[ad_1]
Your consulting firm submitted a proposal to Chlorissa (“Chlo”) Zing, COO at Fantasma, S.A. However, Ms. Zing canceled your scheduled appointment to talk about the proposal, and hasn’t responded to your request to reschedule.
Frustratingly, another hot prospect, Luke van Nesht, with whom your consulting firm held a number of promising conversations, has also stopped responding to your emails and phone calls.
(Author’s note: We get so many requests for this article, that even though it’s only a couple of years old, I decided to republish it. This one is updated with the complete, works-even-better follow-up sequence.)
What’s up with these missing prospects? Are they signaling disinterest or, perhaps, are they just busy, and how can you find out?
Your top priority is to figure out what’s happening, while maintaining the optimal level of persistence.
You don’t want to come across as desperate or pestering. On the other hand, your consulting firm needs to close deals, and tenacity is a necessary trait in successful business development.
In most cases, your consulting firm’s project is not your prospect’s top priority.
Therefore, start with the assumption that your consulting firm is still in the running for a project, and that your prospect is distracted by other work, other people, and squirrels.
The Proven, 8-Part Ghosting Remediation Sequence
Message #1: Immediate Response
Of course, when a prospect doesn’t show up to a scheduled meeting, immediately follow up with a short note asking to reschedule. Offering chocolate inducements is optional.
Messages #2-5: Follow-Ups
If your prospect becomes non-responsive, try following up four more times. Start a few days after your immediate follow-up, then space the next three roughly a week apart.
Adhere to the following principles:
- Stay Right-Side Up. Focus on them and their business, not you and your consulting firm.
- Keep it short and include a question.
- Don’t reference earlier contact attempts.
Luke, quick follow-up on our discussion. Can we get a date on the calendar next week?
To improve the effectiveness of the sequence, leverage a variety of communication channels (email, text, phone call, LinkedIn, etc.).
As long as you’re careful, you can also turn to your other contacts in your prospect’s organization.
Message #6: “Shake It Loose“
Your sixth follow-up is a single question:
Chlo, the project we were talking about appears to be stuck. Is there a way we can shake it loose?
Message #7: A Way Out
Your next message shifts tone, offering your contact an easy way out. A firm “No” is better than being ghosted.
Luke, following up to see if you want to jump on the calendar. If you’re not interested, no worries. Just shoot me a note and let me know.
Message #8: “Have You Given Up?”
The final message in the sequence is inspired by a Chris Voss technique called the “Magic Email” because response rates are typically over 80%.
Luke, have you given up on improving your district’s performance?
Of course, you reference whatever the big benefit was that your prospect was trying to achieve.
This sequence won’t work every time, of course. However, tactful persistence will definitely win more business for your consulting firm.
What tips do you have for consultants whose prospects have gone silent?
Text and images are © 2025 David A. Fields, all rights reserved.
[ad_2]
Source link
