There's nothing worse than putting all your effort into a lead only to have them ghost you. You know the feeling - you've been emailing back and forth, you've had a great phone call, and you're just waiting for them to sign on the dotted line... but then, crickets. They stop responding to your emails, don't pick up when you call and are left wondering what went wrong.
If this sounds familiar, don't worry – you're not alone. It's estimated that around 68% of sales reps have been ghosted by a prospect at some point. Ouch.
So how can you protect yourself from being ghosted? Read on to find out.
1) First and foremost, ensure you qualify your leads properly from the beginning.
A lead who has not sufficiently evaluated their needs and isn't at the right stage in the buying process is much less likely to convert.
Therefore, it's essential to identify whether someone is ready to purchase right off the bat. Attempting to close too soon can lead to trust issues and strain the relationship with your prospective customer.
However, going through an appropriate qualifying process will help you build and sustain strong relationships by creating authentic communication with leads. This also gives you a better chance of achieving success as you only concentrate on prospects best suited for that particular product or service.
Investing time upfront in developing a specialist level of understanding about each lead can save tremendous headaches by ensuring that time isn't wasted on dead-end conversations.
2) Keep the lines of communication open.
Communication is critical in any professional relationship, particularly when involving sales prospects. Reaching out and keeping lines of communication open with prospects can make a significant difference in achieving success. Using a tool like Radar is a great way to keep tabs on your LinkedIn network to nurture relationships and make sure you’re keeping the line of communication open.
When dealing with prospects, it's essential to understand that they may take some time before making a purchase decision. That's why, if their response is delayed or they become quiet altogether, taking the initiative to reach out and ask if there's anything else you can do to move things along can be highly beneficial. Being proactive and inquisitive will show prospects that you're engaged and interested in their success, which can make all the difference in closing a sale.
Additionally, offering help whenever you have the opportunity to do so, whether it be an extra piece of information or an additional resource that could help them decide faster, encourages a sense of collaboration that most prospects appreciate – and helps keep things on track for a sale.
3) Try not to be too pushy.
Many salespeople make the mistake of taking a "pushy" approach when trying to close a deal. In other words, they feel like the only way to get their prospect to take action is by bombarding them with emails and calls. Unfortunately, this approach is likely to do more harm than good.
It creates a sense of impatience and pressure for your prospect, damaging the relationship and making them less likely to purchase from you. Instead, it's important to remember that being too pushy will only push your prospect away. Take a step back and give your prospect space, so they have time to think about the deal without feeling overwhelmed.
Additionally, try not to be overly controlling – allow them time and freedom to make buying decisions. When used appropriately, this level of restraint can make all the difference in getting potential customers on board. By respecting your prospects' needs and boundaries, you can create a trusting atmosphere where both parties feel comfortable making deals together.
4) Don't take it personally.
The biggest lesson from ghosting is not to take it personally. Of course, it's hard not to take things personally when prospects don't respond or suddenly cut communication with you, even after agreeing to purchase your services or products.
It can easily be construed as a personal jab or an insult rather than a natural business interaction. But the truth is, ghosting usually has nothing to do with you at all; it may simply be that a prospect can no longer afford the cost of doing business with you, or they didn't realize how large of an investment was involved until further down the line.
In any case, taking this kind of rejection too harshly and treating it as a reflection on your abilities drains valuable energy and time and can damage your future progress. Instead, try to take each experience in stride and gain insight from the feedback your prospects give you – direct or indirect.
Taking what you learn from those interactions will help inform future decisions and make sure that both parties have a better experience no matter what comes out of it. After all, good relationships in business are key!
5) Offer an irresistible deal?
Offering a great deal is often the best way to sway prospects who may feel undecided about their purchase.
Whether it's a discount, bonus incentives, faster delivery, customizations, and beyond, having a range of attractive offers at your disposal can mean the difference between closing a deal or missing out on potential profits. While you shouldn't go overboard with giving away too much too soon - as this could devalue your offering - adding an irresistible deal that meets customer expectations could help secure long-term loyalty.
However, before proposing an offer, consider how it would impact your business in the long run – if you lowball yourself too much, you will be left feeling short-changed when all is said and done.
Conversely, getting creative with limited-time incentives can result in increased sales and improved customer satisfaction, making it an ideal win-win situation for both parties. Ultimately, when it comes to offering irresistible deals that almost guarantee results, proceed with caution!
6) Be prepared for rejection (or lack thereof).
While investing emotionally in each potential sale can be tempting, it's important to remember that success and failure come with the territory. If someone passes on a deal or 'ghosts' without explanation, try not to take it too personally and instead focus on the next opportunity.
Sure, it's disappointing that they won't see your proposal, but forcing yourself not to let rejection define you will benefit you immensely in the long run. It's essential to know that occasional rejections are normal for any successful entrepreneur.
Even if you experience ghosting from time to time, don't let that discourage you from reaching out again; remain open for new opportunities and be prepared for them as much as possible! With a focused mindset and unwavering determination, every successful venture is only one door away.
While rejection can sting at first, always remember: success isn't final, nor is failure fatal – what matters most is finding resilience in yourself to try again tomorrow!
Conclusions
No one likes getting ghosted by their prospects – but unfortunately, it happens to even the best sales reps from time to time. The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from being ghosted in the future.
By qualifying your leads upfront, staying in touch throughout the sales process, and being prepared for rejection, you can reduce your chances of being blindsided by a disappearing act!