Stop Following This Bad Advice About Client Revisions
Most revision advice is outdated or wrong. Here's what freelancers should actually do to manage scope, timelines, and expectations.
Introduction
If you've been freelancing for more than five minutes, you've likely been told:
“Just include two rounds of revisions in your contract and call it a day.”
It sounds reasonable. Smart, even. But it doesn't hold up in the real world.
This ‘two revisions’ rule is the most copy-pasted piece of bad freelance advice out there. It’s vague, unenforceable, and often leads to client frustration—or worse, scope creep.
In this post, I’m breaking down the most common myths about handling revisions, and what actually works instead.
The Freelancer's Dilemma: Why Revisions Go Wrong
Revisions aren’t the problem. Unclear expectations and bad process are.
Most freelancers get stuck in back-and-forth edits not because clients are unreasonable—but because nothing in the workflow defines what “done” looks like.
Here’s what usually happens:
- You deliver a draft or mockup with little context
- The client gives vague feedback like “It just doesn’t feel right”
- You revise based on interpretation, not alignment
- Rinse and repeat, while timelines stretch and morale dips
This isn’t a revision issue—it’s an alignment issue. And no “two rounds” limit is going to protect you if the client doesn’t feel heard or understood.
Myth #1: Two Revision Rounds Is Enough
Why this advice fails:
Because “revisions” is too broad. Are we talking text edits? Strategic repositioning? Fundamental changes to direction? Most freelancers never define it.
Also, the moment you say “You get 2 revisions,” clients hear, “Don’t give feedback yet—save it up.”
So instead of smaller, earlier course corrections, feedback is bottled up and dumped at the end—when changes are costly and emotional.
What to do instead:
- Define what counts as a revision (“copy tweaks” vs “new section”)
- Create checkpoints, not rounds (e.g., “We’ll align on direction Monday, then polish Thursday”)
- Focus feedback early when decisions are cheap
Myth #2: The Client Is Always Right
Why it fails:
You’re not an order-taker. You’re hired for your judgment. Blindly accepting every revision request makes you look junior, not collaborative.
Also, clients often revise symptoms, not root causes:
- "Can we make the logo bigger?" = “I’m not confident people will know who we are”
- "Add more color" = “This feels bland or generic”
Your job is to ask: What’s the real concern here?
What to do instead:
- Take every revision as a signal, but don’t treat it as a command
- Ask: “What’s the goal of that change?” before implementing
- Offer alternatives that solve the problem better than the client’s solution
Clients respect your leadership when you don’t just say yes—they respect you more when you say, “Here’s a better way.”
Myth #3: You Should Charge for Every Change
Why it fails:
Yes, your time is money. But if you nickel-and-dime clients for every minor tweak, you train them to hesitate, delay feedback, or ghost out of fear of being billed again.
It kills trust. Fast.
Instead, build in structured flexibility:
- Include a buffer for “reasonable refinements”
- Set time boundaries (“Up to 1 hour of minor edits included”)
- Make major change scope clear (“If we pivot strategy, that’s outside this phase”)
The goal isn’t to avoid change. The goal is to agree on where change lives in the process—and keep it confined there.
Myth #4: Use a Change Order Form
Why it fails:
Paperwork doesn’t solve trust gaps.
The idea behind a change order form is sound: document any additional work, get approval, move on. But in practice, it gets ignored or skipped completely, especially in fast-paced projects.
Also: You’re not Boeing. You don’t need three layers of change management. You need a simple, human way to say: “That’s outside what we agreed on. Want to add it?”
What to do instead:
- Mark milestones with mutual agreement. (“Let’s call this draft approved.”)
- When out-of-scope changes come up, say: “Happy to add that—want me to price it separately?”
- Default to conversation, not contracts
The most effective freelancers don’t avoid change. They manage it live, in real-time, while momentum is high.
A Better Way to Handle Revisions
Here’s what freelancers who don’t get stuck in endless revision loops do differently:
1. Define Deliverables Visually
Don’t say “Brand strategy doc” in your proposal. Show a real sample or outline. Ambiguity invites revision loops.
2. Align Early, Edit Lightly
Get buy-in at rough draft stages. Avoid “ta-da” reveals. If the client’s part of the process, they don’t get surprised—and you don’t get blindsided.
3. Use Live Tools to Manage Scope
Waiting three days for a new quote slows everything down. Use platforms (like Manager List) that let you negotiate and close changes live on the call.
When you can tweak scope, adjust pricing, and get sign-off in 60 seconds, revisions become collaboration—not conflict.
Conclusion
Most freelance revision chaos starts before the first revision. It starts when you don’t define scope clearly or give clients a way to collaborate confidently.
Instead of hiding behind round limits, change orders, or change fees—lead the process. Align early. Adjust in real time. Own the interaction.
That’s how you dodge endless revisions. Not by setting rules, but by setting clarity.
Want fewer revision loops and faster approvals? Start treating your discovery calls like closing calls. Let them make changes—and decisions—while they’re still on the line.