Hi Reader!
If you are keeping up with the Business Hangups note I suggested a few weeks back, you might have noticed requests for out-of-scope or free work.
They sound harmless.
- Can you just tweak this?
- Could you make this tiny adjustment to the file?
- Could you hop on a quick call?
- Would you be available to meet for coffee?
Each request feels small, but they stack.
As your business grows, your vulnerability to these requests also grows. Because you’re established, your clients, peers, and up-and-comers trust you.
If this is something you’ve noticed, then I suggest you create a system for handling these kinds of requests.
My system has two parts. First, I determine which bucket it falls in. There are requests I:
- automatically say no to
- vary my response depending on the relationship and the request
The first one is easier. These are things like unlimited revisions, unpaid strategy calls, or custom extras outside the proposal.
When you decide these in advance, you’re not negotiating with yourself in the moment. You’re following a system. (And creating one for your staff to follow.)
The second is a little trickier. Because the line will shift based on the request, your relationship, and what’s best long-term for your business.
This is where your Business Hangups note is going to come in handy. It’s a great pattern-spotting tool to help you figure out where that line is.
Because sometimes you will set a line, and later realize that it wasn’t the best course of action, either because it wasn’t far enough or too far.
Once you determine what bucket things fall in, the second part of the system is to use your email scripts to respond. (Want help? I’ve got one in this week’s blog post, and another one is sent on Day 3 of Copy + Paste Legal Week.)
👉 Your action item
Brainstorm one situation you automatically will say no to. Then create an email script that you can send the next time that request lands in your inbox.
If you only have 20 minutes this week, the task above is the most important thing to do. But if you have a little more time, keep reading.
Chat soon,
P.S. It’s normal to feel pressure at the arbitrary turnover of a calendar, the year, the quarter, the month. But small, thoughtful tweaks make bigger impacts than total overhauls. So if you are feeling the pressure this week, take a deep breath and focus on the next small step that will make a difference.
The clause to notice
One small section of a contract that can have an outsized impact later.
This week’s clause: Scope of work
Creating a clear scope of work upfront will also help reduce these out-of-scope requests. Because often clients are asking because they don’t know if it’s included. A clear clause here will set boundaries without you needing to do any extra work.
A common red flag: Vague language like “as needed” or “until approved” is the opposite of what you want in this section. Spending a few minutes to get boringly specific here will save future-you hours of time and effort.
If contracts are starting to come up more often in your business, the Contract Decoder is your secret weapon to signing contracts with confidence.
LATEST VIDEO
Handle “just one more tweak” requests
Learn the 3-step response framework for handling out-of-scope requests and protect your time, profit, energy, and client relationships.
Other things on my radar…
- When I first started practicing law 15 years ago, about 9 months after submitting a trademark application, you could have a registration in hand. These days, nine months isn’t even long enough to get through the first step of the process. This is why the USPTO has introduced a new AI tool to “hopefully” speed up the process.
- Website accessibility lawsuits were up in 2025, and many of these were for online-only businesses. Website accessibility isn’t as simple as color contrast or adding an accessibility overlay/plugin, so if you need a refresher, WebAIM has excellent resources.
- If you allow UGC or comments on your own website, then the recent Supreme Court Cox ruling will help you breathe a sigh of relief. Because it states that you can only be liable for contributory copyright infringement if you induce or encourage infringement. That being said, it’s still wise to register with the U.S. Copyright Office as a DMCA Designated Agent.
