From week six of every project we send the client a staging link every Friday. It is the most useful habit we have, and also the one we got wrong for the longest time.
We used to send a link to the homepage and a list of changes. Clients clicked the homepage, scrolled, and replied looks great. The changes they needed to see went unseen.
Send the path, not the page
Now every Friday link opens a short route through the product: the three screens that changed, in order, with a one-line note on each. The client clicks next, not around.
- Three changes per link, never more.
- Real data, never lorem ipsum.
- A question at the end that needs an answer.
Ask one question
Each link ends with one decision we need from the client. Replies went from looks great to answers we can build on, and our Monday mornings got quieter.
A staging link without a question is a demo. With a question, it is a review.
If your team sends weekly builds, try ending the next one with a question.
