Whilst ghosting is not about you and all about the ‘ghoster’, it can feel really hard to move on from feeling ignored as a freelance fashion and textiles designer. Here’s how to take control and move on after a potential client ignores your project proposal.
The best way to deal with ghosting as a freelance fashion and textiles designer is to avoid dealing with the wrong kind of clients in the first place. Having a ‘spray and pray’ attitude is not a good way to future proof your freelance life. You can’t possibly be the best fit for everyone and so sending a proposal to every opportunity is not a good use of your time.
When you define your niche and structure your business in a way that you understand exactly what type of client is a good fit for you it gives you the clarity to know when to say no to a project and avoid getting ghosted in the first place. When you market yourself to your niche effectively your ideal client will be attracted to your marketing strategy and approach you for a conversation. This is how healthy brands do business.
That said, there will always be a time in business when it’s good to have a strategy to take control of a communication breakdown aka ‘ghosting’ from a client.
What are the effects of ghosting in business?
Ghosting hits humans at one of our most vulnerable weak spots: Our desire to know. Unfortunately the vast majority of humans live either in the past or the future. You want to know about the proposal you sent. You want to know if the client is interested, changed their mind or found another freelance fashion and textiles designer to do the work.
If you really break it down, you probably aren’t that bothered if you don’t land the brief, but you just want to know! This causes an energy drain ‘loop’ which can lead to overthinking, stress, lack of sleep and an increasing strain on your personal relationships; you find yourself snapping at the kids, being distant with your partner and generally feeling miserable.
Ghosting can allow your negative thoughts to take over and just like getting rid of unwanted items to the charity shop, ridding your brain of unwanted thoughts and feelings becomes increasingly difficult. This is particularly true for creative minds and getting ghosted repeatedly can lead to a lack of confidence in your business and ability as a freelance designer.
How to deal with ghosting as a freelance fashion designer.
We want to stop the ruminating thinking before it begins, so having a set strategy in your business to follow up with proposals is important. Always discuss a proposal face to face and never leave an in person conversation without a follow up meeting in the diary to discuss the outcome of the proposal; seven days is ample time. If this strategy feels too much right now in your business use this email script to close the energy loop on any unanswered client proposals.
Subject: Closing The Loop
Hello [X]
Since I have not heard from you on [project/opportunity], I have to assume your priorities have changed.
I won’t bother you again regarding this project, yet it would feel good to work together in the future.
Let me know if I can be of help on another project.
Kind Regards
[Your Name]
This magic email will either give you one of three responses;
“Thankyou but we have changed our mind/chosen another option” You can now move on, stop losing energy and shift your focus.
“No Wait! The range build took longer than we thought, our design director has been ill, [insert other delay]. Let me have a quick chat and I’ll get back to you”
This is what you are looking for and can recharge the conversation to get things moving again. All of a sudden you are desirable and the client knows they need to act to keep you in the project. The effect of this unemotional retreat can be really effective. Any resentment the client had about you harassing earlier will be flipped to feeling guilt about not replying to you earlier.
You have now suddenly become a whole lot more interesting.
Silence. This is the least likely response (I promise you) and you have now eliminated any stress from the situation by closing the energy loop. You have shut the door and can move on, which will increase your productivity, give you clarity and leave you knowing that this client is really not worth your time. If they are this bad at the proposal stage, it’s likely you dodged a bullet!
Mindset
Don’t ask how ‘things are going” or anything else other than being completely practical. You are saying, “No hard feelings – it’s just business.” It’s not being rude, it’s having a clear boundary and humans love boundaries in relationships (personal or business).
Remember ‘ghosting’ is their inability to communicate effectively in the first place; sending this email gives both parties clarity and you are doing your client a favour by letting them “off the hook” by taking control of the situation.
