How to Ask a Client to Approve Your Work (Email Templates)

Five templates you can copy

Adjust the names and details, keep the structure.

Initial approval request: "Hi Sarah, the homepage design is ready for your review here. Two quick things to confirm: does the layout work to move into build, and are you happy with the headline copy? If you could give it a look by Thursday we will stay on track for the launch. If anything needs changing, just point me at it and I will turn it around."

Gentle nudge after silence: "Hi Sarah, circling back on the homepage design from Monday. No rush if you are mid-week, but a quick yes-or-change by tomorrow keeps us on schedule for the launch. Here is the link again."

Deadline-anchored follow-up: "Hi Sarah, to hit the launch date we agreed, I will need sign-off on the homepage by end of day Thursday. If I do not hear back I will assume it is approved and move to build, so flag anything before then."

Responding to vague feedback: "Thanks Sarah. To make sure I change the right thing, could you point me to the specific section that feels off and what you would want instead? Once I have that I will have a revised version back to you within a day."

Final approval confirmation: "Great, thank you. I am marking the homepage approved and moving to build. You will see the next milestone by the date in the project plan. The invoice for this stage is in the portal whenever you are ready."

Where the approval should live

Email approvals work, but they scatter. Three months later, nobody can find which email approved which version, and a "that is not what I approved" conversation has no record to settle it. A client portal where the client approves each deliverable with a button, against a specific file version, keeps an audit trail you can point to. In Delivvo, that approval sits beside the file, the signed contract, and the invoice, so the whole project reads as one thread instead of a search through your inbox.

FAQ

Why do clients ignore my approval requests?

Usually because the request asks for open-ended feedback ("what do you think") instead of a specific decision by a specific date. Reframe it as a yes-or-change question with a short deadline tied to their own timeline and the response rate jumps.

How long should I give a client to review work?

Two to three business days is normal for most deliverables. Tie the deadline to a real downstream event ("so build starts on Monday") so the date has a reason to be met, and state what happens if you do not hear back.

Should I let a client approve by clicking a button instead of replying?

Yes, when you can. A one-click approval against a specific file version is a lower bar than writing a reply, and it leaves a timestamped record of who approved what. That record is what protects you if scope is later disputed.

What do I do when feedback is vague?

Ask one focused question: which specific section feels off, and what would they want instead. Do not start changing things based on "make it pop." Pin the feedback to a place and a desired outcome before you touch the work.