Client changes after a proposal: how to revise the offer clearly

Check the request against the version the client received

Open the actual proposal or PDF you sent, not an earlier note or a draft you remember. Compare the client’s request with its included work, exclusions and unresolved decisions. A request may clarify an existing item, replace a deliverable or add something outside the original offer. Describe that difference neutrally. If work has already been approved or started, review the arrangements already agreed before proposing a change. Do not assume an email question changes an existing agreement by itself.

• Identify the original deliverable and the requested change.
• Check whether the new item was included, excluded or left open.
• Keep the client’s question separate from your decision to offer it.
• Use the same project name so the discussion stays easy to follow.

Ask only the questions needed to assess the addition

In the booking-page example, first ask what the page needs to do. A page explaining how to book is not the same work as taking reservations or payments. Ask whether the client has an existing service, who supplies the content and whether the new page replaces another page. Reuse information already provided instead of restarting the entire discovery conversation. When a detail affects the work but remains unknown, name it explicitly. You can explain what you need to assess without inventing a technical solution or delivery date.

Reply without agreeing to unassessed work

The following message is an adaptable fictional example, not a script that guarantees approval. It acknowledges the request, asks a focused question and explains the next step. It does not agree to an extra page for free or promise that the original schedule will remain unchanged. Use your normal tone and replace the bracketed details. If you already know the answer from an earlier conversation, acknowledge that fact and move directly to the assessment instead of asking again.

Hi [Client name], Thanks for the request to add a booking page. The proposal currently covers Home, Services, About and Contact. Should the new page explain how to book, link to a service you already use, or allow bookings directly on the website? Once that is clear, I can assess the additional work and send a revised offer showing any effect on price and timing. I have not included the booking page in the current proposal. Thanks, [Your name]

Show the differences before the revised total

When you are ready to revise the offer, provide a short change summary. Explain what stays, what is added and what is removed. Update the relevant scope, pricing items and timing together. A new total alone does not explain the decision the client is making. If an addition is still optional, say whether it is outside the displayed base amount. Do not present a reduced scope as the same package at a discount. Keep the description and calculation aligned so the client can compare like with like.

• Unchanged: the deliverables still covered by the original offer.
• Added or replaced: the specific new work you are offering.
• Price: the revised breakdown and total, using your assessed figures.
• Timing: any revised estimate or condition that genuinely follows from the change.

Recheck details that depend on the revised scope

A small edit can affect more than one paragraph. Review quantities, materials, client responsibilities and exclusions after changing a deliverable. Recalculate the total and any percentage-based amount you have chosen to include, checking the intended calculation base. If your offer depends on receiving content, access or a selection, keep that dependency visible. Do not add new payment dates, revision limits or other terms merely to make the revision seem complete. Make deliberate decisions about those details and resolve them with the client when necessary.

Make the current version unmistakable

Before sending a revision from ScopeMic, edit the proposal and review its client preview and PDF. Save a copy of the document you send and clearly tell the client which revised offer to review. If you share the same client link again, explain that you updated the proposal; if you attach a replacement PDF, identify it in your message. Ask for confirmation through your agreed process before proceeding with changed work. A revised proposal, an unanswered email or a requested addition is not automatic approval.