Start by re-reading the last three things you sent them. Most silent clients went quiet right after something: a submittal that missed, a worker who did not show, an invoice that surprised them. Then send one useful message, not a "just checking in." Then ask the honest question. If nothing comes back after that, close kindly and leave the door open. Three steps, two weeks, no begging.
Step one: re-read what you sent
Before you send anything, open the last three things the client got from you. A submittal. A confirmation. An invoice. A report. Read them the way the client would.
Was the submittal for the right job? Did the worker show up? Did the invoice match the quote? Did the report have a mistake in it? Nine times out of ten the silence has a date, and it is the date of one of those three things. If you find the cause, your next message is about fixing it, not about "reconnecting."
Step two: send one useful thing
Not "just checking in." Not "circling back." Something the client can use.
- A short note on their industry: a rate change, a rule change, a competitor hiring.
- A candidate who fits a role they have had trouble with, with the must-haves answered.
- A fix: "I looked at the October invoice and the overtime line was wrong. Corrected copy attached."
One message. Useful. No question in it except "is this helpful?"
Step three: ask the honest question
A week later, if still nothing: "I'd rather hear it than guess. Did something go wrong on the last order, or has the need just gone quiet?" Clients answer honest questions. The answer is either a problem you can fix or a reason to stop spending hours.
If nothing comes back
Close it in writing, kindly. "I'll stop chasing. If a need comes up, I'm one call away, and I'll check in again in the spring." Then do check in, in the spring, with something useful. Silent clients come back to the agency that did not make the silence awkward.
For account managers: prevent the next one
Most silences start with work that was wrong. The submittal that missed a must-have. The no-show at the gate. Check each one before it goes, and the number of clients who go quiet drops.
Where M-Tracker fits
Step one is easier when the last three things you sent were checked before they went. M-Tracker reads each submittal and confirmation against the order before the client sees it, and a client report sent as a link shows the client what was delivered. Fewer silences start, and when one does, you know it was not the work.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
How long should I wait before step two?
A week of silence on an active order. A month on a quiet account.
Should I call or email?
Email for step two, so they can read it when they want. Call for step three, so they can answer honestly.
What if they went to a competitor?
Ask what the competitor did better. Fix it. Keep the door open. Competitors have bad mornings too.
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