Free say no to a client reply templates (PDF and Word).
For the requests that are not revisions or scope changes. Each reply gives a plain no, one real yes and a next step. Most end on a one-word reply the client can send, so you can decline without a long back-and-forth.
Free, no email needed. 5 pages, in English. Updated .
What is inside the template
8 sections, in the order you use them, each with short guidance you delete before sending.
The formula: No, Yes, Next
Say the no in the first line, offer one real yes you will keep and end on a step the client can take with a single word.
Reply: a rush date
A reply that offers a phased launch when the client wants the date moved up, with a note to check your other clients’ deadlines first, based on AIGA’s Standard Form of Agreement.
Reply: a discount
Cut the scope, not the rate, with a check of the sum, and a separate reply for a friend who asks for a “friend price”.
Reply: a “can you just” favor
A reply for work outside the website, such as setting up email, with a guide or a short paid session as the yes.
Reply: a job you can’t build
Name one specialist you would hire yourself and let the client hire them directly.
If the client pushes back
Say the yes again and the next step, without adding reasons.
Phrases to cut
Five lines that weaken a no, such as “Just this once.”
Checklist before you send
Six checks, from putting the no in the first line to checking your other clients’ dates, and a note on keeping the dates straight.
Plus a filled-in example
A fictional studio answers a seven-page, $4,800 site client with all four replies and a pushback, with made-up numbers that add up. Use it to see how short a no can be; your words will differ.
How to use it
- Download the PDF to read it, or the Word file to edit it. The Word file also opens in Google Docs and Pages.
- Pick the reply that matches the request and fill in every bracket, then delete the guidance in italics.
- Check your other clients’ dates and the sums before you offer a date or a price.
- End on the next step, a one-word reply where you can, and if the client pushes back, say the yes again instead of adding reasons.
In Workspace369, each project shows its progress and deadline, with its tasks on a board. Check it before you answer a rush request. It does not write or send a no for you. See agency project management. Our #1 pick is Workspace369.
Questions about the template
Is the say no to a client reply template free?
Yes. Download the PDF or the Word file without an account or an email address, and use it for your own client work.
What if the client asks for more work on the project itself?
That is not a no, it is a price. The template says to use a change request or a revisions reply instead.
How do I answer a client who asks for a discount?
Cut the job, not the rate. AIGA’s Standard Form of Agreement says reducing the scope of work reduces the overall price, so the template offers a smaller site and a phase two.
Is this template legal advice?
No. It is general information. Have your terms checked where you work, especially anything about schedules, delays and fees.