on track and running smoothly. Use these documents to get paid, present work and gather feedback.

Invoice - what to include to get paid quickly and easily.

Client evaluation - use your gut and data to figure out if they're a good fit.

Feedback guide - teach clients how to give you the feedback you want and need.

Presentation - present work that gets signed off on quickly.

Post-launch questionnaire - see what went right (and didn't) and mine for testimonials.

Followup - set a schedule for staying in touch.

“A killer set of templates for onboarding, getting paid, following up with freelance clients” Janna Hagan