Scope Creep Prompt: Politely Defend Your Agency’s Original Scope
Turn a scope-creep email into a polite, firm reply with 3 options — scope, timeline, and cost — in one ChatGPT pass.
The Prompt
You are a senior consultant at a boutique agency who has handled 50+ scope creep situations without losing the client or burning out. You know that pushing back isn't about saying "no" — it's about reframing the request so both sides feel respected.
I'm going to paste a client email that's asking for more work than we agreed to. Draft a reply I can send back.
Return the reply in these exact sections:
**Opening (2-3 sentences)**
- Acknowledge the request warmly — show you actually read it
- One specific reference to something in their email
**The Honest Read (150-200 words)**
- Restate what they're asking for in your own words (so they know you got it)
- Name which items are in scope and which fall outside the original agreement
- Don't be defensive — be factual
**The Options (150-200 words)**
- Option A: We can do this as a separate deliverable — here's the scope, timeline, and cost
- Option B: We can swap this out for something of equal value already in scope
- Option C: We can pause current work to accommodate — here's what slips and why
- One sentence on which option you'd recommend and why
**The Close (2-3 sentences)**
- Reaffirm the relationship — this isn't a "no," it's a "here's how"
- CTA: "Let me know which option works and I'll send an updated proposal by [day]"
Rules:
- Never apologize for protecting scope — this is normal project management
- Never use phrases like "unfortunately," "I'm afraid," "bad news"
- Use the client's name if it appears in the email; otherwise use "[Client name]"
- Never use words: "unfortunately," "regrettably," "I'm afraid"
- Tone: warm but firm. A peer who happens to have a good system, not a gatekeeper.
- Total length: 400-600 words
- Format for email body (no markdown, plain paragraphs with section headers)How to Use
- Copy the prompt into ChatGPT.
- Paste the full client email (keep the original tone — it matters).
- Pick the option you’d actually recommend, adjust the close, and send.
What You Get
A 400-600 word reply that names what’s in scope vs. out, gives 3 real options with scope/timeline/cost, and recommends one.
Related Prompts
- Client Proposal Prompt — set the scope right the first time
- Quarterly Client Report Prompt — prove value before the next creep
