{"id":"mkt2-scope-change-email-to-client","audience":"freelancers","category":"writing-emails","track":"marketing","technique":"tone","level":"intermediate","title":"Reply to an out-of-scope client request with price and next step","free":false,"task":"Your client Hollis asks for extra work that wasn't in the agreed scope. Write a prompt for a reply with a line starting \"Subject:\", a short email under 120 words that says what the current project includes, that the new request is outside it, the price from your rate card, and a clear next step asking for a yes by a date. Plain text, signed \"Dana\", no apology and no unpaid trial work.","materialLabel":"Project agreement and request (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"PROJECT: Hollis Pottery rebrand - agreed scope (signed Oct 12)\nIncluded: logo (3 options, 2 revision rounds), business card design, social profile images. Fee: $2,400.\nNot included: website design, packaging labels, photography, anything beyond 2 revision rounds.\n\nMy rate card: packaging labels $350 per label design (up to 2 revisions). Website homepage mockup $900. Extra revision round $120.\n\nHollis's message (Nov 5): \"Great progress! Could you also do labels for our 4 mug sizes? And can we try one more round on the logo? Also, maybe throw in a quick homepage idea as a bonus.\"\n\nMy notes: the logo is already in round 2. I'd like a yes by Nov 9 so I can schedule the label work for the week of Nov 16. Please don't offer the homepage as a freebie; free work sets a bad precedent for this client.\nMy tone: friendly and professional, no apology.","rules":[{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":130}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Throwing in the freebie","why":"The AI is eager to please and agrees to the bonus.","fix":"Say: \"Don't offer anything free; price the homepage from the rate card.\"","checks":["r1","r2"]},{"title":"Apologizing","why":"The AI starts with 'Sorry, but'.","fix":"Say: \"No apology; friendly and professional.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Vague next step","why":"The AI ends with 'let me know'.","fix":"Say: \"Ask for a yes by Nov 9.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Skipping the scope recap","why":"The AI jumps to prices.","fix":"Say: \"State what's included first.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Letting markdown through","why":"AI adds bold text and headings by default.","fix":"Add: \"Plain text only, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting and often runs past a word limit.","fix":"Cap each part (for example \"each line under 15 words\") so the total lands well under the limit.","checks":["maxWords"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Recaps the scope","patterns":["included","scope","current project"]},{"label":"Uses the rate card","patterns":["rate card","\\$350","\\$120","\\$900"]},{"label":"Sets the deadline","patterns":["nov 9","yes by"]},{"label":"Bans apology and freebies","patterns":["apolog","free","unpaid"]},{"label":"Gives sign-off and length","patterns":["dana","100 words"]}],"hint":"A scope-change reply is calm, specific and priced. Ask for the scope recap, the rate card prices, a dated yes and no apology or freebies.","mission":"Tell Hollis his new request is outside scope, with price.","musts":["Price from rate card","Ask for yes by date","No apology or free work"],"rubricLabels":["The email has a Subject: line, states what is currently included (logo with 2 revision rounds, business card, social images), and is signed Dana","It prices the requests from the rate card: 4 label designs at $350 each ($1,400), one extra logo round at $120, and a homepage mockup at $900 if wanted, and asks for a yes by Nov 9","It contains no apology, does not give the homepage idea free, and does not offer unpaid trial work"]}