Getting Ghosted? Here’s 5 email’s that work 70% of the time.

The 5 emails I about to share work for me about 70% of the time. Not always a “yes”, sometimes it's a version of "no". But they do make the invisible… visible. 

And our time is too important to be chasing ghosts, right?

We’ve all been there. The great meeting. Great chemistry. All the good vibes and nodding heads. And then…..crickets. Deafening Silence. What happened?

Ghosting in the professional world is no different than ghosting in the dating world - hmm, come to think of it, I got ghosted a fair bit in the 1980’s….but let’s not go there.

First things first. Getting ghosted isn’t about you. People are busy...they got lives, tough bosses, demanding teenagers and a face more emails, texts and DM's than any reasonable human should ever have to stomach. So, give them the benefit of the doubt - it’s easy to overanalyze every email or lack thereof and make rash assumptions.

Rise above it. Don't take it personally.

Detach from the outcome. If they want to have the next conversation - great. If not - that’s okay also. Embrace the ‘plenty out there’ mindset - there’s so many people you can help.

My strategy (it may not be right for you) is to be pleasantly persistent but never desperate. I have the Rule of Six - Six times over 30 days, if it's still dead silent - then I vanish or place them in an automated nurturing cycle and I move on to better opportunities. End gracefully. You don’t want your theme song to be “Desperado" by The Eagles.

Okay, enough pontificating, here's 5 of my best performing subject lines and emails (Caution: if humour just isn't your thing then you won't like many of these techniques).

#1: The ‘It’s me not you' Breakup Email

Subject: it’s not you, it’s me?

John,

I am thinking along the way I may have dropped the ball or I could've done a better job communicating the ways I could help you with (restate the problem you solve).

Or maybe you just want to put this ‘on ice’ for a bit which is no problem at all.

I totally get you have a lot of things coming at you right now but if you could even send me 2-3 bullet points on where I could have improved in my ability to address your needs that would help me a lot. I am a work in progress and looking to do things better. Don’t hold back, I can handle it.

Best,

KC

#2. The 'Go for No with a Dash of Humour' Email

Re: Is it goodbye?

We weren’t able to connect so I am guessing that you’ve gone a different direction and that’s no problem.

Or maybe you didn’t like when I let it slip I was a Montreal Canadiens fan while someone warned me you were a die-hard Toronto Maple Leaf’s fan. Duh!

In any event, I am going to vanish now but the door is always open if you want to chat again and I promise to bring along a Darryl Sittler’s O-Pee-Chee hockey card from 1972 and we can call it a truce. 

All the best

KC

#3. The Tommy Tutone ‘what’s your number’ Email

Subject: hit me back?

Peter,

I know you are way too busy for long replies or even long goodbyes, but could you hit me back with a number 1-2-3-4 - which ever number describes our situation:

1 - I am interested, let's set up time next week.

2 - Super busy, not a good time, reach back to me in a month.

3- It’s just not a fit. No hard feeling. Goodbye.

4 - I’ve been taken hostage by Richard Simmons. He is still alive.

Just fire back a number and I am really hoping its not #4 because that’s a problem I just can’t solve for you.

Best,

Kevin

#4: The ‘Catch 22’ Email.

Re: Am i bugging you yet?

Sam,

I really hate pushy salespeople. Yet, at the same time I don’t want to give up on trying to help you. Bit of a catch 22.

I’m going to stop emailing you now, but the door is always open if you want to revisit later.

Best,

KC

And....ironically, the best performing ghosting email in my weapon-box is also the shortest and most simple. 

#5: The 'Subject Line Only' Email.

Subject: Did I lose you?

OR

SUBJECT: r u okay?:(

Again, we should always take our business seriously but we don't need to be so damn serious about ourselves all the time. Making someone smile or laugh is often a fast-track to building connection and it will set you apart from everyone else's "Just making sure you are still interested in this" email out there.