So you had a magical Zoom meeting with a potential client. You vibed. They laughed at your joke about how brand strategy is basically Dungeons & Dragons for adults. They said, “This looks amazing, I’ll send the paperwork tonight!” You ended the call glowing, already mentally ordering that celebratory croissant. And then… crickets. No follow-up. No contract. Not even a “Sorry, got swamped!” Just total silence. Like they evaporated into the ether. Ghosted. The business kind.

Here’s the thing: it happens to all of us. Doesn’t matter if you’re a one-person Etsy shop or a full-blown agency with matching branded hoodies. Ghosting is a weird little gremlin that lives rent-free in modern professional life, and unfortunately, it doesn’t care how talented or prepared you are. The worst part? It makes your brain spiral. Maybe I scared them off. Maybe my proposal was too ambitious. Maybe they showed it to someone else and that person used better bullet points. It’s like a personal game of emotional Clue, and you never win because you never get the answers.

But here’s what the actual smart people say: it’s probably not about you. We’re wired to fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios. And that’s just… not helpful. Because maybe their budget got cut. Maybe their boss disappeared into a meeting vortex. Maybe they’re trapped under a very large, very disorganized pile of Slack messages. Or maybe they just forgot. Really. That’s it. Humans are messy and forgetful and sometimes avoid uncomfortable follow-ups like they’re allergic to responsibility. So first step: breathe. And try not to take it personally.

Once you’ve paused the spiral, the next step is to do a reality check. Did they actually confirm they were ready to move forward? Or did they say something ambiguous like, “This looks good, I’ll talk to the team”? We’ve all been there—our excitement makes us hear “yes” when they actually said “eventually” or “maybe.” So take a second, reread your emails or meeting notes, and if things were genuinely moving forward, it’s okay to reach out.

Just do it with kindness, not clinginess. A simple message like “Hi [Name], just following up on our last conversation. Let me know if you need anything else from me to move forward—happy to support however I can!” That’s it. No guilt. No neediness. You’re showing up like a person who knows their worth and also knows how calendars work. If they still don’t reply, you can send a second message that’s a little more personal. Not “WHERE DID YOU GO” but something like, “Hey [Name], just checking in—it’s been a while since we connected and I wanted to make sure everything’s okay. Totally understand if things have shifted on your end. I’m here if you need anything!” This does two things: (1) shows you care, and (2) reminds them you exist, which, let’s be honest, is sometimes necessary.

If you’ve done any custom prep work—like building out a strategy, creating a sample, or sketching out ideas—it’s fair to mention that. Just do it lightly. No one likes a guilt trip. Try: “Just wanted to flag that I spent some time tailoring ideas for your team—happy to revisit whenever the timing works better on your end!” It’s gracious. Professional. A little sparkle, no pressure.

But if they’ve ghosted you after all that? If it’s been weeks and you’ve followed up a couple of times and they’re still in digital witness protection? It’s time to let go. Send one final note: “Hey [Name], I’ll assume now’s not the best time to move forward, which I completely understand. Thanks again for the opportunity—I’m always happy to reconnect down the road if things shift!” You’re exiting with grace. No bitterness. No drama. Just a calm, confident door left slightly ajar.

Now. Before you start emotionally spiraling again, remember this: clients who ghost you before you’ve even started working together are likely to be the same clients who ignore deadlines, skip calls, and send confusing 1 a.m. feedback about using “more vibes.” If they can’t handle basic communication now, they were never going to be a dream client anyway.

The upside? You’ve got more space for clients who do communicate, do value your work, and do reply to your emails before the third follow-up. Those are the ones who stick around, recommend you, and make work feel fun instead of like a game of email ping-pong where you’re the only one holding the paddle.

And hey, just because they ghosted doesn’t mean you can’t show up in their orbit again. If their company shows up in the news, or you see something relevant to their industry, send them a quick note: “Saw this article and thought of your team—hope all’s well!” You’re reminding them you exist, but in a cool, helpful, non-sad-ex kind of way.

Finally, here’s the most important part: don’t let being ghosted make you cold, bitter, or robotic. Stay kind. Stay curious. Stay human. Because your reputation for being thoughtful and reliable and maybe even funny? That’s what people remember. Ghosting is not a reflection of your value—it’s just a thing that happens. And you, my friend, are still magic. Contract or not.