How to Send a Client Approval Request in Under 2 Minutes
You've just finished design revisions. The file is locked down. Now you need to get it in front of the client for approval.
In a traditional workflow, this takes 10 minutes minimum:
- Export the file
- Create an email
- Explain what you're looking for feedback on
- Attach the file (and hope it doesn't corrupt)
- Send
- Wait for feedback via email reply (or worse, a separate message)
- Import feedback back into your project
- Update records
Markum cuts this to 90 seconds. Here's how.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
Without Markum:
1. Finish work (1 min)
2. Export file (2 min)
3. Compose email explaining context (3 min)
4. Attach file to email (1 min)
5. Send (1 min)
6. Wait for feedback (days)
7. Receive feedback scattered across email, messages, or comments
8. Manually consolidate feedback (5 min)
9. Update file based on feedback (variable)
Total: 13+ minutes before you even start working on feedback.
With Markum:
1. Finish work (1 min)
2. Click "Request Approval" in Markum (1 min)
3. Select client (10 seconds)
4. Add optional note (20 seconds)
5. Send (10 seconds)
6. Feedback comes directly into Markum as markup
7. All feedback is organized and actionable
8. Revise file directly in Markum
9. Send revised version for re-approval (30 seconds)
Total: 2.5 minutes before you're ready for feedback.
That's not just faster. That's a fundamentally different workflow.
Step-by-Step: Sending an Approval in Markum
Here's exactly how to do it.
Step 1: Click "Request Approval"
In your Markum project, open the asset you want approved. Top right, click "Request Approval."
Step 2: Select Recipients
Markum auto-populates your regular collaborators, but you can add anyone:
- Your client's primary contact
- Secondary approvers
- Stakeholders who need to sign off
You can even send to multiple people simultaneously and see who's approved first.
Step 3: Set Approval Type
Choose what kind of feedback you need:
- Full Approval — Client needs to confirm it's good to go
- Review & Feedback — You want notes but they're not blocking; you'll iterate
- Revision Required — Something must change before moving forward
This sets expectations. A "Review & Feedback" request feels different than "This is holding up production."
Step 4: Add Context (Optional but Recommended)
Write a brief note explaining what you're asking feedback on:
- "Please review for color accuracy and spacing"
- "Does this copy work, or should we try a bolder headline?"
- "Confirm fonts and make sure the logo is positioned correctly"
This takes 20 seconds and cuts down vague feedback like "I don't like it" because you've framed what you're asking for.
Step 5: Send
Click Send. Markum immediately notifies the client via email and in-app. The file is ready for marking up.
Receiving and Acting on Feedback
When your client opens the approval request, they see your asset with a marking interface.
They can:
- Highlight areas that need changes
- Add comments ("Make this text larger" or "This color is off")
- Draw on the image to show what they mean
- See previous versions side-by-side
All of this markup comes directly into Markum. Nothing gets lost in email. Nothing requires translation.
You see exactly where they want changes and why.
Making Revisions and Re-approving
Once you've made changes:
1. Update the file in Markum
2. Resolve the feedback comments (mark them as "done")
3. Click "Send for Re-approval"
The client gets notified of changes and sees the new version. The cycle continues until everyone's happy.
Every version is tracked. You can go back to "Client's second round of feedback" or "Version before they changed their minds." No hunting through emails for context.
Common Scenarios and How to Handle Them
Scenario 1: Client is slow to approve
Markum lets you see exactly when they opened it and which feedback they're stuck on.
Set a deadline in the approval request. Markum will remind them automatically.
Scenario 2: Multiple stakeholders have conflicting feedback
Markum shows you everyone's comments in context. You can see who said what, and you can even set "final approval" rules — e.g., "Designer final say on visual, Client final say on copy."
Scenario 3: Client wants to see how this compares to the old version
Markum has version comparison built in. They can see old vs. new side-by-side, so there's no "I forgot what we had before."
Scenario 4: You want to request approval from someone who doesn't have a Markum account
No problem. Click "Create Magic Link" and send them a unique approval link. They can leave feedback without creating an account. Their feedback syncs into your project.
Real-World Time Savings
Let's say you manage 10 projects simultaneously. Each project averages 3 approval rounds.
That's 30 approval cycles per month.
- Manual email workflow: 13 minutes per cycle = 390 minutes
- Markum workflow: 2 minutes per cycle = 60 minutes
You save 330 minutes per month. That's 5.5 hours of your time spent on approval logistics rather than actual client communication or creative work.
Put differently: You've just added back a full business day every month.
Scale that across your entire team, and you're talking about dozens of hours of recovered productivity.
Why This Matters Beyond Time Savings
There's a deeper benefit: clarity.
With email-based approvals, feedback gets buried, mixed with small talk, and loses context. A client says "Fix this" and you're not sure which "this."
With Markum, feedback is spatial and contextual. A comment lives exactly where the issue is. You can't misunderstand it.
Fewer revisions. Fewer "I thought you meant something else" moments. Faster to final approval.
That's the real win.
Getting Started
If you're still sending approval requests via email, you're losing time and accuracy.
Markum's approval workflow takes 2 minutes to learn. By your third approval request, it's second nature.
Learn more about Markum's approval workflow →
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Tired of chasing clients for feedback? Try Markum and get approvals done in minutes, not days.