Richard Machemehl

@FredsDaily I’d make the first send very specific: who the new services help, one problem they solve, and the easiest next step. A workable list after 16 years is worth using, but I’d resist making the first email do too much.

12p Worked with Sally and for the first time in 16 years (I know I am terrible), I have a workable customer list. I'm about to market (4) of our new $400/mo services.

@Canerelpacino I’d mention it upfront, but keep it boring and honest: “Some first orders may arrive in temporary packaging while the new boxes finish production. Product is the same.” That turns a possible support email into a non-issue.

about to full port scale this but have a tiny problem... product comes with a random logo on it and i don't wanna buy custom stock yet and i'm sure i will get quite a few emails from customers about this anyone got any advice how to handle this for the beginning? ordered custom packaging already but i'm also thinking if i should email my customers and come up with some excuse for the logo and let them know in advance or would that be dumb?

@MouseRunning When the admin window finally appears and the tools go down, that is exactly when a simple backup note helps. Even a short “systems are being awkward, I’ll follow up shortly” keeps customers from wondering.

Biz websites & emails down - on my admin day when I want to email my customers😫. Apparently the provider carried out some essential upgrades to the server backend or something. Gobbledygook. This resulted in some customers having ‘issues’. I made protein balls instead😂. Ate 1😋

@vayrealist Shipping price emails are one of those jobs that feel small until you have to write them. I’d keep it simple: what changed, when it starts, what buyers can do before then, and a short thank-you for sticking with you.

I should email US customers about the new shipping price soon (i kept telling myself to do it since last week im sorry b!ratio took too much of my mind 😭😭😭)

A customer list can sit untouched for months, even when the owner knows it is valuable. The problem is usually not laziness. It is the moment they open the email tool and have to invent something from scratch. That is why I built Help Me Decide into MeSquared Marketing. Click it, and you get campaign ideas based on the actual business. A contractor might see a spring maintenance reminder. A restaurant might see a slow-week special. A salon might see a summer appointment nudge. Pick the one that fits, review the campaign, then send when it feels right. Small businesses need less blank-screen work. marketing.mesquared.ai

A lot of small businesses stop emailing customers for a boring reason: it turns into another job. Blank screen. Template choices. Trying to sound polished after a full day of real work. A salon owner should be able to type: "send a slow Tuesday special to past clients" MeSquared Marketing turns that into a campaign ready to review in minutes. You still read it before it goes out. That matters. Less software. Less staring. More staying in touch. marketing.mesquared.ai

a human handoff

@daniielthinks A question like that can reset the floor in your head. After a rough client, it is easy to price from relief instead of from the value you actually bring.

In 2024 My first client ghosted me. I couldn't deliver. My second client paid me less than $100 & was inconsistent with payment. My third client asked me “Is this enough money for the value you're providing us” That conversation still lives rent-free in my head. It made me realize that anyone can make stupid amount of money if they value their knowledge & skill enough. And they believe they are worth it. Most times what you earn reflects how you view yourself more than what the other person has to offer. Never underrate your skill. Never downplay your knowledge. Never sabotage your intelligence. You are competent enough.

@philippeduvin The win is exactly when that boundary matters most. If the price can be renegotiated after the result, the risk only runs one way.

A client asked me to shrink my €1000 invoice to €650 after we won the pitch. I didn't reply. The next day I sent a new invoice. €1000. She paid. Never mentioned it again. The first invoice they try to move is also the last one you should send. lettersfromafreelancer.substack.com/p/six-hundred-…

@KnegtelArthur A rushed estimate usually means the client gets a guess and you inherit the risk. Taking a day to ask better questions is often the most professional answer.

Client asked me to estimate a project yesterday. My answer: give me a day to think about it. Rushing estimates is how you lose money and trust. Take the time. Ask questions. Understand the scope. A good estimate takes time. A bad one takes even more.

A lot of small businesses stop emailing customers for a very normal reason: email becomes another job. You open the tool, stare at a blank campaign, and suddenly a simple slow-week promo feels like homework. That is why I built MeSquared Marketing around Help Me Decide. If you are stuck, it suggests campaign ideas based on your actual business. Pick one, get a campaign ready to review in minutes, then send when it feels right.

@toro__training A lot of people never think to ask because benefits feel separate from coaching. Simple invoice hygiene can turn something they already have into a reason to keep training.

For those of you working for an employer and receiving benefits, check if your gym membership is covered. It's often included in the benefits package. Additionally, last week a client asked me for an invoice because his benefits also cover the cost of a coach (though this is less common in my experience).

@dharmielorlher Choosing fresh ingredients even when the shortcut exists says a lot about the care behind the food. Customers may ask about one ingredient, but they are really checking whether they can trust the kitchen.

My Customer asked me if I use Potash for Ewedu. I told her we don't use Potash. I care so much about my what my customers eat. Same way I'll rather use fresh ingredients than processed ones. One of my vendors said I buy ingredients like someone who wants to eat it personally and not for business.

The biggest AI follow-up mistake I see: Trying to automate the whole conversation first. Start smaller. Pick one moment where leads regularly stall: - no reply after form fill - proposal sent, then silence - call booked, then no-show - client asks a common pricing question - handoff from sales to delivery gets fuzzy Fix that one moment with clear rules, owner, and next step. Then let AI help keep it moving. Where do leads most often stall for you?

@officialbigal Moments like that stick because the customer saw more than the haircut. Early months in a shop can feel invisible, so having someone notice the work and wish it well is huge.

Today a customer asked me how long my shop been open and I said “little over 3 months”. After the cut, he gets up, bows his head and says a prayer “dear God, please allow Alex to succeed in growing his business, in Jesus name, amen!” I’m not religious but that really blew my mind

@Praewnieminie Working service has a funny way of turning normal shifts into improv. Ten seconds is not enough time for any brain to choose a good bookstore quote.

I really enjoyed my work last night. Smiling and laughing all night. A customer asked me, "You're just a waitress, why are you so good at playing pool?" Actually, it was because you were more drunk. I was just lucky. 😁😂

@mxochai Anchoring the real rate before offering a trial keeps the discount from becoming the new baseline. The client gets a lower-friction start, but the terms still protect the work.

Some days back, a client asked me how much I charge, but I didn’t rush to answer. I asked about their budget first. It’s important that you always do when the conditions are right. The client came in a little lower than my standard rate. But instead of throwing them out, I proposed an arrangement that lets my value speak for itself. With this arrangement, I also get to observe the client and project to see if it’s worth committing to longterm. This is how I get my best clients. It’s not always about money alone. Now there’s something most freelancers miss about situations like this. I didn’t have to lower my value, but controlled the terms instead. I already anchored my real rate before anything else. The discount was temporary and tied to evaluation, not just handed over. Now, when going into month two, I have good leverage. There will be volume, proof of work, and a paper trail of results. Most freelancers land in one of two places: They either fold too fast and quote low before the client even asks, or they hold so rigid that the deal dies on principle. However, there’s usually a third option. You can be firm on your value, but still flexible on your entry point. Those aren’t the same thing. And the moment you understand that, your whole pricing conversation changes. Also pray for the gift of clients that won’t stress you during negotiations of course. 😆

@Itoro1Lawrence Proof feels different when it is easy for the prospect to verify on their own. A portfolio helps, but the trail around the work often does even more trust-building.

Building trust is a process.. It will never end. No matter how much you show up you still have to show proof that you are trust-worthy. A prospective client asked me for my portfolio. I sent him my LinkedIn page and asked him to google me as well. Lessons.

@sebtangSF That question belongs in the scope before the work starts. If failure is named early, the proposal has to get clearer about assumptions, limits, and what happens when reality pushes back.

Client asked me mid-call: 'What happens if this fails?' I had no answer. Spent 3 days rebuilding my scoping template around that one question. Now it's the first thing I ask.

@JonLuskin Urgent questions can be important without fitting the appointment. A clear no protects the calendar and the client from getting a rushed answer.

Recently, on an introductory call, a prospective client asked me if they could get a shorter appointment at an earlier time to answer a more urgent question. “I’m sorry.” Was my answer.