What to email a client who went quiet after delivery

You delivered the work and then heard nothing. Often the project is simply finished in the client's mind, and your email is one more thing in a full inbox.

Start by making it easy to say "all good". People answer a yes-or-no question faster than they answer an open one, and a short reply is all you need to close the project properly.

Customise this email

What to include, and what to leave out

Include

A clear statement of what you delivered and when, so they can find it.
A single question: is everything working, or is there anything you should fix?
If an invoice is outstanding, mention it once, plainly, in the same message.

Leave out

Hinting that you are annoyed. Silence is not a verdict on your work.
Piling on follow-ups in a short window. Space them out.
Opening with an apology. You are doing your job by closing the loop.

Three versions to copy

Same situation, three tones. Start with the calm one and move to the next only if you need to. The names, dates and amounts are examples; swap in your own below.

Calm

Subject: Did the Northside website go live OK?

Hi Dana,

Checking in again on the Northside website. It's been a little while since I handed it over, and I wanted to check that everything arrived and works as expected.

If you've got any questions or spot anything odd, reply and I'll take a look. And if all is well, a quick thumbs up would make my day.

Thanks,
Sam

Clear

Subject: Closing out the Northside website

Hi Dana,

Checking in again on the Northside website. I'm closing out the project and still need your confirmation that the final files are working for you. Invoice 114 is also still open. Could you let me know either way this week?

If there's anything still to fix, tell me now and I'll deal with it.

Thanks,
Sam

Firm but polite

Subject: The Northside website: final steps

Hi Dana,

Checking in again on the Northside website. I've written a couple of times since Thu 1 Oct without a reply. To close out the project, I need confirmation that the final deliverables are working for you. Invoice 114 is also still open.

I'd like to finish this on good terms. Could you reply this week, even with a short "give me until Friday"?

If I don't hear from you, I'll follow up directly.

Thanks,
Sam

How often to follow up

A pattern many freelancers use. Every business and client differs, so adjust it.

01A day or two after delivery. Confirm they received everything.
02About a week later. The calm version: is everything working as expected?
03About 2 weeks later. The clear version, mentioning any open invoice.
04About a month later. A final note that you will treat the project as closed unless you hear from them.
05At any point. A phone call or a message on another channel often works when email doesn't.