Category: Project Management

Project Management

Create a portal for client onboarding

Laura Elizabeth

If you've set up Client Portal and then stalled on what to actually put in it, build a client onboarding portal first. It's the portal every client needs, it barely changes between them, and it's the only part of your process that isn't tied to a specific piece of work. It's also the easiest to...

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Illustration of a project scope growing beyond its original boundaries
Project Management

The truth about scope creep (and what to do when it happens)

Laura Elizabeth

Early in my freelancing career, I agreed to design a 4-page brochure. Simple enough. The brief was clear, the client was lovely, and I delivered the first draft on time. They loved it. So much so that they wanted "just a couple of extra sections." And then a few more. By the time we were...

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Project Management

Why Client Portal doesn't try to do everything

Laura Elizabeth

When people first look at Client Portal, some expect it to be a project management tool. Others expect invoicing, time tracking, or built-in messaging. It's none of those things. And that's not an oversight - it's intentional. The problem with all-in-one platforms There's an appealing simplicity to the idea of one tool that does everything....

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Project Management

Why you shouldn't use email for client file sharing

Laura Elizabeth

Sharing files with clients is a daily necessity for most online businesses. Whether you're running a startup, managing a law firm, or heading up a marketing agency, you're likely dealing with various document types, some of which may contain sensitive information. While email used to be the go-to for file sharing, it's now become a...

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Project Management

What is the best marketing agency client portal (with examples)?

Laura Elizabeth

The hardest part of running a marketing agency is... Clients. Yep, clients. Getting them, working with them, and signing off on the finished project ("juuuust one more thing"). Imagine getting on with your work without dealing with the song-and-dance of project management, keeping clients in the loop, and answering the same questions. One thing that...

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Project Management

The underwhelming experience of paying a deposit (and how to flip it on its head)

Laura Elizabeth

I remember getting my first MacBook. I was 17 and had just started a course in graphic design. Like many people, we didn’t have a lot of money growing up so I never had the latest, well, anything. But my mum was adamant that I needed a laptop for college. And not just any old...

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Project Management

10 essential documents you need for high-value client projects

Laura Elizabeth

When it comes to high-value client projects, getting the documents and deliverables right is crucial. You don’t want to go overboard with too much information (and you don’t want to include fluff documents), but you do need to give your client everything they need to trust that you’ve got this. High-value projects are often fairly...

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Project Management

Why you need to design your process (free template and workshop included)

Laura Elizabeth

One of the best things about Client Portal is that it forces you to really think about your process and the deliverables you're giving clients. Most business owners have a process, but it lives mostly in their heads. They go through roughly the same steps with each new client and give roughly the same deliverables,...

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Project Management

Do solo founders need a project management tool?

Laura Elizabeth

In the previous article (check out “Do I still need Client Portal if I have a project management tool” if you missed it) we talked about why project management tools are better to use internally with your team and not with your clients (that’s what Client Portal is for!) But another question cropped up a...

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Project Management

“Do I still need Client Portal if I use a project management tool?”

Laura Elizabeth

If there was one question we get asked the most here at Client Portal, it’s some version of “I already have a project management tool, can I still benefit from Client Portal?” The answer is a big YES! In fact, Client Portal was built as an addition to project management tools, not a replacement. Here...

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