One of the challenges of running a professional services practice like a law firm (or in my case, a coaching business) is learning not to take silence personally.
I do a lot of free consultations, and only a subset of those turn into clients.
That part doesn’t bother me. What does get under my skin is when someone asks for a proposal. I send it and I follow up. And then I never hear back.
It is not something I would ever do myself, but logically, I know people get busy. Still emotionally, it can still trigger frustration or self-doubt and I know it does for many lawyers.
Recently, I asked ChatGPT for some suggestions of how to follow up. Here is what came back:
“Hi [Name],
I wanted to follow up once more regarding the proposal I sent over. If now isn’t the right time or you’ve decided not to move forward, no problem at all. I’ll assume that’s the case and will close the loop on my end unless I hear otherwise. If circumstances change down the road, feel free to reach out.
Best, Steve”
And then I archive the proposal and the email thread.
I think it’s a pretty good process! It’s respectful, clear, and most importantly, it gives me closure so I can move on without ruminating.
There are also few things I already know, and I’ve written about in the past:
🔹Silence usually reflects someone’s bandwidth, not your value.
🔹You can’t control who responds, but you can control how much mental space you give it.
🔹Sometimes emails end up in spam folders.
🔹A clean disengagement lets you stay professional and protect your own energy.
If you struggle with the emotional side of business development, you’re not alone. Even seasoned professionals have to work at it. I know I do.