I stopped hiding my work. Everything changed.

I used to think that showing unfinished work made me seem unprofessional. Most of the time, I didn't share drafts with clients. I worried about what they would think of me, like I didn't know what I was doing. I felt like I had to appear as the expert they hired.

So, I would vanish for weeks, trying to create the "perfect" solution on my own. Then, I'd present it with confidence, expecting clients to love it. Most of the time, they didn't.

The problem wasn't my design skills. It was my approach.

Here's what changed everything for me: Show your work early. Get feedback fast. Stop guessing what clients want.

This simple shift will save you weeks of wasted work. No more big revisions at the end. No more disappointed clients. No more crushing feeling when they hate what you made. Most designers hide their work until it's "done." Big mistake. By then, it's too late to fix real problems.

Why designers struggle with early feedback

They think showing unfinished work looks unprofessional. Here are the real reasons designers avoid early feedback:

Fear of judgment - What if clients think you don't know what you're doing?

Perfectionist mindset - You think you need all the answers before showing anything.

Lack of process - They don't know how to share unfinished work well.

Pride - You want to look like the expert with the perfect answer.

Bad past experiences - A client once gave you terrible feedback on early work.

The good news? You can fix this with one simple change.

Here's how I do it now

When I start a new project, I don't disappear for weeks. I don't say "I'll show you something Friday." Instead, I stay connected. After a few days of work, I send a simple text: "Hey, do you have 10 minutes today? I want to show you what I'm working on." That's it. Nothing fancy.

This keeps me from going down the wrong path. I can work for days on something beautiful. But if it's the wrong direction, those days are wasted. It shows the client I care about their input. They don't feel left out. They feel included. It takes the pressure off both of us. I'm not trying to read their mind. They're not waiting to be surprised.

I share my screen. I show them rough sketches or early concepts. Nothing polished. I say: "This isn't finished. But does this feel like the right direction?" Usually, they love being asked. Most designers never do this. They either say "Yes, keep going" or "I like it, but what about this idea?" Both answers help me. Both save me time.

Never apologize for rough work

Here's what most designers say: "Sorry, this isn't done yet" or "Please ignore how messy this looks." Stop doing this. You're not behind schedule. You're being smart.

Instead, say this: "I want to show you where I'm going before I keep working. What do you think?"

See what happened?

The first way sounds like you messed up.

The second way sounds like you planned this. You're not slow. You're careful. Think about it like cooking dinner for a friend. You don't wait until the whole meal is perfect. You taste the sauce and ask: "Does this need more salt?"

Same thing with design. Show them early. Ask what they think. Fix it before you're done.

When you do this, clients think: "This person cares about getting it right. They want me involved. They're not just making pretty pictures." They see a partner, not just someone who makes things look nice.

Ask small, specific questions

Don't ask "What do you think?" That's too big. Too vague.

You'll get answers like: "I don't love it" or "Something feels off."

Now what? You have no idea what to fix.

Ask small, clear questions instead:

• Does this feel like your brand?
• Does this solve your main problem?
• What worries you about this?
• See the difference?

The first question is huge. The other three are tiny and specific.

Think of it like going to a restaurant.

Bad question: "How's the food?" Good questions: "Is the soup too salty?" "Is your steak cooked right?" "Do you need more sauce?"

Same idea with design feedback.

When I started doing this, everything changed. Before: "I don't love it." (Now I'm stuck.) After: "I like it, but can the logo be bigger?" (Easy fix.) Better questions = better answers = less frustration.

Bottom Line

Don't be scared to show rough work. It's better than spending weeks on something clients will hate.

Your skills matter. But what matters more? Meeting what your client actually wants. Then you can add all the creative details.

Think about revisions like this: Too many = stress. Too few = you might have missed something.

Early feedback = just the right amount.

Show your work early. Get fewer revisions. Finish faster. Get paid faster.

Most important thing? Enjoy the process. Design should be fun, not scary.

—

P.S. Tired of juggling spreadsheets, losing client emails, and chasing invoices? I created a Notion CRM that puts everything in one place. Over 100 freelancers are already using it to organize their business and land more clients. Get organized here