What Should I Do When A Client Ghosts Me?

Approach

When a client ghosts you, here’s a practical approach:

1. Follow Up Professionally: Send a polite email or message after a week of no response. Keep it brief, reaffirm the status of the project, and ask if they need anything to proceed.
2. Set Clear Deadlines: If no response, set a firm but polite deadline for a reply. Mention that the project will be put on hold after a certain date.
3. Offer Solutions: If the client might be stuck, offer suggestions to move forward. Sometimes clients ghost because they are unsure of the next steps.
4. Stop Work if Necessary: If there’s still no response after a few follow-ups, stop working. Inform the client you’ll halt the project until further communication is established.
5. Consider Future Actions: For long-term clients, consider letting them go professionally if this behavior repeats. For first-time clients, it’s better to move on and refocus your efforts on finding more reliable ones.
6. Update Contracts: For future clients, include a clause in your contracts about what happens when communication is halted, including payment terms for partial work completed.

By maintaining professionalism and setting boundaries, you can avoid unnecessary stress and refocus on productive clients.

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