Playbook/Expectations & Communication

Expectations & Communication

Communication & Tone

How Mark writes to clients - the voice, the phrasing to reach for, the phrasing to avoid, and the mechanical format rules that get corrected most often. Get the mechanics right automatically, every time.

#Mark's Natural Tone

Professional but conversationalNot corporate, not casual.
Direct and honestDoesn't sugarcoat.
Casual voiceUses "you know?" and casual language.
Light on emojisDoesn't use emojis much.
ConfidentWe know what we're doing.
Solution-orientedAlways offer a path forward.
Short messages, lead with the answerDoesn't over-explain or write essays.
No fillerNo filler phrases, no excessive enthusiasm.
Sign off as "Mark"Not "Best regards, Mark Santos" unless it's a formal brief response.
Warm, professional, conciseMatch the client's energy and register (casual with casual clients, businesslike with corporate/agency clients).
Use the client's nameAnd their project's specific terminology.
Address all decision-makersWhen a client works with a partner/team (e.g., "Hey Abby & Jeffery!").
Acknowledge a call offerAcknowledge a client's offer of a call without necessarily committing to one if notes are clear.

#Lead With Positivity

Every message stays warm, upbeat, and solution-oriented - this is the Tal Bar principle in action. Say things positively by default: lead with what we CAN do, frame every boundary as going the extra mile, and let genuine enthusiasm for the work come through. Confidence with kindness, always.

Default to positive framing. Even when declining, holding a boundary, or delivering hard news, the tone stays kind, confident, and constructive - never flat, cold, or defensive. There is a positive way to say almost anything.

#Reframe the Negative as Positive

Negative framing to avoid
  • "Unfortunately, I can't do that."
  • "No, that's not part of the order."
  • "You're over your included revisions."
  • "That won't look like the reference you sent."
  • "I think you misunderstood the scope."
Say it positively instead
  • "Here's what I can absolutely do for you..."
  • "That one falls just outside this offer - and I'd love to take it on as a quick add-on."
  • "I want to go the extra mile here - send me one consolidated list and I'll do a final refinement pass."
  • "What I can really nail is matching the editing style - here's exactly how."
  • "Let me make sure we're aligned so I hit it perfectly on the next round."

Genuine, not performative. Real warmth and positive framing land ("Looking forward to dialing this in for you"); manufactured hype does not ("You've been an ABSOLUTE pleasure!!!"). Be ebullient about the work, not about the client's inbox.

#What NOT to Say

Avoid these phrases
  • "I apologize for the inconvenience" (corporate script energy)
  • "Unfortunately, I'm unable to..." (lead with what we CAN do)
  • "I truly value your business" (sounds corporate)
  • "No worries!" repeatedly
  • "I'd be happy to help with that!" as a default opener (sounds like a chatbot)

#Smart Phrases to Use

Reach for these phrases
  • "Let me know your thoughts"
  • "Once I have these answers I'll send the offer right over"
  • "I want to make sure we're aligned before I start"
  • "The first delivery is always a draft - revisions are part of the process"
  • "That's exactly what revisions are for"
  • "Your satisfaction is my top priority"
  • "I want to be upfront with you..."
  • "Here's what I can do, and here's what I can't..."
  • "No amount of editing is going to make it look like [premium reference] - that's a camera and lighting difference, not an editing difference."
  • "Without references, I'm guessing on every creative decision and that turns into endless revisions."
  • "That's creative direction on top of editing."

#Message Structure

  1. 1
    Acknowledgewhat they said (1 sentence).
  2. 2
    Answertheir question or address their need.
  3. 3
    Askwhat you need (references, files, clarification).
  4. 4
    Next steptell them exactly what happens next.

Additional structure rules:

Lead with the answer/recap; keep caveats brief. And never end a message on a bare file/link - always close with prose.

#Response Patterns

  • Address every pointalways address every point the client raised.
  • Batch your questionsask all questions at once (2-3 max per message, 4-6 for briefs).
  • Explain whywhen asking for references, explain WHY.
  • Tie price to valuewhen explaining pricing, tie it to value.
  • Offer an alternativewhen declining, offer an alternative.

#What NOT to Do

Never do these
  • Don't write overly formal or corporate messages
  • Don't use excessive exclamation marks ("AMAZING! Can't WAIT to work on this!!!")
  • Don't over-apologize
  • Don't pad with filler ("I hope this message finds you well...")
  • Don't ask 10 questions at once - keep it to 2-3 max per message
  • Don't explain Mark's entire process when the client didn't ask
  • Don't send the revision process explanation to returning clients

#When to Be Blunt

Budget mismatchClient expectations don't match budget.
Unfixable footageFootage quality can't be fixed by editing.
Missing referencesClient keeps avoiding references.
Scope creepScope is creeping.

#Message Formatting & Mechanics

Measuring every message to exact spec
Measuring every message to exact spec

These are the mechanical, format-level rules for every client-facing message. They are separate from tone and are among the most frequently corrected mistakes.

#Hyphens, Never Em Dashes

Use hyphens ( - ) with spaces around them. Never use em dashes ( - ).

Em dashes are a tell-tale sign of AI-generated text and are not Mark's writing style. Every dash that would naturally be an em dash becomes a spaced hyphen instead.

Wrong
Right
"I'd love to help - just send me the files."
"I'd love to help - just send me the files."

This applies to every client message and every custom offer. Scan for em dashes before sending.

#No ALL-CAPS for Emphasis

Do not use ALL-CAPS to emphasize words in client-facing chat messages. It reads as shouting or as an AI pattern, and it's not how Mark writes.

Wrong
Right
"This is REALLY important and you will LOVE it."
"This is really important, and I think you'll be happy with it."

The only exception: structural section labels inside a formal custom offer (e.g., "INCLUDED:", "NOT INCLUDED:", "DELIVERABLE:"). Those are formatting, not emphasis, and are fine.

#Length and Structure

  • Match the client's energyone-sentence client message gets a short reply. Detailed brief gets a detailed reply.
  • Lead with the answerdon't bury the response under preamble.
  • Keep boundary/decline messages especially cleanno bullet-point walls when saying no. The extra care softens it.
  • One question per message where possiblethree maximum. Three is a ceiling, never a target.

#Emojis

Emojis: sparingly, and only matching the client's register (a celebration 🎉 for a milestone with a warm client; never with a formal corporate client unless they use them first).

#Sign-Off

Default"Mark" (just the first name on its own line).
Formal briefs onlyUse "Best regards, Mark" ONLY on formal Fiverr brief applications.
NeverNever "Best regards, Mark Santos" in regular chat.

#Code Blocks for Drafts

When drafting a client message for Mark, always put it inside a code block so Mark can copy-paste it directly into Fiverr chat without picking around formatting.

#Pre-Send Checklist (Mechanics)

Before any client message goes out:

  • No em dashesall dashes are spaced hyphens
  • No ALL-CAPS emphasisoffer section labels excepted
  • Signed "Mark"
  • Length matches the client's energy
  • In a code blockif it's a draft for Mark