So you’ve met with your client and they signed off on the budget and scope for Very Important Project. Discovery is complete, timeline is set and work is in motion. A couple of weeks into the project you get a call, from a somewhat panicked client, explaining their budget has been cut and marketing items are being slashed across the board. What do you do?

My first step is to assure the client that together the two of you can assess the work, perhaps reset the scope, but ultimately find a solution where both of you still come out delighted and looking sharp to your superiors.

In order to do this you need to assess where the project stands. You must ask yourself: How far along in the timeline is the work? Have we reached a significant point where the work can be placed on hold? If the work stops now will the client still have a meaningful deliverable?

If Very Important Project is more than halfway to completion your best move is to work with the client and see where budgets can be moved around. Maybe you have multiple projects going. Can money from one of those be moved into Very Important Project to get it complete? If so, shift budgets, place another initiative on hold and complete the current work. 

Some work has natural phases from start to finish. Perhaps there is a natural stopping point that fits within the new budget. The remainder of the scope can then be put on hold until the next quarter. This way the agency gets paid and the client keeps their work moving along without overspending.

One of the most important things I have found though, if work needs to cease try and make sure it stops when there is a complete deliverable for the client. Whether it’s a script that lacks production, an ad that lacks a media buy or a plan that lacks execution, the client will still have a meaningful, tangible item to show for their money. By moving the project to a deliverable you can ensure that you and your company have moved the client’s work to an end point. 

This is important because things change on the client side. Whether through management changes or further budget cuts, memories can lapse as to why something wasn’t finished or was put on hold. By providing a tangible end product for Very Important Project, your company has solved a problem and respected the client’s needs, not simply stopped work because the original scope could not be finished. Ultimately, the client will remember this and want you first in line as budgets are reinstated and more work is awarded.

What stories or suggestions can you share for mid-project client budget cuts? I’d be interested to hear them.