The Pros & Cons Of Using A Notion Client Portal For Design Projects
Over the past few years, the app Notion has grown in popularity. This blank-slate style notetaking and organization app became a favourite for those in creative industries, and it’s something I use almost every day to organize internal work for Figment Branding.
Some creative businesses have also started using the Notion app to create “client portals” for their clients to access files, give feedback, and fill out forms. In theory, these portals sound great and help to keep everything organized, but some may argue that it just adds another step for the client. Let’s dive deeper into the concept of client portals on Notion, and some pros and cons.
What Is Notion & Why Use It?
According to Notion’s website, “Notion is a single space where you can think, write, and plan. Capture thoughts, manage projects, or even run an entire company”. It’s an app that released in 2016 and soon became super popular. With free and paid plans, a lot of people found themselves turning to Notion for anything from notetaking, to expenses tracking. For personal purposes or business reasons, Notion’s free-form customization keeps things open ended. Throughout my time in college, I used Notion to keep track of notes, assignment due dates, and more. Now, in my business, it helps me keep track of project timelines, interal tasks, and blog post scheduling. I’m writing this in Notion right now!
Another great thing about Notion is their collaboration feautre. You don’t always have to have the app to check out someone’s shared Notion page. It is also a website that can be opened in a browser. Because of this, businesses have experimented with the idea of Notion client portals. With the capability to customize and create an on-brand page for clients, it sounds like a great choice, however, I’m personally not a fan of these portals and we’re about to break it down!
Pros of Notion Client Portals For Your Design Projects
If you’re a creative, service-based business owner, the odds are you use Notion, or at least know what it is, whether you use it for clients or not! When it comes to creating a “client portal” or “project HQ”, Notion certainly gets the job done and can help with keeping everything in one place. Here’s a few reasons why Notion Client Portals have some potential.
Organization & Ease Of Use For Business
Like I mentioned earlier, Notion certainly helps to keep everything organized and in one spot. This is a huge pro, but mostly for the business. Although you have to set up and test the portal before sending it to the clients, once you create a portal, you can reuse it for other projects. If you don’t want to create a client portal page, there are tons of amazing templates out there that you can purchase to help you out too! The above photo features an amazing, thorough Notion Client Portal by Abi Connick. Overall, if you’re already used to the Notion app, client portals are a pro.
Cost-Effective & Integrates With Other Tools
Notion does have a free plan that is pretty flexible and you can certainly do a lot with it— that includes these client portals! There is always the option to upgrade to a paid plan, but even at that, the subscription prices are pretty reasonable. Notion also has the ability to connect with other tools such as Google Drive, Asana, Slack, Loom, and more, so not only is everything in the same place to begin with, but all these external tools will stay on the portal page too!
Real Time Editing & Feedback
When you collaborate with others on Notion, you can see their contributions and edits to the page in real time, which helps you gather feedback or information from them quicker. You are also able to ping them by tagging their account on the page to nudge them to complete any tasks they may need to complete. In the web design world, this may include providing feedback on a wireframe, or viewing an overview video and commenting on it. Notion allows clients to be more casual with their comments or conversation since it is not as formal as email.
Cons of Notion Client Portals For Your Design Projects
Speaking as a designer who uses Notion but does not use Notion client portals, I’m obviously a bit biased, but there are some big reasons why I don’t share client portals with my clients. Here are a few reasons I’m against the idea:
Learning Curve For Clients
The biggest issue I have with Notion client portals is the fact that 9/10 clients I work with probably have no clue what Notion is. The last thing I want to do is add confusion or stress to my clients’ life. Adding that on top of the stress of delegating work in your business is not something I want to do! I’ve seen a ton of Notion client portal templates that are super cute, easy to follow, and organized, but a lot of these things I simply do over email. I like keeping all of my communication in one place, and email works best for my business! Having to explain and tell my clients to download an app or open another tab to access important information just isn’t something I align with!
No Invoicing Capabilities
Notion does have a ton of awesome features, but you cannot directly invoice people from here without going through an integration. Most brand and web design studios go through another site, like Honeybook or Dubsado, for these items anyways! I’ve been exploring my CRM Honeybook more to send over questionnaires, scheduling links, and more, so in a sense, that works as a client portal for me! Notion is limited when it comes to the functional business side of things like taking payments and providing receipts, so in a way, it isn’t a complete client portal.
Privacy & Security Reasons
Although we know that Notion is safe to use, clients may be weary when you send them over an unknown link to access their client portal. Also, depending on your Notion settings, the client portal you create could be public, meaning anyone can view the files you share within it. Make sure you have a solid understanding of the app before you start sharing files, because they could end up in anyone’s hands if you don’t have the correct settings checked off! Of course, this con is easily fixable, but it is worth noting.
Is Notion A Good Fit For A Client Portal?
Overall, Notion does get the job done when it comes to creating comprehensive client portals. But the one con that holds me back from implementing them myself is the learning curve for clients. At some point, these client portals become more of an aesthetic thing rather than an organizational thing. It’s great for clients to check back for updates and project milestones, but it is only great if they really do check it.
The app Notion is a game changer for me when it comes to internal organization, client to-dos, and organizing social media content, but I haven’t yet ventured into sharing my pages with others. I’d certainly recommend that other small businesses and freelancers use it to keep track of things, as it really is super customizable and flexible.
If you are leaning towards having a Notion client portal, there are some things to keep in mind. Keep it simple, straightforward, and consider sending over a short tutorial video on how to work the platform. These tips will help the client feel more comfortable with the new application/website you’re sending their way.
Do you use a Notion client portal for clients in your small business? Let us know!
