At the moment, I'm guessing your projects look like this:
You and your clients communicate through back and forth emails in dozens of threads.
Your clients are constantly late with their feedback, delaying their project again and again.
They keep wanting to add more and more work to their project without expecting to pay extra for it.
They're usually late with payments, causing you to feel more and more stressed out.
If you resonated with any of that then you're in the right place.
The reason your projects are stressing you out is because you don't use a project management tool to manage them.
A project management tool/app is a safe, secure space online where you and your clients can keep all files and conversations. Inside your PM tool you can create tasks, to do lists, deadlines and discussions.
Just look at this screenshot of my PM tool (Asana) to understand what it's like:
When I ask designers and freelancers why they don't use a project management tool with their clients, I always hear the same excuses. That's why we're going to bust five project management myths you may believe today.
This article was taken from one of the lessons from my free course, The Designers guide To Project Management. If you want to learn how to use Asana (my favourite project management tool) to manage your clients, head this way to join the course!
The following myths and beliefs may be the things that are holding you back from simpler, less stressful projects.
Ready?
Myth #1: Using a project management tool is expensive and I don't have the budget right now.
When I ask a lot of my coaching clients why they don't use a project management tool with their clients, this is the most popular answer.
When I explain that a PM tool (like Asana or Trello) is an online space where a business owner and their client can communicate, share files, share feedback and more, my clients usually think that such an amazing tool will surely come with a hefty price tag.
If you believe that then you're wrong. *Happy dance*
My favourite project management tool, Asana, is totally free to use with as many clients as you want. If you want to learn exactly how to use Asana with your clients, join my free course!
Myth #2: My clients won't want to learn how to use a project management tool.
In reality, your clients will do anything they can to make sure they get the most for their money, even if that means they'll have to learn how to use a PM tool to communicate with you about their project.
Your client has just handed over hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to get a beautiful design. If using a PM tool will help make sure they get the best out of you, they'll be happy to do it. I'd go as far as saying that using a PM tool will even reassure them that you're serious about your process and that they hired the right person!
Myth #3: My clients don't have time to learn how to use a PM tool.
It doesn't take as long as you think for your clients to learn how to use a PM tool like Asana. You can help them by writing or recording a tutorial that walks them through how to use it. Or you can direct them to a video tutorial you found online!
Myth #4: Managing my projects through email is easier than using a PM tool.
You think that now because the thought of learning how to use a new tool is daunting. I get that. But I promise you this: if you spend one hour learning how to use a project management tool, you'll be really confident about using it. It will literally only take you one hour, if that. PM tools are not complicated to use. They're purposefully made to be easy to use!
Myth #5: It's too soon to start using a PM tool.
A lot of new designers believe they don't need to use a PM tool yet. They feel like they need to figure out tons of other tools first, like social media tools, blogging tools and more.
It's never too soon to start using a PM tool. The sooner, the better! And learning how to use a project management tool is far more important than blogging or social media tools at this stage of your business.
Don't waste time managing your first few projects through emails. Start using a PM tool straight away. It will save you stress and free up time, and it will make you look super professional to your first few clients. After all, you want to impress the heck out of them so they'll come back to you for more work, right?
Using a project management tool is something I teach you more about in my FREE masterclass.
In this class, I’ll show you sneak peeks of my Asana projects and tell you my secret to persuading all my clients to use Asana instead of email. Sign up below to watch the masterclass instantly!
