For a business person, I make a lousy client
How a text from my aesthetician got me thinking about freelance emails
Hi Friend,
Back in July, I had an appointment scheduled with my aesthetician. But life got in the way, and I had to cancel. She texted me to ask if I’d like to rebook, and I told myself I’d get back to her. But later became… much later. I’d pick up my phone to text her and then get distracted and forget.
Weeks stretched into months, and every time I thought about rescheduling, I felt guilty. How could I reach out now, after all this time? And should I reach out, not knowing when I’d be available for an appointment anyhow? Wouldn’t that just be annoying to her?
So I just didn’t. I kept delaying (and delaying on deciding when I would need an appointment).
Yup, I was the client that freelancers dread. I was the client I dread. A ghost, but a ghost with a lot of guilt.
Then, earlier this week, she texted me again—just a friendly note to let me know about a location change and to reach out whenever I was ready to book. I replied almost immediately, thankful for the gentle nudge.
That gentle follow-up wasn’t annoying—it was exactly what I needed. She could have worried it would come off as pushy or intrusive, but it did the opposite. Her message was an open door, inviting me to reconnect without pressure or judgment.
The truth is, clients often need this kind of nudge. We’re all human, and life (and work) gets busy. Sometimes, all it takes is a well-timed message to remind clients that we’re here and ready to help. How many times have you needed a gentle reminder from your service providers to get a process started again?
Before you write off clients as not wanting to hear from you again, ask yourself how many times you’ve been in a position where you, as the client, didn’t reach out, let appointments go for too long, or lost contact—and would have been grateful to have them reach out first.
Another great example? My lawn guy. He doesn’t do any work for me from November to March, so it would be easy to lose contact. But he doesn’t wait for me to get back in touch when spring rolls around. Instead, he sends an email in early March, letting me know when he’ll be starting up again and asking if I’d like to continue his services. If he waited for me, I might not get around to reaching out until my lawn was an overgrown jungle—and I might miss out because by then he might be overbooked! By taking the initiative, he makes it easy for me to keep working with him—and keeps his client list full.
I don’t have to think about when I need to reach out to get started again because I know he’ll do it for me. That’s a massive weight off my shoulders.
These small gestures are a huge part of being a successful freelancer. Following up, sending reminders, and sharing updates are practical ways to support clients in maintaining the relationship. Yet many freelancers worry that these check-ins will feel like spam or pushiness.
In a world saturated with ads and marketing, we tend to view all messages as overly promotional, but these follow-ups are different. They’re personal. They’re letting clients know their needs matter to you.
It’s not about pressuring them; it’s about clearing the path for connection, making it as easy as possible for them to continue working with you.
The next time you consider following up with a client, remember that you’re not bothering them—you’re making their lives a little easier. And that’s invaluable.
Here’s a list of ways you can reach out to establish connections with your clients:
You’ve shifted or revised your services or packages
You’re booking ahead for the next month and want to let them know your availability
You’re taking time off and want to let them know your availability
Your clients have been inactive for a while
A quarterly check-in to see how your clients are doing
You’ve read that your client achieved a major milestone (award or product release) and want to congratulate them
The holiday season (or anniversary greetings)
You have new resources or content you feel might be relevant to them
There are changes in their industry you can help them with
Following up on the results of a project you worked on with them
Offering additional support if they go through an expansion or reorganization
Availability emails
Looking for a way to reach out over the holiday season? Check out my post on availability emails (and also on not assuming a “no” from clients). Now’s the time to plan ahead for December. If you work with big companies, many might also be looking to use up what’s left of their communications budget for the year, so that makes this a doubly good time to reach out.
If you’re a paid subscriber, you can see my tips and templates for availability emails.
Here’s to your ongoing freelance success,
Heidi