For freelancers
Follow up on proposals and invoices without a CRM
As a freelancer, most of your follow-ups are one-to-one: a proposal to a new client, an invoice that is a week late, a client who went quiet halfway through a project. You don’t need a sales pipeline for that. You need to know when to write again, and a short message that is easy to answer.
Three moments worth a follow-up
- Proposal sent, no answer: two or three working days is a common first follow-up for a quote. See when to follow up after a proposal.
- Invoice due or overdue: a friendly reminder a few days before the due date, then on the day after it passes.
- Client went quiet: if you are waiting on feedback or files, one note after a week, with a clear next step.
Template: proposal follow-up
Subject: Re: Proposal for [project]
Hi [Name],
Following up on the proposal I sent on [date]. Happy to adjust the scope or timeline if something doesn’t fit. Would a 15-minute call this week help?
Best,
[Your name]
Template: invoice reminder
Subject: Re: Invoice [number] for [project]
Hi [Name],
A quick reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. I’ve attached it again for convenience. Let me know if anything is needed on your side to process it.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Template: client gone quiet
Subject: Re: [project] next steps
Hi [Name],
To keep [project] on schedule, I need [feedback / files / approval] by [date]. If priorities have changed, just let me know and I’ll pause the work.
Thanks,
[Your name]
Where email tracking fits
SentCue Email Tracking is a Chrome extension for Gmail on the web. You choose which emails to track. In your Sent folder, a gray circle means the email is tracked and nothing has happened yet, and a blue circle shows the time an activity signal arrived. For a proposal or an invoice, that tells you whether to follow up now or give it another day.
A blue circle means that an activity signal was detected. It does not guarantee that the recipient read the message. Some clients block images or use mail security tools, so a gray circle is not proof of being ignored.
The part freelancers use most is the reminder. In the extension’s History you can set “remind me in 3 days if there is no signal,” or remind at a fixed time. Reminders and history stay on your computer.
Why freelancers pick it
- No SentCue account and no Google sign-in screen.
- No promotional footer added to your emails, so clients see only your message.
- Email subjects, recipients and content stay in Gmail and in your browser. Details: what SentCue stores.
What it will not do
It does not send follow-ups for you, run sequences, or keep a client database. It does not work in the Gmail phone app or track Scheduled Send. If you send bulk outreach, a sales tool is a better fit.
Related: follow-up when nobody replies · follow-up after a job application.