What My Clients Really Wanted From Me (And Why I Got It All Wrong)
From order-taker to problem-solver
When I first started freelancing, I thought being great meant being available.
Helpful. Always saying yes.
But the more I gave, the more confused my clients became, and the more burnt out I felt.
I wasn’t building trust.
I was building tension.
Here’s how I stopped second-guessing and started creating clarity, in a way that finally made both me and my clients breathe easier.
The “Yes” Trap
Let me take you back to my early client days.
I was the go-to designer who “does it all.”
Logo? Sure.
Slide deck? Of course.
Last-minute social media graphics on a Sunday night? …You got it.
At first, it felt like I was being helpful, the kind of freelancer clients would rave about.
But here’s what was actually going on behind the scenes:
Clients kept asking for more… because I never told them where “more” should end.
Every new request quietly stretched the line, and I kept saying yes.
I was so busy trying to be “easy to work with,” I forgot I was supposed to lead the project, not just survive it.
That’s when I realized something hard but freeing:
People don’t pay you for your time.
They pay you to make decisions so they don’t have to.
Most Clients Don’t Want “More”
They want something predictable.
I used to think clients hired me for how much I could do.
But after hundreds of projects, I saw the real pattern:
The best clients weren’t blown away by the 20+ concepts I created.
They were blown away by how fast I helped them decide on the one that worked.
They didn’t want a buffet of options or 10 rounds of revisions.
They wanted to feel like they were in good hands.
That meant I had to stop operating like an order-taker and start acting like a problem-solver.
If every client requires a different mental gymnastics routine, it’s not scalable.
I used to redesign my process for every new client.
Then I created Gap Spotter, a guide that maps exactly what clients need (even if they’re vague).
Want it? Check out the Gap Spotter: A Cashflow Creator Playbook
The Questions That Keep Freelancers Up At Night
If you’ve ever caught yourself spiraling with thoughts like:
“What does this client actually want from me?”
“Should I add more options just in case?”
“Are they secretly disappointed and just not saying it?”
You’re not alone.
But you don’t need more intuition. You need more structure.
Here’s how I shifted from chaos to clarity, without becoming robotic.
Step 1: Productize the Expectations
I didn’t start out with a perfect offer I got from a crystal ball.
My first few service pages were basically a polite way of saying:
“Tell me what you need, and I’ll figure it out.”
Which sounds flexible… until every project becomes a surprise party. With no cake.
The game-changer was productizing. Not just what I offered, but how I framed it.
For example:
“Logo Design” became “Brand Identity Starter Kit: Includes 2 logo concepts, 1 moodboard, 1 round of refinement.”
“Social Graphics” became “12 custom templates delivered in 5 days, formatted for Instagram and Pinterest.”
When I made my services feel like products, I got fewer questions.
Fewer “just checking in” emails.
Fewer requests that felt out of left field.
I wasn’t delivering pixels. I was delivering peace of mind.
Step 2: Say It Before They Ask
Ever been chased by a client for updates?
I have. And it always made me feel like I was failing — even if I wasn’t.
The truth? Silence makes people anxious.
Not because they don’t trust you, but because they don’t know what’s happening.
Now, I pre-frame everything.
“Here’s what’s included in this package.”
“Here’s what’s not.”
“Here’s what happens next.”
I don’t wait for the awkward follow-up. I beat them to it.
Even a simple message like:
“Hey! Just letting you know I’m halfway through the design phase. You’ll get your first preview by Friday.”
…can be the difference between a nervous client and a confident one.
Step 3: Listen to Patterns, Not Noise
Early on, I made a rookie mistake: I treated every client’s feedback like they are always right.
One person says, “Doesn’t look so good to me” so I overhaul the look.
Another says, “Can you do an animation instead?” so I panic-YouTube on how to do animation.
I was letting one-off opinions become permanent pivots.
Then I learned to zoom out.
If three or more clients ask for the same thing?
That’s not noise, it’s data.
That’s when I tweak the offer. Or add a new template. Or shift my headline.
But if it’s just one person? I log it, thank them, and keep moving.
Step 4: Create a “Want List” from Your Testimonials
You want to know what your clients actually value?
Don’t guess.
Go read your testimonials.
Seriously, go look at them line by line.
What did your favorite clients thank you for?
“So fast and easy to work with.”
“Explained everything clearly.”
“Made my brand finally feel like me.”
That’s your goldmine.
I call it the “Want List.”
It tells you:
What your clients were struggling with before they found you
What they appreciated most after working with you
What you should emphasize in your next offer, headline, or sales page
Let their words do the positioning for you.
The Before & After
Here’s what life looked like before I had a system:
Constant client check-ins
Anxiety around whether I’d “missed the mark”
Burnout from trying to do everything for everyone
And after?
Clients know what they’re getting, and love that it’s structured
I feel confident delivering without overdelivering
Projects end on time, on budget, and with zero chaos
That’s not luck. That’s clarity.
A Quick Litmus Test
If your service business still feels like a guessing game, try this:
Can a stranger understand exactly what you offer, without a call?
Do your clients ever chase you for updates or clarity?
Can you describe your entire workflow in under 5 bullet points?
If you said “no” to any of these, your next step isn’t to work harder.
It’s to work clearer.
The Simple Shift That Changed Everything
I used to think the goal was to wow clients with volume.
Now, I know the goal is to guide them with vision.
I don’t need to guess what my clients want anymore.
Because I’ve designed my business to show them exactly what to expect, and deliver exactly what I promised.
No more late-night scope creep.
No more guessing games.
Just good work, done well, in a way that’s scalable and sane.
Final Takeaway
If you’re tired of second-guessing yourself, do this:
✓ Productize what works
✓ Systemize how it’s delivered
✓ Communicate it like it’s the best decision your client will make all year
Because when clients know what to expect, and you know exactly what to deliver, everyone wins.