Practical Sales Training™ > How To Keep Your Clients Happy > The No News Update
The No News Update
What Is It
The No News Update means keeping clients updated even when nothing new has happened. So you show up before they start wondering where you went.
Why Does It Work
Clients want to feel valued, not forgotten. So a quick update, even an empty one, tells them you’re still on the case.
Silence creates doubt fast. Clients start to wonder if you’ve dropped the ball. So a small message closes that gap before it opens.
How Can You Use It
Update On A Set Schedule
If something takes a long time, don’t wait for the big moment to speak. So message your client daily, weekly, or monthly, whatever fits the wait.
Say Something Even When There’s Nothing New
A message like “still on it, nothing new yet” does real work. So it proves you’re managing the situation, not just hoping it resolves itself.
When It Works Best
This works best during long waits with an external dependency. It also helps when the client can’t see progress themselves. Visibility replaces their doubt in that gap.
When It Becomes Dangerous
Going quiet during a long wait costs you trust fast. So clients start chasing you, and that chase damages the relationship.
It also backfires if your updates feel copy pasted. So keep every message specific enough to feel real.
Common Mistakes
Only Speaking When Something Happens
Waiting for news before you speak leaves clients guessing in between. So the silence itself becomes the problem, not the delay.
Making Updates Too Vague
“Still working on it” without detail can feel hollow. So name the exact thing you’re waiting on, even if the answer hasn’t changed.
The No News Update – An Example
A Web Agency Updates A Client Mid Wait
A web design agency waits on third party API access to finish a site. Instead of going quiet, they send a short email.
Subject: Quick update, still waiting on API approval
Body: Hi Sam, just a quick note to say we’re still waiting for the API credentials from your provider. We’ve followed up again today and will let you know as soon as we receive them. In the meantime, everything else is prepped and ready to go. Let us know if you have any questions. – The Dev Team
This keeps the client reassured, instead of chasing or worrying. So it also shows professionalism, even without real progress to report.
The relationship stays strong, even without movement. So in the client’s eyes, communication itself counts as progress.
See also
