Hey [NAME],

Thanks for reaching out about [project name]. Before we schedule a call, would you mind answering a few short questions to help me understand a bit more about what you need?

1. What prompted you to reach out today? In other words, why are you looking to start this project?
2. Do you have a budget you’ve set aside for this project? And is it over $[X]k?
3. Is there a hard deadline (e.g. an event that you need this project completed by)?
4. Are you the decision-maker of this project?
5. (Optional) How did you find out about me?

If it sounds like we’re a good fit, the next step will be to book a time for an informal 30-minute call so we can meet and discuss your exact project requirements and the ways I could help you. If you have a calendar link you’d like me to use, feel free to send that my way — otherwise I’m happy to suggest some times.

Thanks, and looking forward to hearing back.

[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

Thanks for thinking of us for your business. While this sounds like a great project, and we would ordinarily love to help, we are currently booked solid and aren’t taking on any new clients right now.

[Or]

Thanks for thinking of us for your business. It sounds like a great project, it doesn’t seem like it fits in line. I’d hate to generalize this past and give them the reason this isn’t a good fit for you right now, e.g. budget too low, deadline too soon, etc.

However, I’d love to refer you to a handful of people whom I have a TON of respect for and who may be able to help you out. Here they are:

• [REFERRAL 1]
• [REFERRAL 2]
• [REFERRAL 3]

Best of luck with the project and please feel free to reach out in the future. We might be in a better position at that time.

Again, thanks for thinking of us. Best of luck with [BUSINESS]. [NAME]

Best,
[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

Thanks for answering those questions — everything sounds great! The next step is to book a 30-minute call so we can meet each other, go through your project requirements, and I can give you some more info on how we work to make sure it’s a good fit from both sides. You can use this link to select any available slot on my calendar, or if none of those times work feel free to suggest some of your own.

Finally, if there’s anything that comes to mind that you want to make sure we go over on the call, you can add it to this shared document so we don’t miss anything out. [link to agenda document]

Thanks and looking forward to speaking!

[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

[NAME] here. I just wanted to check back in to see if you were still interested in booking a discovery call with us.

Here’s a link to our calendar and if none of those times work, feel free to suggest some alternatives and we’ll do our best to make it work.

If you have any questions, just reply to this email and I’d be happy to help.

Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]

Hey [NAME]!

It was great to talk to you just now. [Add something personal] The project sounds fantastic, and it was lovely to be able to meet you properly. As promised, I’ll have your proposal sent by [tomorrow]. In the meantime, if you have any questions I’m just an email away. Enjoy the rest of your [day/evening]!

[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

Really enjoyed chatting yesterday!

We would love to work with you to help [PROBLEM].

You already have a lot of the right components in place (e.g. [X], [Y] IN THE BLANKS), and with the right work and a [SOLUTION]…

Here’s a copy of the proposal we’ve put together for you, including the usual inclusions and deliverables.

A few extra things to note about how we work:

• We’re obsessed with testing. Everything. Everything we do will be A/B tested so you’ll know exactly what effect it’s having. We can’t promise everything will be a hit upfront, but with our rigorous testing process, you will always end up with the best version for your audience.
• As this is a longer-term engagement, each month you’ll meet with [NAME] and go over the results from the previous month, confirm what we’ll be working on next, and get any updates from you regarding new products you’re working on.
• Everything will be managed by us, and you’ll have full visibility into everything we’re working on. Additionally, nothing ever goes “live” without your full consent.

Our goal is to provide both quick wins that deliver results fast, along with permanent improvements to your overall conversion rates.

Let me know if you’re interested and we’ll send over the paperwork to secure your spot. Happy to answer any questions you might have for us.

Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

Just wanted to quickly follow up with you to see if you had a chance to look over the proposal. Currently, we have availability to start in [MONTH], which would work well considering your [EVENT/PROMO] in [MONTH].

Want to get the project kicked off? If so, just let me know and I’ll get it sorted.

Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]

Hi [NAME],

[YOUR ASSISTANT NAME] here again. I just wanted to check in to see how everything is going with the project so far.

We’re always looking for ways to improve, so if you have any comments (good, bad, or indifferent) you can either reply directly to this email, or we have created a short survey for you here:

Here’s the link to our feedback survey.

It should only take a couple of minutes to complete and it really helps us keep up at the top of our game!

Looking forward to it and have a great rest of your day!

[YOUR NAME]