Don’t let all those ‘quick tweaks’ chip away at your profit

“Oh, I’m glad I caught you. Would you mind just swapping this image file into the design, It should only take a couple of minutes.”

How many times a day do you receive something similar to this from your clients?  It all sounds so innocent. So reasonable. But I would argue that dealing with these requests is one of the biggest silent killers of a print business’s profitability.

Those seemingly trivial requests. Those so-called ‘quick edits’ are thieves hiding in plain sight, shamelessly stealing your time, energy, enthusiasm and momentum. I want to highlight the true cost and impact on your time of all those tiny tweaks. If you don’t value your time, you can guarantee no one else will.

Two minutes? No chance

The request has come in, and you think, “Right, two minutes, I’ll just get this done quickly and get back to what I was doing.” But before you’ve even opened the file, those two minutes are gone.

The likely scenario is that you first need to locate the correct version of the assets being edited. Then you have to ensure the tweak is done correctly, with everything lined up, adjusted, and just right. Then you have to reproof, save, export and share the new version. Before going back to what you were doing before, with your momentum removed.

You might be able to do all that in two minutes, but I very much doubt it. Especially if the client comes back and says it’s not quite right, or they've changed their mind and prefer it as it was ($!!@@$!!). 

This will be at least 15 to 20 minutes of focused, billable time you’ve just given away on a ‘quick tweak’. Over the course of a week, how many hours does that amount to? And who pays for it? If it’s not your client, then it’s you! 

As one of my coaching clients shared this week, "I’ve worked with these guys for years. They're good people. But if I don’t bill these small changes, I’m working for free for half an hour every day. The time just vanishes."

And, you have to watch out for the ‘Double Cost’ to you. Those 15-20 minutes you’re spending on a minor task for one client is the same amount of time you could be spending on something that would actively grow your business.

Honesty pays

It’s ok though. I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t have a straightforward and achievable rule for you to follow.

All you need to do is be honest and transparent with your clients regarding the design and production process. My coaching rule is that design time is non-negotiable and billed in 15-minute blocks.

This works on many levels. It immediately conveys the value of your team’s skills and expertise. It helps the client understand that file preparation, version control, and export processes are inherently time-consuming, making them less likely to ask for unnecessary changes. Or better yet, encourage them to wait and deliver all changes at once. You could even include this in the overall project quote, so clients know when and how they can request edits as part of the project. At any other times, they will understand it will incur additional costs.  

I know it’s difficult to push back against a client. However, this simple solution ensures everyone knows their position, and the client will understand and value that. Always bear in mind that time is your most valuable asset. Protect it, value it, and respect it with honesty and clarity, and profitability will naturally follow.