Most approval delays aren’t about the work. They come from unclear asks: the client isn’t sure which file is current, feedback is split across email and chat, and nobody ever says “approved” in so many words. Here’s a simple process that fixes that.
1. Agree what “approved” means up front
Before you share anything, say how sign-off works: “When it’s right, click Approve. If not, tell me what to change.” Mention how many rounds of changes your price includes, if any.
2. Send one thing, clearly labelled
- Number every version: v1, v2, v3. Never “final_final2”.
- Share one link that always shows the latest version, so nobody reviews an old file.
- Add a one-line note of what changed since the last version.
3. Ask a specific question
“Thoughts?” invites open-ended feedback. Try: “Does this match the brief? If yes, click Approve; if not, list the changes you need.” Asking for a decision gets a decision.
4. Keep feedback in one place
Ask the client to comment where the design lives rather than in separate emails. Reply there too, so the reasoning stays attached to the version it was about.
5. Record the decision
When the client approves, keep a record of who approved which version and when. If questions come up later, you can point to it rather than digging through threads.
6. Make the follow-up easy
If you haven’t heard back, a short nudge with the same link works better than re-attaching files. A clear subject line and a good email signature with your contact details help too.
A tool that does exactly this
Approval link gives each piece of work one private link. You upload an image or PDF, or paste a link to a video hosted elsewhere (YouTube, Vimeo, Loom and similar); each upload becomes v1, v2 and so on. Your client sees the latest version, leaves comments, and clicks Approve or Request changes; their name and the time are recorded. It doesn’t send reminders for you and isn’t an e-signature tool; you share the link yourself.