Stop chasing client selections
Direct answer
Stopping the chase means clients finish picks in one gallery flow with a real deadline, and you can see what is done without another "just checking in" email. Favoriting is the easy part. The stall starts when the link has no due date, picks come back as iMessage filenames, or you have no status view that shows who still has the gallery open.
For the narrower send and approve loop, see How to send photo proofs to clients. This page is about the chase: deadlines, status, and where picks land.
Why the nag emails start
You culled. You sent a clean link. A week later you write the soft nudge. They reply with screenshots, a list that does not match your filenames, or nothing.
That is usually missing three things in the same send:
- A specific deadline (a date, not "whenever you can")
- What the picks become next (the retouch list, not round one of a longer negotiation)
- One place to finish (not email plus Drive plus a text thread)
Friction-kill checklist
- Cull before you send. Near-duplicates kill deadlines. Clients stall when the set feels endless.
- Pick one proofing method per job. Favoriting for most portrait and wedding work. Full approval when the stake is higher. Do not switch mid-project.
- Put the deadline in the same message as the link. "Please pick by Friday the 12th" beats "when you get a chance."
- State the revision limit once. Extra rounds cost something. Say it before they open the gallery.
- Watch status in the portal, not your Sent folder. Incomplete vs submitted should be obvious without hunting email.
- Do not make filename paste the primary path. Text lists mismatch. Prefer a gallery that keeps favorites as a filterable set.
- One follow-up, then close. Endless soft nudges train clients to wait.
Suggested send (copy/paste)
Your proofs are ready here: [link]. Please favorite your selects by [date]. Those favorites become the retouch list. [N] revision rounds are included. Extras are billed at [rate]. Reply only if something is broken on your end. Otherwise pick in the gallery and you are done.
What software can and cannot do
| Can help | Cannot fix |
|---|---|
| Structured favorites in one gallery | A client who never opens the link |
| Status you can see without digging email | Missing deadlines you never set |
| One branded portal for proofing | Screenshot and filename paste as a reliable select path |
Grain Issue angle: Grain Issue keeps proofing galleries on the same branded client portal as the rest of the job, with a selection path you can check without digging through email. It removes friction. It does not force a silent client to open the link. Once picks come in, see how to get client picks back into Lightroom Classic.
FAQ
Is it normal for clients to sit on proofs for weeks?
Common, yes. As a workflow, no. A missing deadline and a fuzzy "what happens next" is usually the cause.
Should I accept selects as screenshots or filename lists?
Only as a backup. Rebuild from screenshots and you will retouch the wrong frame eventually. Prefer gallery favorites you can filter.
Will better software stop the chase completely?
No. Software makes status visible and picks structured. You still set the deadline and close the loop.