Ever feel like you’re being ignored?

When I first started out as a freelance copywriter many moons ago, ghosting never really seemed to happen. It feels like it’s been on the rise since Covid and is now a way of life for freelance creatives. In fact, the ProCopywriters Survey 2026 included this question for freelance copywriters about ghosting that was first asked last year:

How often were you ghosted by clients in the past 12 months?

You get an enquiry about a copywriting project, you take time to construct a response, potentially going as far as a formal proposal, and then…?

Nothing. Silence. The client vanishes.

70% of respondents this year reported at least one ghosting incident; 30% reported four or more.

The survey notes: “This is a real, measurable feature of the freelance experience. It is a tax on prospecting time; every proposal that goes unanswered represents lost time and unbillable hours.”

So true.

Ghosting is unprofessional. And it’s bad manners.

My own experience of client ghosting

Here’s a particularly frustrating personal example.

Last May, my friend Richmond Walker and I discovered we were two out of three copywriters invited to pitch by a tech startup providing corporate mental health support. They wanted a freelance copywriter specialising in email marketing to help out with copywriting, A/B testing and optimisations, and tracking/reporting on performance.

We each had a call with the client, submitted a proposal and shared examples of relevant work. The tech client then requested seeing two versions of a sample email (for two different target audiences) based on a brief “to get a better understanding of approach and writing style”.

Oh, and to work on these for free.

The client promised to review samples the following week and decide by the Friday.

A copy test for free isn’t something I normally undertake. However, the project sounded interesting and worthwhile – it was a rolling 30 day contract with potential for a retainer.

Quite a lot of research for the copy samples was needed though. Richmond and I each spent the best part of a weekend on the work.

I submitted my samples, waited a week, then chased up. The client said she’d been pulled onto an urgent project but promised to get back to me that same day.

Nothing happened.

After a few days of zilch, Richmond and I decided on a two-pronged approach. We chased in turn, hoping one of us might hear back.

Six weeks later, we were still without a response.

Can you really stop clients ghosting you? I don’t think there’s a foolproof answer to getting them to spare just 10 seconds to fire off a reply – but there are some things you can do to try and avoid ghosting, including one solution I’ve had good success with.

Three ways to help avoid being ghosted  

1. Get the client’s phone number

It’s all too easy for clients to miss an email from you or for it to end up in junk – it’s happened twice to me in the last few weeks alone. So, all your follow-ups could be getting completely missed.

You need another way to get in touch, but a client’s mobile isn’t always on their email. A direct line number is even less likely with so many people now working remotely.

I’d always requested a number when asking new clients to sign my Ts&Cs, but that’s a later stage of the process and so I now ask for one at the start. Need an excuse to request it? Before submitting your proposal, ask your potential client for a brief call to cover off one or two questions that are easier to ask over the phone (and that won’t require a meeting online).

2. Request confirmation of proposal receipt

Hopefully, your proposal lands in your client’s inbox: ask them to confirm receipt and you’ll know for sure. It also gives you the excuse to send a follow-up email a few days later to see if they’ve any questions or want to set up a call.

I know some freelance copywriters prefer to send a brief to a potential client before quoting. In my experience, clients want an idea of the cost first. I include a link to my client briefing form in my proposal instead.

3. Make it easier for the client to respond

Here’s my antidote to professional ghosting: I call it my “GibsonGate”(!) solution.

I make getting back to me simple and effortless by emailing options for an auto-populated reply. The gate is shut, open or ajar.

My email runs along the lines of:

Hello X

I’d be really grateful if you could take five seconds to click one of the replies below – it’ll tell me everything I need to know.

Sorry Caroline, it’s a no

Caroline, let’s discuss next steps

Could we catch up at a later date, Caroline?

Many thanks!

Three choices. One click. Zero guilt.

How often should you chase a ghosting client?

This is a tricky one as you don’t want to be a pest but you do want an answer. Yes, your potential client could be ignoring you completely – but there’s also the chance that something has cropped up for them.

Clients without a decent-sized marketing department often decide they need a new/revamped website/brochure/ad during a quiet spell – but those good intentions may fall to the bottom of their to-do list when business gets busy again.

These are my rough timings for following up:

1. A few working days days after sending the proposal, ask if the client has any questions.
2. A week to ten days later, add something of use such as a relevant piece of work or flag up a typo you’ve spotted on their current website.
3. Two weeks later, send a gentle nudge.
4. Three to four weeks later, give your potential client an easy way to say “Yes”, “No” or “Not right now” (i.e. the GibsonGate approach).

Good luck with chasing. Unfortunately, you sometimes just have to accept that your potential client has firmly closed the gate without telling you – and, if so, that they’re not the type of client you want to work with.

As for the client I referred to above? Hmmm, I’m not sure I should Spill the beans …

Written by Caroline Gibson, London freelance copywriter and GibsonGater.

 E: caroline@carolinegibson.co.uk  T: +44 (0) 7957 567766