It happens from time to time: you have a promising sales lead, you’ve worked your sales process perfectly and all signs point to a closed deal.
Then, your contact seemingly drops off the face of the earth.
As an A+ sales professional, you’re confused. You’re well-trained and knowledgeable, you’ve been persuasive but respectful, and you weren’t expecting the prospect to ghost you.
Should you simply cut your losses?
Not so fast. Here are three strategies for re-engaging:
1. Try all forms of contact.
You don’t know for certain your prospect isn’t just busy. Or, maybe that last email you sent got lost in the depths of your lead’s inbox.
So, reach out again. Be tactfully persistent: send them another email, or give them a quick phone call.
You might also shoot them a text. Send your contact a message via LinkedIn or another social media channel.
While you shouldn’t bombard them, there’s also no harm in reaching out across several platforms. Space out your attempts and give the prospect time to respond on one platform before you try another. Ask him or her to let you know if they’re not interested in whether they would like to connect at a later date.
2. Send something personal to reconnect.
It’s important to connect with your prospects beyond a superficial relationship.
If you think you’ve been ghosted by a prospect, consider sending them something personal. If you know a book they might enjoy, send it their way, along with a short note. Other ideas with a personal touch include sports or concert tickets, restaurant gift cards, and event registration codes.
You could also mail them a care package with some company swag (paired with a friendly, personalized message). People are more likely to respond when they know thought and care was put into your communication.
3. Spread the wealth.
You’ll want to use your discretion here, but sometimes engaging with other decision-makers can be an effective approach before you cut your losses. In some cases, your contact may have had a family emergency and is out of the office. Or they could have abruptly left the company.
If you feel it’s appropriate, you could also have your sales manager try to engage with your contact’s supervisor or peer.
Getting ghosted is tough. It’s also something that happens to the best of us. Above all else, your tone should be respectful when you attempt to reconnect. Try not to lose your cool, and never take the situation personally. You just don’t know what’s happening on the other side.
Want to learn more about the prospecting process in general? Check out our article on Sales Prospecting 101
