10 Steps to Plan Your Project Handoff
A web design project is rarely done the moment you finish the website. Clients have questions, webpages need tweaks, and last-minute requests inevitably roll in. During this transitional period, it’s tempting to say “yes” to everything. But the right client offboarding process can help you set boundaries—saving you from doing unpaid work long after a project’s supposed end.
Creating a project handoff checklist is a great idea for any web designer. With clear boundaries, open communication, and custom-made resources, you can set clients up for success without making unnecessary sacrifices. You can also ensure a smooth and efficient transition: once you have a project handoff template to follow, you don’t have to rethink your offboarding process every time a project ends.
1. Clarify your boundaries
Before taking on a project, consider what you want the offboarding process to look like. Do you want to do the work and disappear, or do you want to provide ongoing services, like SEO, social media, tech support, and periodic website updates?
Clarifying your goals will help you set clear boundaries and create a project handoff process that makes sense for you. It will also help you establish better relationships with clients. As you take on new work, you can look for like-minded partners with goals, needs, and expectations that align with yours.
2. Be willing to say “No, thank you”
While it may seem counterintuitive to turn down work, you can say “no” to a project that isn’t the right fit for you. In fact, doing so can lead to more fruitful client relationships.
Keep this in mind during the project discovery phase. Ask clients about their expectations, and clarify yours. Before moving forward, establish a shared vision for the project and a mutual understanding of deliverables, deadlines, and rates. Communicate your offboarding expectations, and ensure your project handoff process works for both you and your client.
If your expectations don’t align, you can gracefully turn down the client. Thank them for their time and interest, and politely explain that the project isn’t a fit. Or you can negotiate until you reach a compromise.
In the end, you should feel comfortable meeting your client’s expectations, and your client should feel comfortable respecting your boundaries. This consensus will lay the groundwork for productive collaboration—and ultimately, for a smooth project handoff.
3. Itemize the services you offer
Help clients understand what they should (and shouldn’t) expect from you by creating an itemized list of the services you offer. Divide this list into two categories: services that are included in their web design package and services they can add on for additional fees.
Carefully price these services, and be specific about what they entail. A “minor” website update may mean different things to different people, and A/B testing a robust website may take longer than testing a small one. Use hours, word counts, and page limits to clearly define the scope of each task, and consider adjusting your prices based on the size of the client you’re working with. You can also diversify your income by offering subscription options for common recurring tasks.
Include this list of services in your project proposal, and walk the client through it during early conversations. Once the project begins, there should be no surprises about what you’re getting paid to deliver. And if the client asks for something extra, you can remind them of what their package includes and ask if they’d like to add the service for a fee.
4. Create a clear contract
Once you’re done negotiating, cement your expectations in a contract.* Ask your client to review the agreement before signing, and take time to do the same.
With nitty-gritty details—like deliverables, deadlines, and rates—spelled out in writing, you can move forward with the project, knowing you and your client are on the same page. You can also resolve any outstanding confusion before you get to work.
*Note: The information in this guide is for informational purposes and should not be relied on for legal advice. We suggest working with an attorney to develop a to-go contract for your team.5. Establish a project point person
Since web design projects often involve many stakeholders, it's helpful to ask your client to pick a project point person. This person (often a project manager or someone from the marketing team) will serve as your central point of contact, overseeing the project on the client side.
This streamlined approach keeps important information from falling through the cracks: you send the point person project updates, and they relay questions, concerns, and requests directly to you. It can also help you reconcile any competing feedback you may receive. If stakeholders start making conflicting requests, the point person can confer with their team and clarify next steps.
Having a champion on the inside is particularly important at the end of the project. When you’re ready to hand off the website, the point person can take over. They can assume site ownership and train the rest of the team. They can also schedule future appointments with you as needed.
6. Show your client how to use the website
When you finish building the website, teach your client how to use it. You can create a copy of the website for them to play with. As they get used to creating and updating content, they can practice their newly learned skills in a safe space. They can also rest assured knowing that if they mess something up, the main website will be unaffected.
Your client can also use the Squarespace App (iOS, Android) to monitor and run their website. If they want to analyze marketing channels or see what content sticks, they can dive into the site’s analytics to find visitor metrics, demographics, traffic sources, and more. If your client is a retailer, they can also use the app to manage their Squarespace storefront, contact customers, scan shipping labels, manage inventory, and fulfill orders.
7. Make a custom help guide
Supplement your training sessions by creating a custom help guide—one your client can rely on long after the project ends. Standardize this help guide by creating a project handoff template, and customize it for every client you work with.
Your help guide should include:
How to log into the website
How to modify site ownership, roles, and permissions
How to process payments, collect taxes, and set discounts (for merchants)
A style guide, complete with fonts, colors, and custom site styles
Page section templates your client can reuse
A list of blocks you used (especially those with custom code)
A list of third-party extensions you enabled
A glossary of tags and categories you used to organize content
Common errors and how to fix them
FAQs and answers
Customize this handbook with the client’s name and logo. Share screenshots, where appropriate. Additionally, point your client to Squarespace’s free consumer webinars and help guides, so they can deepen their knowledge and resolve questions as they arise. You can also include your contact information at the bottom of every page, so clients know how to schedule paid one-on-one sessions as needed.
8. Send updates and reminders
As the project comes to a close, over-communicate. Remind your client how much longer you’ll be working together, and let them know what will happen when you hand the project over. Double-check that you’ve answered all their questions and covered everything they need to know. Then, schedule a handoff meeting to cement the end of the project.
Consider recording this presentation and the Q&A that follows. You can email it to your client, alongside your custom help guide. If you’re providing recurring services, be clear about what those are. You’ll also want to remind your client that other services (including those you’ve provided before) will cost additional fees going forward.
9. Officially hand off the project
Once your client has paid you and signed off on the website, it’s time to go live. Help them upgrade from a trial membership to a paid subscription, and invite them to input their payment information.
Then, transfer site ownership to someone on the team. Help them set roles and permissions. Lastly, show them how to send invitations to employees who need to access the website.
10. Stay in touch
Even after the project handoff, it's important to stay in touch with clients. Send them a note, email, or gift thanking them for their business. Follow their social media accounts to keep up with their business. And periodically check in to see how things are going. As their business grows, their goals may change, and you can help them adapt.
Learn more about how to upsell tools like Email Campaigns, Member Sites, Acuity Scheduling, and Unfold in our guide to Squarespace services.
Goodbyes are never easy. But when you end projects on a high note, you encourage clients to think of you for future opportunities—and to recommend you to friends. With a clear client offboarding process, you can protect your time and save yourself stress. You can also feel confident you’re leaving clients in good hands, giving them resources they can rely on long after your work is done.
**This post was originally published on September 21, 2021. It has since been updated.Want more?
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