The Silence After the Drop – Is it Us?

The Silence After the Drop – Is it Us?

7/17/25

As designers, we pour our hearts and souls into every new creation. The excitement builds as we get closer to the big reveal, the drop that we just know will blow up. We’ve spent hours (or days, or weeks) perfecting our designs, carefully crafting every detail, and meticulously planning the launch. We’ve shared sneak peeks, teased the release on social media, and maybe even chatted with our brand reps about it. And in those final moments, as we hit the "publish" button, there's this electric buzz—the thrill of anticipation.

This time, we tell ourselves, will be different. This design will land. The engagement, the excitement, the validation we've been dreaming of will finally come.

But then… nothing.

Crickets.

We check our feeds, our posts, our emails—and all we see are a handful of likes and a couple of comments from the usual loyal fans. No rush of new followers, no excited “OMG, I NEED THIS” comments. Instead, there’s just the haunting silence that seems to swallow up all our enthusiasm.

It’s a punch to the gut. And suddenly, that excitement we felt just moments ago evaporates, leaving behind a deep sense of doubt and frustration. What did I do wrong? Is my design bad? Do people just not like my work? Maybe even worse—Do they not like ME?

We start questioning everything. Was it the design? Was it the timing? Is it just that I’m not good enough? Why does everyone else seem to have success, and I’m still here, wondering what went wrong? The internal questions begin to spiral, and suddenly, that earlier excitement feels like a distant memory.

This is where the mental game kicks in. The inner dialogue can get loud, and let’s be honest—it’s not always nice. We’re left wondering if we’re just not cut out for this. We compare our behind-the-scenes struggles to other designers’ highlight reels. We start to doubt ourselves, our skills, and the value we bring to the table. Why didn’t people engage? What am I missing?

And then, the worst part: the guilt. The guilt of feeling like we’re not succeeding in the way we thought we would. The guilt of wondering if we’re disappointing people, not just as business owners, but as people. It can wreak havoc on our mental health, taking us from that euphoric this is going to be amazing feeling to I suck at this and no one cares.

But here’s the truth we often forget in those moments of doubt: it’s not about us. It’s not about our designs being bad or our businesses failing. It’s about the bigger picture. The online space is flooded with content, noise, and constant distractions. People are scrolling past dozens (if not hundreds) of posts daily. The algorithms aren’t always kind, and timing can make all the difference. The excitement we’re waiting for might be buried under the weight of everything else happening on social media at that exact moment.

Sometimes, it’s not even about our work at all. Maybe people just aren’t in the buying or engaging mood. Or maybe they just don’t see our post because it got lost in the feed. That’s the unfortunate reality we have to face: we cannot control everything, no matter how hard we try.

So, what now?

First, we stop blaming ourselves. We are good enough. Our designs are good enough. Just because one drop doesn’t get the attention we were hoping for doesn’t mean we’re failures or that we’re not talented. It just means that the timing wasn’t right, the audience wasn’t ready, or the algorithm didn’t favor us. And that’s okay.

Second, we remember why we started in the first place. We design because we love it, because we want to share our creativity with the world. We’re not just chasing validation; we’re creating because it brings us joy. If people don’t engage today, that doesn’t mean they won’t tomorrow. Building a brand takes time, and sometimes success comes slowly, like a slow burn.

Lastly, we don’t stop. We pick ourselves up, dust off the disappointment, and try again. We don’t let the crickets define us. We stay true to our passion, keep creating, and keep showing up. Because the truth is, this is part of the journey. We all face it. And just like the silence after the drop, it won’t last forever.

So to all the designers out there feeling that sting of crickets after a drop, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. But the journey isn’t about one drop or one post. It’s about staying in the game, doing what we love, and knowing that eventually, our work will find its audience. It’s just a matter of time.