There’s more to the end of a project than just the final deliverable. Create a project closure checklist to ensure you’re closing projects successfully and creating long-lasting, positive client relationships.
You nurtured the lead, booked the client, and worked hard for weeks or months. You’ve made it to the end. Once a project is complete, you might already be moving on to what’s next, like resting for a bit or booking your next clients.
But proper project closure is just as important for nurturing relationships as how you begin the project. By following the right steps, you can gather invaluable feedback for your businesses, create long-term relationships with your clients, and pave the way for multiple referrals. Follow these steps below to close your projects the right way and use the right tools to get it done.
Jump to:
- How to internally close a project
- Start the closing process with your client
- How to thank a client for their business
- Ask for a review or referral
- Collect their feedback internally
- Explore renewal options
- Follow a project closure checklist
- Use a project completion template
How to internally close a project
Once your project is coming to an end, take a look at your initial documents and take out your project closure checklist (if you don’t have one, you can download a template at the bottom of this article). This might include your original proposal, the scope of work, and onboarding questionnaires from your client.
Your final deliverable aside, it’s important to reflect on if the project was a success. Take note of what worked and what didn’t work, including blockers you encountered and lessons for future projects.
Throughout the project and as you’re reviewing the project outcomes, record your key takeaways. You can use these internally to improve your processes and share key learnings with your client.
After you’ve reviewed the project internally and sent your final documents (more on those later), you can go through your clientflow management software and archive documents and tasks. If you use HoneyBook, you can simply archive the project, which automatically archives all the documents as well.
HoneyBook’s tools make it super easy to build and repeat this process using a single smart file that can consolidate all these actions into one concise document for you to send and your clients to complete.
Start the wrap-up process with your client
You should begin the project wrap-up phase as soon as you’re ready. If you take too much time, your client can wonder about the status and be less likely to provide feedback.
Send the project deliverables if you haven’t done so already. Depending on your services, you might complete the final deliverable and close the project in separate steps, or you can do it all at once.
Sending your final deliverable gives your client a sense of relief—if you send a small gift or note, it can also be a moment of surprise and delight and leave a lasting impression. If you’re a photographer, you might want to send a custom package with a few of your favorite prints along with a USB drive with the full photo gallery. If you’re a graphic designer, you might want to print a client’s new logo on tissue paper or display it another way.
Finding unique opportunities to share your work in an unexpected way will set your business apart from others who might just send a quick email with a link. This can generate repeat customers and referrals—you want people to think of the experience you gave them when they’re talking to friends and colleagues.
Once you’ve sent the deliverable and small, memorable thank-you gift, you should thank your client for their time, and ask for reviews, referrals, renewal, and/or feedback.
How to thank a client for their business
As you’re closing your projects, remember that the client relationship doesn’t end there. Your goal should be to either retain them for future projects if it applies to your services or to encourage them to become advocates for your business.
Put together a personalized thank you message. We recommend sending one via email, but you can also send a short one in the mail a few weeks later as a surprise and delight moment.
Hand-written thank-you notes can offer a more personalized touch that builds customer loyalty. Plus, you can easily include one if you’re sending your deliverable in the mail already.
In your note, express your gratitude. Thank them for taking the time to find your business, choosing you to work with, and for their part in the project. You should also include some of your project highlights to both amplify your mutual success and remind them of your value.
Use this sample client thank you email and make it your own:
Copy/paste template:
Client thank you email
Hi [Client name],
I’m excited to send over your final deliverables: [list each deliverable or state where to find them].
Through this project, we were able to [list key takeaways or outcomes].
Thank you so much for choosing [Business name] for your needs. It’s been a pleasure working with you. We especially enjoyed [specific part of the project].
If you have the time, would you be willing to post a review on our Facebook page? [include link] If you don’t have an account, you could also send a couple of sentences to me as well. With your permission, I’d love to use your testimonial for our website and marketing materials.
I’ve also included a brief post-project questionnaire on the next page to capture more specific details about your experience. Any information you provide can help us continue offering excellent services to our clients!
Lastly, I’d like to point you to our [services page or digital product]. If you have additional needs, let me know. We’d be happy to work again with you in the future.
Best,
[Your name]
Ask for a review or referral
Once you’ve thanked your client, it’s time to ask for something in return for your hard work. First, you should ask if they would be willing to write a review for either Facebook, Google, Yelp, or another business page. Within your message, be sure to link to the review site.
You can also ask if they’ll send the review directly to you so you can also use it as a testimonial on your website or for your marketing materials.
So you’re not asking too much of your clients, consider if it would be more valuable to ask your client to refer new clients instead of a review. To incentivize this, you may want to explore a referral program or other benefit, such as a discount on their next service.
These two questions can be as simple as a few sentences and provide lasting benefits for your business!
Collect their feedback internally
If your client provides a testimonial or review, you’ll have some feedback to work with. But, you should also gather more comprehensive information from each client.
To do so, send a post-project questionnaire to ask them things like:
- How was the turnaround time/overall timeline?
- How was the communication throughout the project?
- Was the quality of deliverables up to your standards?
- Did the project deliverables align with your initial goal? If not, how did they deviate from your goals?
- Do you wish anything was done differently?
- What’s one thing that you thought contributed to a great experience?
Gathering this feedback gives you plenty of information to be able to improve your business and ensure you’re continually offering an excellent client experience. You might think your clients won’t want to take the time, but 67% of clients will consider leaving a review after a positive experience.
Explore renewal options
If applicable, the last step you should take with your clients is to see if they’re open to working on new projects together.
For example, say you completed a successful project designing marketing collateral. As a next step, would they be interested in a website rebranding to match your designs? Using the information you’ve collected about them, you can offer something specific to their needs.
If they aren’t clients who would have repeat services, or open to continuing a contract, consider if they’d benefit from a digital product. Offers like templates, worksheets, classes/courses, or tutorials might provide long-term benefits or serve as an add-on to what you’ve already delivered for them.
If you don’t ask, you can miss out on returning clients who are likely to spend 67% more than new clients.
Follow a project closure checklist
It’s important to make sure you’re offering the same project closure experience to all your clients. Otherwise, you might not always remember to ask for a review or gather feedback. By following a project closure checklist, you can ensure everyone is treated with the same experience:
- Review final deliverables against the original scope of work, timeline, and goals
- Send final deliverables
- Record key takeaways you can use within your business and share with your client
- Send a thank you note to your client
- Ask for a review or testimonial
- Ask your client to join your referral program
- Send a project closure questionnaire
- Explore renewal options, including digital products
- Archive project internally
Use a project completion template
Keep your project closure simple by using a template that you can personalize and reuse. With HoneyBook, you can use a smart file that combines project closure, a questionnaire, and a thank-you note in one step.
Create a project completion template that includes your final deliverable (or a link to it), a thank you note, a project closure questionnaire, and your requests for reviews and referrals. That’s right–everything can be combined into one file to make it easier for you and your clients!
To get started, we already have pre-made project closure templates that you can add to your account, edit with your client information, and send in minutes.
