Get a Deadline (in Writing)
I’m a very deadline-oriented person. And like many writers, I suspect, I work better under other people’s deadlines. Too often I have put a new project on my to-do list, but because it there is no deadline attached, it usually gets pushed back another day…
If a new or long-time client sends you a project without a return date, always email them to get a firm deadline. The reason I say email and not phone is because sometimes one or both parties get their dates confused. As I mentioned in a previous post, it is good to document all important details of a project including the deadline for future reference.
It is certainly okay to decide on your own deadline, especially if you are the project manager and in charge of creating timelines. But still, tell your clients when you will have the content back to them– that will relieve the (totally natural) temptation to let the project slide…
~Graham