10 email templates every founder and freelancer needs

Running a business means writing the same difficult emails again and again: saying no, raising prices, chasing money. Here are ten short templates that stay polite without being a pushover. Copy them, change the names, send.

Saying no

1. Declining work

Hi Robin, thanks for thinking of me. I'm fully booked until December, so I can't take this on and do it well. If the timing moves, I'd love to hear from you again.

2. Declining a meeting

Hi Casey, thanks for the invite. I'm keeping meetings to a minimum this month. Could you send the key questions by email? I'll reply by Thursday.

3. Pushing back on scope

Hi Drew, happy to add the extra pages. They're outside the original scope, so they'd be £600 and add a week. Shall I go ahead, or keep to the original plan for now?

Money

4. Raising your prices

Hi Jess, from 1 January my day rate will be £650. Anything booked before then stays at the current rate. Thanks for working with me this year, and I'm looking forward to the next.

5. Chasing an overdue invoice

Hi Pat, invoice 2041 for £2,400 was due on 5 September. Could you let me know when it's scheduled for payment? I've attached it again in case it went astray.

6. The final reminder

Hi Pat, invoice 2041 is now 30 days overdue. Please arrange payment by Friday 10 October. If there's a problem, reply and we'll sort out a plan.

Keeping things moving

7. Asking for a decision

Hi Lou, to hit the launch date I need a decision on the homepage by Wednesday. Shall I go with version A? If I don't hear back, I'll proceed with A.

8. Setting expectations on reply times

Hi Sam, a quick note: I check email at 11 and 4 each day, so that's when you'll hear from me. For anything urgent, call me on 07700 900123.

9. Introducing two people

Ali, meet Jo. Jo runs growth at Fieldnote and is looking for a designer. Ali designed our last three launches and is excellent. I'll let you two take it from here.

10. Handing a thread to someone else

Hi Mo, I'm handing this over to my colleague Kit, who's copied in and will look after you from here. Thanks for your patience.

Write these in seconds

If you send emails like these every week, let your mail app draft them. In Dusk, open a thread, press ⌘J and type what you want, like "say no politely, fully booked until December". Dusk writes it in your own style, using the AI on your Mac, and you can make it shorter, friendlier or more formal with one click. Nothing is sent until you press send.

Questions

How do I say no to a client without losing them?

Thank them, give a short honest reason, and leave the door open for later. Keep it to two or three sentences.

How do I tell clients I'm raising my prices?

Give clear notice, state the new rate and the date it starts, and honour existing bookings at the old rate.

How do I chase an unpaid invoice politely?

Reply to the original invoice email, restate the invoice number, amount and due date, reattach it, and ask when payment is scheduled.