9 Game-Changing Tips for Boundary Setting with Clients to Create Your Dream Clients

Jun 11

Have you been searching for your dream clients? What if I told you that with the right strategies for boundary setting with clients, you could create the clients of your dreams?!

Working with your dream clients will make your business so fun and easy, and if you’re anything like me, you want to create the business of your dreams so it does not even feel like work. As a lawyer myself who creates contracts for entrepreneurs like you, I am sharing how you can actually create your dream clients with my game-changing strategies for boundary setting with clients.

You will learn about the exact techniques for boundary setting with clients, including the exact boundary setting with clients template, so you know how to set boundaries with your client contracts.

After learning the essential strategies for boundary setting with clients, you will create the business of your dreams with easy clients!

This post is all about the game-changing techniques for boundary setting with clients to start creating clients you have always dreamed of for your dream business.

Game-Changing Tips for Boundary Setting with Clients

The complete boundary setting with clients template

1. Create clear systems and processes

First of all, the basis for boundary setting with clients is having clear systems and processes in place. If you have a structured step-by-step plan, not only do you know what to do next, but the client knows what’s up next. If the client does not know what’s next, the client will tend to manage to process for you and, thus, overstep your boundaries. The client will try to manage what you do and set deadlines for you instead of the other way around. That’s exactly what you want to avoid.

Therefore, having systems and processes in place for your services is essential to boundary setting with clients.

And I don’t want to go on a rant here, but this is exactly what so many contract templates are missing. They may have the necessary legalese, like limitations of liability and indemnities, but not an outline of the process and systems to follow, while proper systems and processes are an essential part of avoiding disputes in the first place!

So, think about each step in your process and create a clear outline in your contract of each step in your process and the deadlines for each of those steps. That way, your client knows what to expect when and will be less likely to overstep your boundaries.

2. Spell out what is (not) included in your package

Another essential step of boundary setting with clients is to literally create a list in your contract of all the tasks you do for your clients and spell each task out so that the clients know exactly what each task entails.

A big reason why some entrepreneurs feel like their boundaries are being overstepped is because their clients have a different idea of what they will actually do for them. If your services are too vaguely described, your clients will ask for anything that may fall under that service.

An essential part of the description or scope of your services is, therefore, also to list exactly what is not within your scope. That way, your client knows what not to ask for.

3. Define what happens in case of changes and requests

But what if your client asks you something that is outside of your scope and is willing to compensate you for that extra work? What if it’s something that you might want to do sometimes if you have the time? You don’t want to throw away opportunities, either.

That is why each of my contracts has an extra clause added that states that:

if you agree to provide services outside of scope, additional fees will apply,
the client must understand and acknowledge that deadlines may be delayed because of the extra work, and
it is totally up to you if you want to accept that extra work.

That way, you still have full control. The client may ask for more, but it is totally up to you if you want to do the extra work and the price you set for it.

4. Set your working days and hours

Speaking of time, the next crucial element of boundary setting with clients is setting the days and hours that you work. That way, the client knows when you’ll look at your client’s email, when you’ll be working on their project, when they can schedule a call with you, and when all of that won’t happen.

If you’re working with clients in different time zones, make sure you also specify the timezone behind your working hours.

5. Communication channels make all the difference

The next major component of boundary setting with clients is setting limits on the communication channels you’ll use with your clients. Pay close attention here because this truly is a major part of setting professional boundaries.

I do not recommend giving your clients your personal cell phone number because they will just try to reach you outside of your working hours, even when they know it’s outside of your working hours.

I don’t even share my phone number. If my clients want to talk with me, they’ll have to schedule a Zoom meeting with me. And my scheduler will only give them the times I actually want to be available.

If you must use a phone, use a separate phone number. You also have Whatsapp for Business, which will automatically send a message with your working days and hours if your client sends you a message outside of your working hours.

But the one thing you do not want your client to do is to try to reach you through your Instagram DMs if you are not responding to their text messages or try to contact you through Microsoft Teams, then through LinkedIn, and then through TikTok until you finally respond.

Thus, you must set clear limits on which communication channels you use.

My contracts always state that clients must send messages and other notices by email. In my coaching contract template, for example, the coach must specify:

exactly through which communication tool medium they will have coaching calls, and
through which communication tool the coach will contact the client for check-ins.

Make it clear in your contract what communication tools will be used, and do not even respond to your clients when they try to reach you through other mediums. If they ask why you did not respond to them on Instagram (though the correct medium this time), you just remind them that that is not how you communicate with clients.

6. Set response times in your emails

Also, set response times in your contract, in your email signature, and in whatever other mediums you use to communicate with your clients.

That way, your clients will know when they may expect a response from you, and they won’t overstep your boundaries by sending multiple emails when they do not receive a response to make sure you’ll get back to them.

Ensure you set the response time longer than you usually respond so that you have enough leeway during busy periods. Also, it looks good when you respond sooner to your clients. It makes them feel special.

7. Money is power, so make sure you have it

Another tip for boundary setting with clients is to make sure you do not have to worry about getting paid (on time).

The problem might not be your clients. The problem might be that you are willing to overstep your boundaries because you want to see that hard-earned cash in your bank account.

And clients know that, so do not let them take advantage of that and knowingly overstep your boundaries.

There are multiple ways in which you can ensure you get paid. I have written an entire blog post about this, which you can read here: How to Charge Customers for Services to Make Sure They Pay | 5 Best Strategies.

8. Repeat your rules

If, despite all the boundaries you have set, your client still tries to overstep your boundaries, all you have to do is simply repeat your boundaries. Sometimes, it can be an honest mistake of the client because the client forgot some of your boundaries, like your working hours. So, sometimes, you just need to repeat your boundaries.

Is the client asking for something that is out of scope? Point at your list and reiterate that it’s out of scope.

Is your client asking for additional services (and willing to pay for them), but you do not have the time? Reiterate that although you may provide services out of scope at an extra fee, you are under no obligation to honour such requests (but that you may be able to do that thing in the future when you do have time).

You can say it nicer than I have spelt out here, of course. If you don’t know how just ask ChatGPT to write the email for you!

9. No matter what, don’t break your own rules

And don’t worry about hurting your clients’ feelings or feeling guilty about not being able to give your clients everything they want. Because you simply can’t. You can’t make everyone happy all the time or break your back trying. Your clients will keep asking for more if you keep giving them more than what you agreed upon. And that’s how you create monsters instead of dream clients.

And do not ever break your own rules. If you do not respect your own rules and email outside of the hours you have set in your contract, why would your client respect those rules?

Creating dream clients requires boundary setting with clients but also being disciplined and following your own rules. That’s how you create dream clients and your dream life.

And by the way, if you do receive an email outside of working hours and you have the answer right now, you can still write that email and schedule the email to be sent the next day during your working hours. You can also choose to finish your deliverables outside of your working hours and schedule for them to be sent the next day. You can break your own rules if you want to. Just don’t let the client know that you did!

So these were all my tips for setting boundaries with clients to create your dream clients.

Contracts for setting professional boundaries

As you’ve learned from this blog post, for actual boundary setting with clients, you first need to have a contract in which all these rules are set out.

Do you want a contract that includes the boundaries discussed and all the protections you need for your specific niche?

Head over to my contract shop for all mij niche-specific contract templates with everything you need. You’ll no longer need to worry about how to formulate your boundaries in your contract. They’re all included!

Another 5 steps used for setting boundaries with demanding clients and slow ones

Want to learn more about boundary setting with clients as a service-based entrepreneur?

Check out these blog posts with 5 steps used for setting boundaries with demanding clients and slow ones:

Niche-specific professional boundaries examples

Want to learn more about boundary setting with clients in your specific niche? Check out these niche-specific blog posts on what boundaries you need to set for your clients:

This post was all about boundary setting with clients to create your dream clients and the life you envisioned when you started your business.

Still need a contract template with all the essentials you need for boundary setting with clients? Find the perfect contract template that will help you protect your boundaries, time, energy and money at my contract shop!

Selene Snippe