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Replies / change the whole direction after approval

How to say no to "change the whole direction after approval"

"We have rethought it. Can we change the whole direction?"

A new direction after approval is not a revision. It is a new project that happens to share an invoice with the old one.

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Why this is scope creep

  • The approved work is done. Starting again means doing the project twice.
  • Revisions refine an approved direction. They do not replace it.
  • Without a clear line, you end up eating the cost of their indecision.

Copy-paste replies

Fill the [brackets] and send. Pick the tone that fits the client.

Firm

Hi [Name], thanks for flagging this early. The direction was approved on [date], so a new one is a new phase, not a revision. I'll invoice the work done so far and send a quote for the new direction.

Friendly

Glad you're thinking it through, better now than after launch! Since we're starting fresh, let's treat it as a new round: a quick call to nail the new brief, then I'll send a price and timeline before I touch anything.

Yes, for a fee

Hi [Name], can do. Change order for the new direction: new concepts based on [new brief], [2] revision rounds, [price], new delivery date [date]. The work completed under the original direction is billed as agreed.

The "yes, for a fee" reply works best when the scope was written down first. In Scopease the client approves the scope through one private link, every extra ask becomes a priced change order they approve or decline, and the invoice builds itself from approved work. Free for your first project.

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Questions

Is "We have rethought it. Can we change the whole direction?" scope creep?

Yes, if it was not in the agreed scope. The approved work is done. Starting again means doing the project twice. The fix is not a fight, it is a clear reply that points to the scope and offers a priced option.

What do I do when a client changes direction after approving?

Remind them of the approval date, bill the completed work, and quote the new direction as a new phase with its own price and timeline.

How do I prevent clients changing their mind halfway through?

Get written approval at each stage, and say in the scope that changes to an approved direction are billed as new work.

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