Nobody starts a project planning round eleven. It happens because feedback was never structured, and by the time you notice, saying no feels like an accusation. Fix the structure and the problem mostly disappears.
Name the number before you start
Three rounds included. Additional rounds at a stated hourly rate. Put it in the proposal, not in an email six weeks later. Clients accept limits they were told about; they resent limits invented mid-project.
Define what a round is
One round is one consolidated set of feedback, given once. Not four messages across three days as different people wake up. Say it plainly: "Collect everyone comments and send them together, then I will make all the changes at once."
Insist on specific feedback
"Make it pop" is not actionable, and guessing at it burns your included rounds. Ask converting questions: what should someone feel looking at this? which competitor gets this right? is this about the colour, the size or the spacing? You are not being difficult — vague feedback wastes their money as much as your time.
Get sign-off at each stage
Direction approved, then layout, then detail. Written approval each time. This stops the classic disaster where someone reopens the concept at the artwork stage. If they do reopen it, you now have a fair reason to call it a new round.
Know who decides
Ask early: who has the final word? Designing for a committee with no chair is how you end up with eleven rounds and a worse result than round two.
Say the sentence
When you reach the limit, be warm and factual: "That is round three, which completes what we agreed. Happy to keep going — further changes are billed at X per hour. Shall I go ahead?" No guilt, no lecture. Most clients either approve the extra cost or realise they were fine already.
Separate changes from mistakes
If you misspelled a name or ignored a brief point, fix it free and quickly. That is your error. A client changing their mind about the colour is a change. Being clear about the difference keeps you fair and keeps you paid.
Notice when the real problem is the brief
Endless revisions usually mean the objective was never agreed. If you are on round five, stop designing and go back to the conversation. Ten minutes there beats another week of guessing.