Stop managing your inbox between client engagements

Consultants lose billable focus time every time they context-switch into their inbox to sort through RFP inquiries, follow up on outstanding SOWs, or chase down stakeholder approvals. A Trusty Oak Executive Assistant takes ownership of your inbox so client-facing threads stay moving and nothing falls through the cracks between engagements. This isn't email forwarding — it's a managed system built around how you actually work with clients.

3,000+ tasks completed in this service category across our client base.

Fractional email & inbox management support for consultants

How Trusty Oak handles email & inbox management for consultants

Your EA starts by working with your Client Success Manager to map out your inbox structure — who your key clients are, which senders get same-day responses, and what a 'reply on my behalf' looks like in your voice. From there, they log in daily (typically via Gmail or Outlook with delegated access) to triage new messages, flag anything that needs your direct judgment, draft responses to routine client inquiries and scheduling requests, and archive or label threads according to a system you both agree on upfront. For consulting-specific workflows, that often means tracking proposal status threads, managing follow-ups tied to project milestones, and keeping intake inquiries from going cold while you're heads-down on a current engagement. You spend 10–15 minutes a day reviewing flagged items — your EA handles everything else.

What your EA takes off your plate

Before your first week, write down three to five example emails you've sent in the last month that a smart colleague could have handled without you — those are your EA's first templates. The most common mistake consultants make is waiting until they're overwhelmed to define what 'good' looks like, which forces the EA to guess and you to correct; front-loading 30 minutes on tone, client names, and non-negotiables saves weeks of back-and-forth.

1

Client Inquiry Triage and Response Drafting

EA sorts incoming prospect and client emails by priority, drafts replies to routine questions about availability, scope, or next steps, and flags complex threads for your review before sending.

2

Proposal and SOW Follow-Up Sequences

EA tracks outstanding proposals and statements of work, sends templated or personalized follow-up emails at agreed intervals, and logs response status in your CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce, or similar).

3

Stakeholder Thread Management

EA monitors ongoing project communication threads, surfaces action items or unanswered questions from clients, and ensures no stakeholder email sits unacknowledged past your defined SLA.

4

Inbox Labeling and Folder Architecture

EA builds and maintains a labeling or folder system in Gmail or Outlook that separates active engagements, prospects, vendors, and internal ops so you can navigate your inbox in under a minute.

5

Meeting Request Coordination via Email

EA handles back-and-forth scheduling emails, sends Calendly links or proposes times directly, and confirms calls with any pre-meeting context or agenda the client has shared in the thread.

Tools our team works with

We adapt to your existing stack — no forced migrations.

Microsoft Outlook
Slack
Front
Superhuman
Google Workspace
Gmail

...and many more!

Trusted by consultants

Trusty Oak supports consultants including Brighter Strategies, Deborah Offner, High Flying Strategy, and 2 others — handling everything from email & inbox management to broader operational support.

What email & inbox management support costs for consultants

Drag the sliders to build a monthly plan that fits your workload.

Executive Assistants
~$35/hour
25 hours $875
Specialists
~$50/hour
5 hours $250
Fractional Executives
~$95/hour
0 hours $0
Your monthly budget
$1,125

Starting at $1,000/month. One-time $300 onboarding fee includes your Strategic Delegation Plan.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most consultants use Gmail or Outlook's built-in delegation features, which give your EA access without sharing your actual password and allow you to revoke access instantly. If your engagements involve NDAs or sensitive data, your Client Success Manager can help you define clear rules about which threads the EA touches and which stay off-limits.
Voice-matching is a core part of the onboarding process — your EA reviews your past sent emails, follows a tone guide you approve, and starts with lower-stakes drafts before moving to client-facing replies. Most consultants find that after two to three weeks of light corrections, the drafts need minimal editing.
That's exactly the scenario this service is designed for — your EA maintains response cadence and flags only the emails that genuinely require you, so clients and prospects don't experience radio silence while you're on-site or heads-down. You can set a 'low-contact mode' protocol with your EA that adjusts what gets escalated versus handled independently.

Reclaim your focus time between engagements

Trusty Oak Executive Assistants are available at $35/hr with a $1,000/month starting budget and a one-time $300 onboarding fee that includes a Strategic Delegation Plan built around your consulting workflow. Start with a 3-month commitment and go month-to-month after that.