I am Marie Harvey, a mom of seven who is still learning as I go, and the step I forgot was running my work by a client. This is the client approval process for small business owners that I put in place because of it.
What step did I leave out when making posts for a client?
I had been making posts for a client without asking the client first, because I am so used to just doing and publishing on my own. I saw the gap when I stepped back from the work: the step I had left out was running the posts by the client.
Why does a solo habit become a blind spot when a client is involved?
A habit of just doing it and publishing it works when a business is only mine. It turns into a blind spot the moment someone else's work is involved, because the same habit skips the step where the client gets a look.
What is my client approval process for small business owners?
Everything I make for a client now gets drafted first, put into a PDF, and sent to the client to review, and nothing is scheduled until the client has approved it.
When does a client get the monthly plan to review?
A client gets each month's plan around the 22nd of the month before, and the client answers before the 1st. Then the changes get made, and only then does anything get scheduled. For example, a plan for October goes to the client around September 22nd, and the client answers before October 1st.
Was adding a client review step a big change?
No. Adding a review PDF before anything gets scheduled was not a dramatic change to the client work I do. It was one added step.
What did forgetting to run work by a client teach me?
Forgetting to run posts by a client taught me to ask who sees the work before anything is scheduled. I am not an expert handing down rules. I am a mom of seven who is learning as I go and trying to get better and improve. If you work for yourself and have started making things for other people, it is worth asking where your habit of just doing it might be skipping a step.
If you want to know more about who I am, my about page is the place to start, and Running Two Businesses and Raising 7 Kids: How the Days Actually Work is the post about how my days go at home.
Frequently asked questions
What is the client approval process Marie Harvey uses?
Everything I make for a client gets drafted first, put into a PDF, and sent to the client to review. Nothing is scheduled until the client has approved it.
When does a client get the monthly plan to review?
A client gets each month's plan around the 22nd of the month before. The client answers before the 1st, changes get made, and only then does anything get scheduled.