Building a Claude Project for Client Work: Complete Setup Template and Best Practices

If you do client work - consulting, agency services, freelancing - Claude Projects changes how you maintain context and consistency across engagements. Here's a complete template for structuring client Projects, plus workflows for common client scenarios. ## The Client Project Template This template works for any client engagement: consulting, agency work, freelance services, or professional services. ### What to Upload to Every Client Project **1. Client Background & Context:** - Company overview and history - Industry landscape and competitors - Organization structure and key stakeholders - Business model and revenue sources - Current challenges and pain points Create a 2-3 page document covering these basics. This is the foundation that every conversation builds on. **2. Engagement Details:** - Scope of work and deliverables - Timeline and milestones - Success metrics and KPIs - Budget and pricing structure - Your role and responsibilities Upload your proposal/SOW so Claude understands boundaries and expectations. **3. Brand Guidelines:** - Brand voice and tone - Terminology preferences (what they call things) - Design guidelines if relevant - Examples of content they like - Examples of what to avoid Even small clients have preferences. Document them early. **4. Previous Work:** - Deliverables you've created - Meeting notes and decisions - Client feedback and revisions - Approved vs rejected concepts This builds institutional memory that maintains consistency. **5. Client-Specific Knowledge:** - Internal processes you need to know - Key documents and reference materials - Technical constraints or requirements - Compliance or regulatory requirements Anything unique to this client that affects your work. ### Custom Instructions Template Set these instructions at the Project level: ``` You are assisting with client work for [Client Name], a [industry] company. Key context: - They are [size/stage] and their main business is [brief description] - Our engagement focuses on [scope] - Deliverables must be [format/style requirements] Important preferences: - Use [client terminology] instead of [industry standard terms] - Tone should be [professional/friendly/technical/etc] - Always [specific requirement like "include data sources" or "format as executive summaries"] When creating deliverables: 1. Reference brand guidelines in Project files 2. Maintain consistency with previous work 3. Flag anything that might conflict with scope or budget 4. Format according to [client's preferred structure] ``` ## Workflows for Common Client Scenarios ### Discovery & Research Phase **Use Case:** Understanding client's business, market, and challenges **Workflow:** 1. Upload initial discovery materials (interview notes, existing docs, research) 2. Ask Claude to synthesize: "Based on discovery materials, summarize client's main challenges, opportunities, and our recommended approach" 3. Use synthesis to structure proposal or engagement plan 4. As you learn more, add documents to Project 5. Claude maintains complete context across all discovery conversations ### Deliverable Creation **Use Case:** Creating reports, presentations, strategies, or recommendations **Workflow:** 1. Brief Claude on the specific deliverable: "We need to create a Q3 content strategy for [client]. It should cover [specifics]." 2. Claude drafts using all Project context (brand voice, previous work, client preferences) 3. Review and refine within the Project 4. After client approval, upload final version to Project for future reference 5. Next deliverable starts with consistent context ### Client Communication **Use Case:** Drafting emails, status updates, or presentation content **Workflow:** 1. Give Claude the context: "Client asked about [topic]. Draft a response." 2. Claude references engagement scope, previous decisions, and communication style 3. Review and personalize 4. Save important client communications to Project for context ### Problem-Solving & Strategy **Use Case:** Client presents a challenge or asks for recommendations **Workflow:** 1. Describe the situation to Claude with Project context 2. Claude analyzes using knowledge of client's business, constraints, and goals 3. Get recommendations grounded in client-specific context 4. Document the decision in Project for future reference ## Real Example: Marketing Agency Client Project **Client:** B2B SaaS company, Series B, targeting operations teams **Engagement:** 6-month content marketing and SEO engagement **Project Contains:** - Client brand guidelines (15 pages) - Product documentation and positioning - Competitive analysis - Target audience research - Previous content calendar and performance data - 20 published blog posts - Client feedback on content - SEO strategy and keyword research **Custom Instructions:** ``` You are assisting with content marketing for [Client]. They sell operations software to mid-market companies. Content requirements: - Target audience is operations managers, not technical buyers - Tone is practical and direct (see examples in Project files) - Always focus on outcomes, not features - Include real examples, not hypotheticals - They call it "workflow automation" not "business process management" When creating content: 1. Reference keyword strategy and SEO targets 2. Maintain consistency with published content voice 3. Use their product terminology and positioning 4. Format as: headline, summary, 3-4 main sections, conclusion ``` **Typical workflow:** *Creating a new blog post:* "We need a blog post on [topic] targeting the keyword [keyword]. It should follow our standard structure and voice. Here's the outline I'm thinking: [outline]" Claude drafts the post using: - Brand voice from guidelines and examples - Product positioning from documentation - Keyword optimization from strategy docs - Structure and tone consistent with previous posts The result needs minimal editing because Claude has complete context. ## Agency-Specific Tips **Create Client Projects Early:** Set up the Project during onboarding, not after you're deep in the work. Front-load the context gathering. **Involve Junior Team Members:** Projects distribute senior knowledge to junior team. They can create quality work because they have access to all context and previous examples. **Maintain Project as Deliverables Develop:** After client approval, upload the final version. This builds a library of approved work that maintains quality and consistency. **Share Projects Across Account Team:** On Team plans, everyone working with the client shares the Project. No more "where's that doc?" or "what did the client decide about...?" ## Consultant-Specific Tips **Document Decisions and Rationale:** After strategy calls or key decisions, write a brief summary and add to Project. This prevents re-litigating decisions later. **Use Projects for Client Education:** Clients often ask the same questions. Upload your explanations so Claude can provide consistent answers. **Structure Multi-Phase Engagements:** For long engagements, organize Project files by phase. Makes it easier to find relevant context. **Maintain Project After Engagement:** Don't delete Project when engagement ends. If client returns, you have complete context ready immediately. ## Freelancer-Specific Tips **Template Your Project Structure:** Create a blank "New Client" template with standard sections. Copy it for each new client, then customize. **Start Small:** Don't wait to have complete information. Create Project with basics, add more as you learn. **Use Projects to Scale:** Projects let you handle more clients by maintaining context without mental overhead. Each client's context is isolated and accessible. ## Measuring Project Effectiveness **Time to First Draft:** How long from brief to initial deliverable? Should decrease dramatically. **Revision Cycles:** Fewer revisions if Claude is working from complete client context and preferences. **Client Satisfaction:** Track client feedback. Better context = better fit = happier clients. **Team Efficiency:** How many people can work on a client without bottlenecks? Projects distribute knowledge across team. ## Quick Takeaway Client Projects should contain: background, engagement scope, brand guidelines, previous work, and client-specific knowledge. Set custom instructions for consistent behavior. The workflow is: upload context once, then every conversation about that client has complete context - no more explaining background or tracking down documents. This template works for any client relationship: consulting, agency, freelance, or professional services. Customize the sections to fit your specific work, but the structure stays the same.