Had a client ghost me for a month after a quote, then reply asking if my 'offer was still good'.

4 comments

4 Comments

Read an article once that called this the "zombie client" problem. They come back to life after you've written them off. In my experience, you have to decide if their money is worth the bad manners. I'd probably reply but update the quote with a small "reactivation fee" or just a higher rate. It sets a boundary that your time isn't something they can just pause and restart. Lets them know their ghosting has a cost.

dylancarr1mo ago

Is it really that big of a deal though? Like @jenniferhart, I get the idea but adding a fee just seems like it starts things off on bad terms. Most clients are just busy or indecisive, not trying to be rude on purpose. If you want the work, just send the old quote again and see if they're serious this time. Making it a whole thing with extra costs feels kinda petty over some radio silence.

thomasb411mo ago

What if they ghost you again after you resend it?

sanchez.ivan10d ago

Been there. My rule now is the old quote is dead after two weeks of silence. When they come back, I send a new one with a twenty percent rush fee built into the total. It filters out the time wasters right away. The ones who are serious pay it without a fuss because they know they dropped the ball. Protects my schedule from getting jerked around.