Working with milestones

When working with milestones, clients will be able to review your workflow and pricing before placing an order. This allows clients to understand your work process and enables you to attract clients with larger orders. Demonstrate precisely what deliverables clients can expect, and when.

Use the milestone workflow to:

• When it comes to conversion, milestones are a great tool to increase Gig interest and sales.
• The added layer of transparency into your process shows clients exactly how you manage your workflow.
• With structured updates throughout the process, your clients know what to expect from you, and by when.
• Limit the (oftentimes unnecessary) inbox dialogue between you and your clients. Instead of asking you to clarify process details, it’s already clear to clients—based on your milestone workflow.

As soon as you add and save a milestone, clients will see the option to use milestones on your Gig.

Note: Only Gigs with a basic package over $100 in the following subcategories can add milestones to their Gigs: 3D Product Animation, Business Plans, Producers & Composers, Desktop Applications, and Social Media Marketing.

This feature also gives the option to:

• Ask that clients pay per completed milestone.
• Update your clients about the stages completed in the work process.

Adding a milestone

When you create or edit your Gig, you can add milestones directly from the 'Description & FAQ' tab.

1. Use an existing milestone template or create your own.
   
   
   
   
2. To add your first milestone, click "Start from scratch". Your first milestone will automatically be created.
   
   Note: You can add up to 5 milestones.
3. Milestone payments are set as 'On' by default. Use the toggle to deactivate.
   
   
   
   

4. Click "Add a milestone" and fill in all the details:
   

   • Milestone name and description
   • Include Zoom option (toggle on/off) 
   • Select Available packages
     
     
     
     
5. Verify that all details are accurate and complete, and then click "Save milestone."

6. After adding your first milestone, you can add a 'substep' (optional) to the milestone, or move on to the next milestone. 

   To add a substep:

   1. Click 'Add a substep,' enter the substep name, and select the 'Available packages.'
   2. Verify that all details are correct and click "Save substep."

   Note: You need to add a minimum of 2 milestones. 

7. Save all milestones by clicking "Save and continue."

Adding milestones to your custom offer

If you don’t want to apply the milestone workflow to your Gig, you can still use milestones in your custom offers to clients. Use milestones to manage your larger projects and use smaller, and more manageable steps—and get paid for each one completed.

Suggestion: Define your revisions per milestone for an even more organized project. 

Creating a custom milestone offer 

Note: Milestones are not available in all categories.

1. Go to 'Messages' and select 'Inbox.'
2. Open a message and click "Create an offer."
3. Select a Gig and click "Choose an order type" (single payment, subscriptions, milestones).
4. Give each milestone a name, state the time it will take you to complete it, and the amount you charge for it.
   
   Note: Custom offers allow for up to 6 milestones per project, with each milestone lasting up to 30 days.
   
   
   
   
5. Clients pay for each milestone upon order placement and upon milestone approval. If a client stops the order after any approved milestone, the order is marked 'completed,' and no further milestones are required.
6. In the final delivery, submit the full project (after your last step in the project) to deliver.
   
   Note: Clients have 8 days from the delivery of each milestone to request a revision or accept it. If no action is taken, the order will be stopped and marked as completed.