The four moments in a review round
A client approval email is a short message that moves a review forward, for example telling a client that round 2 of their bakery website is ready, where to comment and by Friday, and that a reply of “approved” closes the round.
Most review rounds stall at the same four points. Each template is written for one of them, and each one asks for a single, clear next step.
- Sending a round
- The email that delivers a new draft. It sets the deadline and asks for all feedback in one place, so you are not merging comments from five threads.
- Chasing feedback
- A friendly reminder once the feedback window has passed. It offers to move the dates rather than sounding annoyed, which gets faster replies.
- Final approval
- The request for a clear yes on the finished work. It says what happens next and that later changes are a new request.
- Round limit
- The point where the rounds included in your agreement are used up. The email offers a paid extra round or a short call to prioritise.
- Feedback window
- The number of days the client has to reply to a draft. Stating it in every round email keeps the project schedule realistic.
- Written approval
- A reply such as “approved” that you can point back to later. A thumbs-up on a call is easy to forget; an email is not.
Subject lines for each situation
These subject lines come from the same templates above, filled with an example: a bakery website, round 2, two rounds included, feedback due Friday. A clear subject line with the project name helps the email get found in a busy inbox.
| Situation | When to send it | Subject line (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Sending a round | A new draft is ready for the client to review. | Harbour Bakery website: round 2 is ready for your review |
| Chasing feedback | The feedback window has passed and nothing has come back. | Quick reminder: feedback on Harbour Bakery website, round 2 |
| Asking for final approval | The last changes are done and you need a clear yes. | Harbour Bakery website: ready for final approval |
| Round limit reached | The included rounds are used up and more changes are requested. | Harbour Bakery website: the included review rounds are complete |
Before you press send
Read it once in your own voice
The wording is deliberately plain and polite. Change any phrase that does not sound like you; clients notice when an email feels pasted.
Check your agreement first
The round limit email only works if your contract or proposal actually states how many rounds are included. If it does not, start with a revision clause for the next project.
Replace every bracket
Anything still in square brackets, such as [review link], is a gap you have not filled. Search the email for “[” before you send it.
An email reply is a record, not a signature
For a launch or a final release, attach a sign-off form as well, so the approval names the exact files and version.
Questions about approval emails
How do I ask a client for approval without sounding pushy?
Make the yes easy and the alternative clear: give the link, a date, and say that a one-word reply is enough. Offering to look at anything that is still wrong keeps it friendly.
How long should I wait before chasing feedback?
Wait until the feedback window you set has passed, then send one reminder. If the date matters, say what slips if feedback is late, and offer to move the schedule.
What do I say when the client wants more changes than the agreement covers?
Thank them, say the included rounds are complete, and offer two options: a quote for an extra round, or a short call to choose which changes matter most. The round limit template does exactly this.
Is a reply saying “approved” enough?
For most rounds it is a useful record. For final delivery, pair it with a signed form that lists the version and files, so there is no doubt about what the yes covered.
Does this page send the email for me?
No. It fills the text in your browser and the Copy button puts the subject and body on your clipboard. Paste it into your own email app; nothing is sent or stored here.
Should I send round links by email or in a chat app?
Email is easier to find later and keeps one thread per round. If your client lives in chat, send the link there too, but keep the email as the record of what was sent and when.
What deadline should I give a client for feedback?
Use the feedback window from your agreement, written as a real day such as “Friday 6 November” rather than “in three days”. A named day is harder to miss and easier to point back to.