Getting ghosted in any facet of life is pretty brutal, and sales is no exception. Nobody likes thoughtfully prospecting, conducting thorough discovery, and maintaining what feels like a productive conversation only to hear radio silence. But that's often how it goes.
Nobody bats 1.000. A 100% close rate doesn‘t exist, but having a deal cut short with no response is especially tough. That’s why you need to have a pulse on why that might happen and how you can handle those situations as they arise.
So to help you maximize your chances of bringing dead sales conversations back to life, we here at The HubSpot Sales Blog — the most trusted, “finger on the pulse” outlet in the wild world of sales-related and sales-adjacent media — reached out to some sales experts for their takes on how to handle being ghosted by prospects.
![Free Download: 101 Sales Qualification Questions [Access Now]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/e97d6603-b40e-4085-ad55-0074b7351ead.png)
6 Reasons Prospects Ghost You and What to Do When They Do
1. They‘re feeling overwhelmed with choices and don’t know how to move forward.
Jehann Biggs, President & Owner of In2Green, says, "A prospect may ghost you because they‘re feeling overwhelmed with choices and simply don’t know how to move forward. When faced with too many options or an overabundance of information, people sometimes disengage because they fear making the wrong decision. The decision-making process becomes paralyzing, and they retreat rather than risk choosing poorly.
"I‘ve encountered this before when potential customers have been interested in our sustainable products but were unsure which option would best fit their needs. In these situations, I don’t push for a quick decision.
“Instead, I simplify the process for them by offering a side-by-side comparison of options or suggesting a clear next step. I may even offer to walk them through the selection process. Taking the complexity out of the decision-making equation gives them a clearer path forward and often brings them back into the conversation when they've felt less overwhelmed.”
.png)
Free Guide: 101 Sales Qualification Questions
101 Questions to Ask Contacts When Qualifying, Closing, Negotiating, and Upselling.
- Budget Questions
- Business Impact Questions
- Competitor Questions
- And More!
Download Free
All fields are required.
2. They're overwhelmed with other priorities.
Katie Breaker, Sales Director at BirdieBall, says, "One big reason prospects ghost you is that they‘re simply overwhelmed with other priorities. In B2B, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks, especially if you‘re not the only one they’re evaluating. Sometimes, they‘ve gotten busy or even moved on to other potential solutions … When this happens, don’t take it personally.
"Instead, send a follow-up email or message that‘s friendly and non-pushy. Acknowledge that you understand things can get busy and ask if they need more information or time. It’s also helpful to reframe the conversation by asking if there's anything about your product they need clarification on or if their needs have changed.
“Being empathetic and offering value will keep the door open. And if they still don't respond, sometimes it's best to let them be for a while, then check back in after a few weeks or months. Timing can make a huge difference when they're finally ready to re-engage.”
3. There's a lack of perceived value or urgency.
Samir ElKamouny, Founder & CEO of Fetch & Funnel, says, "When prospects ‘ghost’ you in the B2B SaaS space, it‘s often due to a lack of perceived value or urgency. From my experience scaling businesses, a crucial step is ensuring your messaging resonates with the prospect’s pain points and aligns with their current priorities.
"For instance, at Fetch & Funnel, we've seen success by applying custom retargeting strategies that dive deep into specific product benefits, reaffirming the value proposition at crucial stages of the buying journey.
"One effective tactic is leveraging social proof through testimonials. In one campaign, showcasing real customer success stories for a SaaS product significantly increased engagement. Prospects often hesitate due to trust issues, so hearing how others have succeeded can be a game-changer. Testing different message variations also helps refine the approach until it resonates.
“It's equally important to maintain a follow-up process that keeps you top of mind without being intrusive. Creating a sequence that offers valuable insights or problem-solving tips custom to your prospect not only adds value but also keeps the conversation open. This approach consistently helps in re-engaging leads who initially disappeared.”
4. They don't fully grasp how your solution will fit into their current workload.
Kacper Rafalski, Demand Generation Team Leader at Netguru, says, "One reason a prospect might ghost you is they don‘t fully grasp how your solution will fit into their current workflow. It’s easy to assume they‘re not interested, but in reality, they’re just unsure how it‘ll align with what they already use. And honestly, it happens all the time — prospects seemed engaged but then vanished after the demo. But the issue isn’t price or competition. In most cases it was clarity on implementation.
"To break the silence, I've learned to approach it differently. Instead of pushing for a close, I offer value through resources that specifically address their concerns. Even a quick message like ‘Hey, I thought this case study might help you see how our solution actually fits with your current setup’ can make all the difference.
“In my experience, once you give them that 'aha moment' about how your solution works in their world, they often come back to the conversation. And it's not even about chasing them down with follow-ups. You simply help them see your product solving their actual day-to-day problems. Once that clicks, the ghosting usually stops.”
5. You rushed through discovery and missed what actually matters to them.
Shantanu Pandey, Founder & CEO of Tenet, says, "When a salesperson rushes through discovery, they miss what actually matters to the prospect. They end up pitching a solution to a problem the prospect doesn't have or care about.
"If this happens, go back to basics with what we call a ‘reset’ email: ‘I’ve been reflecting on our conversations and realize I may have missed understanding your core challenges. Could we schedule a quick 15-minute no-commitment call where I ask just three questions about what success actually looks like for you?'
“This gives them permission to correct your course without making them feel like they've wasted time. When they respond, shut up and listen twice as much as you talk.”
6. You've overloaded them with information.
Stephen Dominic Giuttari, Founder & CEO of Market Boxx, says, "Prospects can get overwhelmed if bombarded with too much technical jargon. I mitigated this by ensuring our communication was clear and focused. During onboarding, we break down strategies into digestible steps, avoiding technical overload, which keeps the prospects engaged without losing interest.
“When prospects ghost, I re-engage by tapping into competitive insights we have on the market. Recently, I reignited discussions by sharing industry-specific trends and competitor analyses, providing actionable insights. This approach consistently sparks renewed interest, proving that delivering relevant, strategic insights can effectively pull them back into the conversation.”
I discussed it at the beginning of this post, and I‘ll say it again: Getting ghosted is often a fact of sales life. It’s rude, frustrating, and unfortunate — but it's more or less bound to happen from time to time.
While there's no remedy that guarantees every prospect who leaves you on read will respond with, “Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry for ignoring you! Let's get back into it! Bless your heart for touching base again,” you can still put yourself in a solid position to get your sales conversations back in motion if you play your cards right.
Hopefully, this article offers enough perspective for you to avoid getting ghosted in the first place and thoughtfully navigate it when it happens.
Free Guide: 101 Sales Qualification Questions
101 Questions to Ask Contacts When Qualifying, Closing, Negotiating, and Upselling.
- Budget Questions
- Business Impact Questions
- Competitor Questions
- And More!
Download Free
All fields are required.
![Ghosted? How (and When) to Send a Follow-Up Email After No Response [+18 Examples]](https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/how-to-send-a-follow-up-email-after-no-response.jpg)
![How to Write a Follow-Up Email After an Interview [Templates + Tips]](https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/Follow%20Up%20Email-May-16-2023-03-38-50-7356-PM.png)
