Want an unconventional way to bring in clients? Try saying goodbye … and watch some of your potential clients turn into actual clients.
If you have been talking to a client who suddenly stopped replying, you don’t really know what happened. There’s no resolution one way or the other. Did the prospective client find a different person to hire? Did they get busy and never reply? Do they still need your services but maybe just not at this time? You have no idea.
If you have been in communication with a client but haven’t heard anything for a while, send them a polite “breakup email.” You can tailor it to suit your needs, but the basic premise behind it is you provide a gentle push for the potential client to respond that they are still interested … or provide a graceful exit for a client that has no need for your services at this time.
You could write something telling the client that you are assuming that their needs have changed but that you are always available for them should they need you in the future. This provides a potential client an easy way out if they can’t hire you at the moment and lets you move on to finding new clients. It also reminds the potential client that you are a professional resource that they can count on in the future.
This trick to landing clients has multiple benefits. It gives a nudge to prospective clients who may have gotten busy. Your breakup email may prompt them to action. It also keeps the lines of communication open for possible future projects. They may not need your help now, but you’ll be on their mind the next time they need help. And best of all, it gives everyone a way to maintain positive professional relationships.
Author: Melissa Kamenjarin
Melissa is a Success by Rx copywriter and Spanish/English translator, writer, editor and proofreader specializing in educational materials, health insurance, non-profits, and published fiction and non-fiction books, blogs and websites. Melissa is the Secretary and blog writer for ATISDA (Association of Translators and Interpreters in the San Diego Area). An American Translators Association (ATA) member, she is also the Copy Editor for the ATA Medical Division’s publication, Caduceus.