How to Keep a Client From Ghosting You

We've all been there. You’re talking with a client, and suddenly, you can’t get a response back… a day goes by, then another, and you start to feel frustrated. What about all of the time you gave to them? How could they treat you this way? Are they purposefully blowing you off?

Unfortunately, the frustration we feel in these situations can turn into a destructive response—angry texts, calls, aggressive behavior to get the client to reengage—all toxic traits that kill any chance of closing a deal.

It may feel like you’re being ghosted… but are you really?

The client not getting back to you isn’t what killed the deal… how you responded did!

I've been in sales for more than 20 years, and I can tell you with full certainty that the biggest mistake I see people make is letting their emotions take over when they don’t get a fast enough response. Most of the time, the client has a valid reason for not getting back at the time, but because the salesperson interprets it wrong and harasses them, they actually cause the ghosting to start.

Have you ever had a situation where you knew someone was upset with you, and so you put off talking to them? When people associate calling, texting, or emailing you back with those negative feelings, they’re less motivated than ever to get back to you.

I’m not without blemishes. I’ve made this mistake in the past, and the results are always the same: the prospect never responds, and they never buy.

“How you sell matters. What your process is matters. But how your customers feel when they engage with you matters more.” – Tiffani Bova

The last thing you want to do is blow the situation out of proportion by assuming their silence is malicious. Instead, give your prospect the benefit of the doubt—I call it giving them a graceful way out. If your first reaction is to scream, be hostile, or call them repeatedly, you're creating the conditions to generate a ghost. The truth is that you’ve become the monster under the bed they want to avoid—which is why they might actually start ghosting you. So those kinds of tactics do more harm than good.?

Instead, give them a graceful way out. Show them it’s okay they’ve gotten busy by changing the narrative—instead of hounding them about how they haven’t responded, simply say, “I know you’ve been incredibly busy this week, have a great weekend and we can connect on Monday.” When you give someone a graceful way out, you protect the possibility of doing business with them in the future (even if now isn’t the right time for them).?

Remember, if they got on the phone with you, they were interested at some point. Most likely, you felt they were a good candidate. Ignoring you doesn’t make them a bad person. In reality, there's often more to the equation...

• Maybe the prospect wanted to think for an extra day.
• Maybe they were out of the office that day.
• Maybe there's an issue with the deal they have to work through.
• Maybe the prospect had a question or concern they didn’t know how to bring up.
• Maybe life happened, and a family member got sick.
• And the most common? Maybe a monkey wrench got thrown into their plans, and they’re trying to fix it. Ultimately, it means that they are going to need to adjust the contract, and they feel awkward about doing so.?

Chances are that you wanted an immediate response because of your own momentum or personal pressures. Nevertheless, as soon as you start treating your prospect like you’re a bill collector, you've lost them.?

I’ve been there! I know how frustrating it is to get a lead and watch it fall through the cracks. If you've called a couple of times already and you're still not hearing back, take a breather for a few days. I understand the temptation to keep trying. But trust me, you'll get the best results by changing your approach.?

Relating to prospects starts by enrolling yourself in Humanity 101. It’s learning to put yourself in their shoes and be patient. Remember that your clients are humans with lives, not solely signatures to bring in a paycheck.?

Most of the time, giving people a graceful way out stops the ghosts from haunting you. However, there are times when the client still won’t respond. Next week, I’ll be sharing another way to capture the ghost and re-engage in the deal…

Remember, when you relate to prospects as humans and give them a graceful way out, that ghost can’t live. Instead, you’ll continue building a relationship with a client who will be so impressed by how you relate to them that they’ll refer you to others.?