In the past few years Shauna and Sylvie have gotten all sorts of questions and naturally ran into some
challenging situations with clients. Communication with clients is sometimes difficult, takes time and is
often hard work. We know how hard it sometimes can be to craft a simple, polite yet firm response to some
clients. That’s why we set down and brainstormed about common client occurences.
To help make the most of your time, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite templates for making e-mail
communication much easier and less time consuming for our students and alumnus. Simply copy and tweak
the template you are liking … and send it off. It’s as easy as that.
PS: If you have a client issue that needs an e-mail template, please e-mail us at
[email protected]. We constantly update this list and are happy to include your case.
Also, by using this templates you acknowledge that we cannot guarantee any particular outcome or result
based on the text provided. Following any recommendation provided is at your own risk.
E-MAIL TEMPLATES __________________________ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
1.
You need ask your network to help you find new clients. _______________________________________ 3
2.
You need a referral to a potential new client. _____________________________________________________ 3
3.
You have been asked to refer someone to someone else. _______________________________________ 4
4.
You need to ask for a written testimonial __________________________________________________________ 4
5.
You need to ask for a Linkedin recommendation _________________________________________________ 4
6.
You need to write a Linkedin recommendation for someone else _____________________________ 5
7.
You need to write a thank you note for an existing client._______________________________________ 5
8.
You want your client to recommend you to others _______________________________________________ 5
9.
You need to follow up with a client who didn’t respond to your e-mail _______________________ 6
10.
You need to turn down a client’s request _________________________________________________________ 6
11.
You need to respond to a client who wants to meet you “immediately” _____________________ 7
12.
You need to respond to a client who wants to reschedule an appointment _________________ 7
13.
You need to respond to a client who complains about your service _________________________ 8
14.
You need to say no to someone who tries to “pick your brain” _______________________________ 8
15.
You need to say no to a returning client you don’t want to work with anymore ___________ 8
16.
You need to explain a client that he/she is trying to do your job _____________________________ 9
17.
You need to respond to a client who has been rude to you ____________________________________ 9
18.
You need to say no to a committee or group you don’t want to join _________________________10
19.
You don’t know or understand what the sender is asking for ________________________________10
20.
You need to say no to someone who wants to negotiate your price _________________________10
21.
Your client changed his/her mind about specific services after hiring you ________________11
22.
Your client is making a task too difficult or overcomplicates it. _____________________________11
23. You have problems with someone in your corporate client’s team (or network) and you
have to reach out to the manager ________________________________________________________________________12
24.
You made a mistake and need to tell your client _______________________________________________12
25.
You need to tell your client that you won’t be able to deliver in time _______________________13
26.
You need to tell your client that you need extra time _________________________________________13
27.
You need to tell your client that his/her payment is overdue ________________________________14
28.
You need to tell your client that his/her payment is really, really, really overdue _______14
29.
You need to respond to a client who isn’t able to pay you yet ________________________________14
30.
You need to tell your clients that you’ve raised your rates ___________________________________15
31.
You need to respond to someone who complained about your increase of rates _________15
32.
You want to reach out to a client you haven’t heard from for a while _______________________16
33.
You need to invite an applicant (employee or intern] for a job interview _________________16
34.
You are offering a job to an applicant (employee or intern) _________________________________17
35.
You need to turn down an applicant (employee or intern) ___________________________________17
1. You need ask your network to help you find new clients.
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. As you know, I have started my business [company name and website link] in
[month and year]. I offer [service description] to [client description].
I am constantly looking for new clients, ideally in the [branch, industry, profession, area].
If you know of any opportunities or leads that you might be able to share with me, please send
them my way. Below, I have included a list of my [past experience or testimonials], my [mission or
vision statement], and my list of [services and prices]. I have also attached [my profile or LinkedIn
profile] for your reference, and feel free to pass it along.
Thanks in advance for your help! I hope you all are doing well and hope to catch up with you
individually soon.
Best regards,
[Your name]
2. You need a referral to a potential new client.
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I’ve recently started/expanded my business [company name and website link]
and discovered a potential client who would be a great fit: [clients name with link to profile or
website].
I noticed that you’re connect to [target name], who is a [job title] at [company name], and was
hoping that you could introduce us. If you feel comfortable doing so, your referral would mean a
lot to me.
I’ve included a few lines on me below, as well as my [profile or LinkedIn Profile], to provide
context. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can provide that might be helpful.
Thank you so much in advance for your help. It really means a lot to me.
Best regards,
[Your name]
3. You have been asked to refer someone to someone else.
Hello [contact name],
I was asked by [referral name], a [former colleague, fellow image consultant] for an introduction to
you. I know you’re busy, but thought it could be a useful connection because [reason why].
I wanted to ask you first. Please, let me know if it’s okay to share your contact details.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
[Your name]
4. You need to ask for a written testimonial
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for you business. Happy clients are vital to the success of my business as
are repeat business and referrals. I would appreciate it if you could spare just a few moments to
write a testimonial on my service including what you liked most about us.
To help you with this request, the following questions may prompt some thoughts for you:

What would you say is unique about me and the way of doing business?

In what ways did I make it easy for you to do business with me?

Would you recommend me to others, or should the opportunity arise, would you use my
services again?
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about my request. I sincerely
appreciate your help and look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
[Your name]
5. You need to ask for a Linkedin recommendation
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I was wondering if you could write a short recommendation for me to put on
my Linkedin profile.
It would be great if you could include examples of benefits and results you received as a result of
working with me.
To make this easy for you, I’m adding some ideas. Feel free to edit them or create your own:
[list of things you’d like to see included in the recommendation]
Thank you very much in advance.
Best regards,
[Your name]
6. You need to write a Linkedin recommendation for someone else
I had the pleasure of working with [name] for [duration] at [company or project or location]. I was
particularly impressed by [name]’s ability to handle [description of the task or skill]—and
effortlessly. That skill often takes years to develop among professionals, but it seemed to come
perfectly naturally to [name]. As a [current job title], [name] earns my highest recommendation.
7. You need to write a thank you note for an existing client.
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for meeting with me today. It was such a pleasure to learn more about you
and your goals. I’m very excited about the opportunity to working with you and helping you reach
[individual description of clients goal].
I look forward to hearing from you again about the next steps in your personal image
improvement, and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide additional information.
Best regards,
[Your name]
8. You want your client to recommend you to others
Hello [contact name],
I’m so glad you enjoyed working with me, and I really appreciate the kind words [at our last
meeting or in your last e-mail]. With your permission, I’d love to quote you in the “testimonials”
section of my website.
And while we’re on the subject of good work, I wanted to mention that I’m currently booking
clients for [month], and I have room for about [number] more people on my schedule.
I love working with people who care about their image and are excited to improve it - people like
you! If there is somebody in your orbit who might benefit from the work that I do, feel free to send
them my way. I promise to take good care of them.
Feel free to share your experience with them, also my contact details, or point them to my
website.
My services are listed here: [website]
My client testimonial page is here: [website]
Thank you very much in advance. I really appreciate your help.
Best regards,
[Your name]
9. You need to follow up with a client who didn’t respond to your e-mail
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I know how busy you probably are, but I recently send you an email/responded to your e-mail on [date] regarding [topic or context], and wanted to check in on
your decision timeline. I am excited about the opportunity to work with [you or company name]
and help you [service description based individual goal].
Please let me know if it would be helpful for me to provide any additional information, or if you
have any further questions.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards,
[Your name]
10.You need to turn down a client’s request
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for your request to [description of the request]. I appreciate you taking the
time to consider me as your potential partner and service provider for this task.
While this task seems like a great opportunity, I have decided to not work on it because
[description of the reason].
It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, and I hope that we cross paths in the future. Again,
thank you for your consideration, and I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]
11.You need to respond to a client who wants to meet you “immediately”
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I’m actually already booked right now,

but I’m happy to squeeze you in this once.

but I’m sorry to let you know that my next opening is on [date].
Please, let me know how you’d like to proceed. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
12.You need to respond to a client who wants to reschedule an
appointment
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I’m sorry to hear you won’t be available on [date].
I’m usually not able to reschedule appointments because of the way I book them, but you have
been truly nice to work with so far, so I’m happy to offer you a new appointment on [date] or
[date].
Please, be aware that this is a exception, and that I usually charge extra for rescheduling.
I’m looking forward to meeting you soon.
Best regards,
[Your name]
13.You need to respond to a client who complains about your service
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. I’m sorry to hear you haven’t enjoyed working with
me. I’m surprised because I’ve never heard any complaints of this kind before. I feel like I’ve done
my best to serve you. Therefore, please can you clarify more of what you have been looking for
instead.
Perhaps a [skype or personal conversation] will help us to discuss your issues. Please, let me
know when you would be available.
Best regards,
[Your name]
14.You need to say no to someone who tries to “pick your brain”
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for reaching out to me. As you can imagine, I get many requests for advice
on [topic].
-
I’ve compiled all of my best tips into a blog post [link]
-
I’ve an FAQ section on my website which might be helpful for you [link]
-
I’ve found this interesting article on the internet for you [link]
-
I host a meeting / training / session on [date] where I answer lots of questions about this
topic [link]
I hope this helps. Best of luck to you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
15.You need to say no to a returning client you don’t want to work with
anymore
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I’m honored to hear you are again considering to
work with me. I know we worked on [description of service] and I’m happy we did. However, I’m
currently overbooked with clients and can’t take any additional appointments in the near future.
For that reason I recommend [list of other consultants in the area]. They are well-known as well
and I hope one of them will be able to help you asap.
Thank you very much for your understanding. I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]
16.You need to explain a client that he/she is trying to do your job
Hello [contact name]
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I appreciate your feedback and input, but please let
me keep the driver seat on this. You hired me because of my expertise, and I do hope that you
trust me.
I know no one knows you [your company] better than you do, but sometimes we are blinded by
being so close. It’s my job as your image consultant to go through all your ideas, come up with
new ones and direct you in the right direction. Please, trust me on this, because otherwise

[consequence]

[consequence]

[consequence]
Thank you very much for your understanding. I’m looking forward to hearing again from you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
17.You need to respond to a client who has been rude to you
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I appreciate your feedback and I understand your
frustration. However, in a professional relationship, there is no need to [yell or curse] at me. I take
this very seriously, because I’m doing my best to [description of your service]. But I do not
appreciate this kind of communication. Thank you very much for your understanding.
I’m happy to work with you and I’m looking forward to meeting you again.
Best regards,
[Your name]
18.You need to say no to a committee or group you don’t want to join
Hello [contact name]
This is an honor—thank you so much for thinking of me! However, with my current schedule, I
wouldn’t be able to take on such an important role and give it 100%. I would feel terrible letting
the rest of [the organization] down.
I hope you understand, but my work schedule is packed and therefore I have to pass on this. I
also hope you’ll find another colleague who can better support you. Thank you again for your
consideration, and I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]
19.You don’t know or understand what the sender is asking for
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for your e-mail. In the interest of getting back to you promptly with the right
answers, could you help me understand exactly what you’d like me to assist with? Can you
please give me a little bit more context on [the situation or the question], or send over [addition
information or pictures]?
Once you send that over, I’ll be able to respond shortly.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
20.You need to say no to someone who wants to negotiate your price
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I realize that this is a large
investment, but I can assure you that I am delivering a top-notch service that you won’t receive
with a low-cost alternative. I have [years] of experience and I’m certified by [education or school].
Included in my services is [description of what makes you stand out]. If you hire me you’re sure to
see [potential result] and [potential result].
If you’re not ready to invest in your image yet, I understand. Please, keep me in mind for the
future! As soon as you are ready to take your image to the next level, feel free to reach out to me.
I’m looking forward to hearing again from you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
21.Your client changed his/her mind about specific services after hiring
you
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for sending your e-mail including the new ideas and requirements you
have. I’m definitely happy to adjust our current agreement to reflect these changes. I’ve outlined
them for your convenience:

[Change request 1]

[Change request 2]

[Change request 3}
Just to let you know, these [new or additional] requirements are not covered by our current
agreement and actually require us to [draw up a new agreement or negotiate a new price]. Let me
know if you agree with the changes described above, and how you’d like to proceed.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
22.Your client is making a task too difficult or overcomplicates it.
Hello [contact name],
I was thinking about [description of task] today.
I had a few thoughts on how we could simplify the [description of the process]—and achieve the
exact same result, or possibly an even better result, a bit more efficiently.
Could I share my thoughts with you? I came up with a simple approach that could save you [time
and money], and I hope you’d be open to hearing it. Today, at [time] would be ideal for me, but if
that doesn’t work, let me know a date or time that does.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
23.You have problems with someone in your corporate client’s team (or
network) and you have to reach out to their manager
Hello [manager’s name],
I know you’ve got a lot going on, and I don’t want to add anything more to your list, but there’s
something I’d like to discuss with you.
There’s a situation that has come up—that I’m a part of—and I’m here to find a solution, with your
help.
Whenever [person’s name] does [description of the situation that is causing the conflict], I‘m
worried [description of the impact on the project]. This situation has come up several times:
[description of two or three incidents].
I respect [person’s name] and I enjoy being part of this team, but these situations are making it
harder for me to do my work, effectively.
I want to resolve this before it turns into a bigger problem, for both of us. I’ve tried to resolve it on
my own by [description of what you’ve tried], but that didn’t have the effect I was hoping for.
This is why I’m seeking your help and I’m hoping that you might be willing to offer some guidance.
I’d really like to find a solution that makes all of us happy and ensures the success of our project.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
24.You made a mistake and need to tell your client
Hello [contact name],
Yesterday, I learned that [description of what happened].
I am working around-the-clock and I always look for ways to better service my clients. I sincerely
apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you, and I’m working tirelessly to ensure
this issue doesn’t happen again.
Should you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Thank you very much for your understanding!
Best regards,
[Your name]
25.You need to tell your client that you won’t be able to deliver in time
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. As you know the deliver date for [description of the task] is approaching. I’m
writing you to give you an update on the status of the project.
Unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to meet the deadline. I take full responsibility for this issue:
[reason for the delay]. This is by no means a normal occurrence. I’m working as hard as I can to
fix the problem and get the [task] ready.
To get ready [as soon as possible or until date], I am [description on how you will resolve the
issue].
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Once again, I
apologize sincerely for the delay.
Thank you very much for your understanding!
Best regards,
[Your name]
26.You need to tell your client that you need extra time
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I’m just writing you to share an update about the progress of [description of
the task].
Things are progressing nicely, however [problem task] is taking longer than I’ve anticipated. I’m
hoping to complete it until [date].
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Once again, I
apologize sincerely for the delay.
Thank you very much for your understanding!
Best regards,
[Your name]
27.You need to tell your client that his/her payment is overdue
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I’m just letting you know that I haven’t receive the payment of [amount] for
the invoice [number or date] yet. I’ve attached a copy for your convenience.
As stated on the invoice, payment is due [date]. I know it’s easy to forget these things, so let me
know if you have any questions or when you plan to send the money through.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
28.You need to tell your client that his/her payment is really, really, really
overdue
Hello [contact name],
On [date] I sent you invoice [invoice number] for my services and the total amount of [amount].
I’ve attached a copy for your convenience.
I still haven’t received payment for this invoice, after my previous e-mail and reminder from [date].
According to my payment terms a late payment penalty of [amount] will apply if I do not receive
payment until [date].
Please, send payment immediately, or contact me if you are having difficulties, and I’ll happily
work on a solution together.
Thank you very much in advance!
Best regards,
[Your name]
29.You need to respond to a client who isn’t able to pay you yet
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for being so honest with me about your financial situation. I am happy to
offer you a payment plan. I’d be willing to split payment up as outlined below.

Payment 1: [percentage or amount] due on [date]

Payment 2: [percentage or amount] due on [date]

Payment 3: [percentage or amount] due on [date]
I hope this is helpful and makes it easier for your. Just keep in mind that otherwise I’ve to inform
my legal adviser about this case.
Best regards,
[Your name]
30.You need to tell your clients that you’ve raised your rates
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are well. I’m excited to update you on some changes going on at my business [name].
Over the last years I’ve been working with some top clients like you to [service description]. I’ve
watched clients like you flourish and I want to continue to grow and offer the service and results
you’ve come to expect from me.
In order to remain competitive while still retaining my quality, starting next month, I’m increasing
my rates. The new rate reflects my increased experience, quality service and reputation within
our industry. I’ve attached a new rate sheet so you can see how the changes will affect your
favorite services [attachment or link].
Rates increases are an important part of doing business, and I hope I can continue to serve you
long into the future. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to
me.
Thank you very much for your understanding!
Best regards,
[Your name]
31.You need to respond to someone who complained about your increase
of rates
Hello [contact name],
Thank you very much for reaching out to me. I’m sorry to hear you were not happy with the last email I’ve sent. I realize that this is a large increase for some of my clients. But I haven’t just
randomly increased my rates, instead I’ve [mention reason again]. I’m sure you’ll see the
difference.
Because I enjoy working with you, I’m willing to offer you a one time discount of [amount or
percentage or hours]. Please, understand this as a one-time offer, and any future projects will fall
under my new rates.
I really hope that you still are willing to work with me, because I really enjoyed helping you with
your image. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Thank you very much for your understanding!
Best regards,
[Your name]
32.You want to reach out to a client you haven’t heard from for a while
Hello [contact name],
I hope you are doing well. I haven’t heard from you in while and I just wanted to make sure
everything is alright.
Please, let me know how you are doing, or let me know if I can help with anything.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
33.You need to invite an applicant (employee or intern] for a job
interview
Hello [contact name]
Thanks for your application. I’ve been impressed by your background and would like to invite you
to interview [at my office / via Skype / via phone] to tell you a little more about the position and get
to know you better.
Please let me know which of the following times work for you, and I can send over a confirmation
and details:

[Date and Time 1]

[Date and Time 2]

[Date and Time 3]
I’m looking forward to meeting you
Best regards,
[Your name]
34.You are offering a job to an applicant (employee or intern)
Hello [contact name]
I have really enjoyed [speaking with you] or [getting to know you over the course of the last few
weeks]. I have been impressed with your background and approach and would love to formally
offer you a position as a [job title] at [company name].
I can offer you a [$X] annual base salary, [benefits details] and [number of days] of vacation per
year. We can discuss start dates based on what is possible on your end. However, I’d be excited
to have you start on [date].
Please, let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss the offer in more detail. I
would be thrilled to welcome you to my team!
Best regards,
[Your name]
35.You need to turn down an applicant (employee or intern)
Hello [contact name],
Thank you so much for your application to [company name]. Unfortunately, I am not able to offer
you an [interview or position] at this time.
Please do not hesitate to keep in touch and reach out if we have another role you think you could
be a fit for in the future.
Thank you again for your consideration, and I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]
Thank you again for your consideration, and I wish you all the best.
Best regards,
[Your name]