The library · Accountancy firms · Enquiries and follow-up

Follow up after silence

People go quiet because the deadline felt far away, the fee worried them or their current accountant talked them round. A filing date is often the honest reason to write again.

The prompt
I work in marketing at an accountancy firm. Help me follow up with someone who went quiet.

Context: People go quiet because the deadline felt far away, the fee worried them or their current accountant talked them round. A filing date is often the honest reason to write again.

Before you start, ask me for anything missing from this list:
- The original enquiry and our reply
- How long ago
- Anything new that is useful to them

Then:
1. Give a reason for writing that helps them.
2. Ask one easy question.
3. Write a final note that closes the loop politely.

Give me:
- A first follow-up
- A final follow-up

Rules:
- Use only the facts I give you. Where something is missing, write [detail needed]. Never invent a number, a name, a quote or a source.
- Give general information only. Never write anything that reads as tax advice on a person's own affairs, and never suggest a tax saving or an outcome with HMRC is likely or guaranteed.
- Write in plain English, in our voice if I have given you a sample.
- Do not tell me what the rules or regulations say. If something may be restricted, flag it and I will check.

Finish with a list headed "Check before this goes out". Include these, plus anything else the partner who approves marketing or our ethics and compliance lead should see:
- Any deadline mentioned, checked for their type of return
- That we still have their agreement to be in touch
- Fees quoted, and how long the quote stands

Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. It will ask you for what it needs.

Check before this goes out

  • Any deadline mentioned, checked for their type of return
  • That we still have their agreement to be in touch
  • Fees quoted, and how long the quote stands

The prompt gives you a first draft. Someone qualified still approves anything a client will read.

Is AI already loose in your firm?

Ten questions, three minutes. The AI Exposure Check shows where you're exposed and what to fix first.

Take the free check →