That 5 PM Friday email I sent last month cost me a $3k retainer

I was rushing to wrap up a proposal before the weekend and hit send without double checking the tone. It came off way too pushy, basically demanding an answer by Monday. Client forwarded it to their boss and they pulled the whole thing. My buddy in Dallas said he always drafts the hard emails, sleeps on them, then sends Tuesday morning. Ive started doing that and already got a yes on a smaller gig. Anyone else burn a deal with a rushed send?

2 comments

2 Comments

kellyallen4d ago

Honestly the sleep on it thing works but it's not just about the timing. The real trick is reading it out loud to yourself, you catch the pushy tone way faster that way.

lucashenderson4d ago

Reading it out loud is the move, I heard some communication coach talk about that once. Your ears pick up on the fake nice stuff way better than your eyes do. Also helps with the filler words, all the "just" and "maybe" that water down what you're actually asking for. Last week I wrote a work email, did the read aloud thing, and cut half the sentences. Sounded way more direct, less like I was begging for a favor. It's almost like hearing it from someone else's side.