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My first client hired me five months after first seeing my work.
That changed how I read messages like this.
Someone I recently reached out to replied that his current focus was pipeline generation and outbound.
He mentioned that a side project might need some Webflow support later, but for now, he wanted us to stay connected.
A while ago, I would have read a message like this as a dead end.
I'd probably mark the person as uninterested and move on to the next name on my lead sheet.
But my first client taught me to look at networking differently.
Five months!
That experience changed how I look at professional relationships.
Not every conversation needs to turn into a project immediately.
Sometimes people have other priorities. Sometimes the timing isn't right. Sometimes they simply need to know you and your work a little longer.
I'm not assuming this conversation will become a client. And I'm not going to keep pitching someone who has already explained their priorities.
I'd rather build a genuine relationship, take an interest in what they're doing and reconnect when there's a natural reason to.
Not every conversation belongs in your active lead pipeline. Some belong in your relationship pipeline.
Have you ever had a conversation that turned into a client, collaboration or opportunity months later?
What helped you keep that relationship alive?
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
Connect with clients, get discovered, and run your business 100% commission-free
Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
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