At a networking event this week, a colleague thanked me for responding to his email. He added that he was glad that I hadn’t been too embarrassed to answer his email after a delay of several weeks—maybe even a month.

I repeated the wisdom someone else had given me: “It’s never too late to follow up.”

“Really?” my colleague asked.

Really.

As an example, about three years ago I was looking for new clients, as usual. I sent out email messages to people I had worked with before who had moved into new positions or changed organizations. I let them know I was still freelancing and was taking on new clients. I got back a bunch of emails in the category of “Nice to hear from you, we don’t have anything right now.” Not everyone responded—but I hadn’t expected them to. About six months later, during another slow period, I emailed everyone on my list again. Everyone—including those I had not gotten a response from last time.

This time I received the email freelancers love to get: “We want you to work with us.” And it was from someone who hadn’t responded the first time. “Your last email got lost in my inbox,” this prospective client told me. “I’m so glad you followed up, we need a new proof reader right now.”

I’ve been working for this client ever since and she’s become a good friend as well. If I had crossed her off my list because she didn’t respond the first time, I wouldn’t have her as a client now. And if she had been too embarrassed because she didn’t respond the first time, she wouldn’t have a terrific proofreader.