What if hiding your process is costing you trust?
We’re taught to guard our work like trade secrets. To only show the polished result, never the messy drafts. To present ourselves as flawless, never uncertain. But clients don’t want perfect. They want human.
Here’s the truth: Transparency isn’t a risk. It’s the glue that binds loyalty.
The Myth of the “Finished” Facade
A chef who hides the kitchen loses the theater of the meal. A magician who never reveals a trick loses the wonder of the act.
We think clients will judge our half-finished ideas, messy sketches, or unanswered questions. But judgment thrives in the dark. Trust grows in the light.
A graphic designer once told me, “I used to send clients one perfect logo. They’d nitpick or ghost me. Now I send three rough concepts and ask, ‘Which feels closest?’ They always reply faster—and stick around longer.”
Showing your work isn’t about exposing weakness. It’s about inviting collaboration.
The Science of Shared Scars
In 2014, a study found that people rate doctors as more trustworthy when they openly discuss diagnostic uncertainties. Not less.
The same applies to your work. Clients don’t expect you to have all the answers. They expect you to care enough to include them in the search.
A software developer who says, “Here’s why the last update broke—and here’s how we’re fixing it,” doesn’t scare clients away. They prove accountability beats perfection.
Perfection is a wall. Transparency is a bridge.
How “Behind the Scenes” Builds Bonds
People don’t buy products. They buy stories.
A furniture maker who shares photos of warped wood prototypes isn’t just selling a table. They’re selling the story of persistence. A consultant who emails, “Here’s the first draft—what’s missing?” isn’t just delivering a report. They’re offering a role in the narrative.
When clients see the sweat, they stop seeing you as a vendor. They see you as a partner.
The Fear of “What If They Steal My Ideas?”
An artist friend once refused to post sketches online. “Someone might copy them,” she said. Ten years later, she’s unknown. The artists who shared freely? They’re booked years out.
Here’s the secret: Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything.
Your clients aren’t hiring you for the idea. They’re hiring you to do the work. Sharing your process doesn’t make you replaceable. It makes you irreplaceable.
The Three Rules of Radical Openness
- Show the “Why” Behind the “What”
A tax accountant doesn’t just send a finished return. They attach a note: “Page 3: We saved you $1,200 by challenging the county’s property assessment.”
Clients don’t just see a deliverable. They see your mind at work. - Celebrate Mistakes (Before Clients Find Them)
A web designer emails: “Spotted a typo in the footer—fixing it now. Thanks for your patience!”
Errors become moments of connection, not shame. - Ask Dumb Questions
A financial planner says, “Help me understand: Why is the 529 plan so important to you?”
Clients don’t want a know-it-all. They want a thought partner.
The Client Who Fired Me (And Why I’m Grateful)
Early in my career, I handed a client a pristine marketing plan. They read it once, nodded, and left. Two months later, they quit. “We didn’t feel involved,” they said.
The next client got messy mood boards, half-written slogans, and weekly “What’s Working?” check-ins. They stayed for seven years—and referred others.
Inclusion isn’t just nice. It’s sticky.
The “Kitchen Table” Test
Imagine explaining your work to a client at your kitchen table. No slides. No jargon. Just honesty.
A lawyer who mumbles about “jurisdictional precedents” loses them. A lawyer who sketches a courtroom scenario on a napkin? That’s a conversation.
Openness isn’t about oversharing. It’s about uncomplicating.
How to Start (Without Overthinking)
- Share one unfinished thing today
Forward an early draft. Post a workspace photo. Recap a meeting’s raw notes. Start small. - Replace “Ta-da!” with “What do you think?”
Swap polished presentations for collaborative chats. Ask, “Does this direction make sense?” before perfecting it. - Create a “Here’s How I Work” doc
Not a contract. A simple list:- I send rough ideas first
- I’ll ask you lots of questions
- Updates every Thursday
Clarity builds confidence.
The Takeaway
Clients don’t stay because you’re perfect. They stay because they feel heard, seen, and part of the journey.
Stop selling finished products. Start sharing works in progress.
The future belongs to those who open the curtain—not those who hide behind it.
What will you share first?
P.S. The opposite of reading this post? Telling a client, “Let me walk you through how I got here.” Try it. Today.