Why new business prospects ghost you, and how to prevent it

In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, ‘ghosting’ is the act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone without any explanation.

The term is generally used in reference to a romantic relationship, but it can technically refer to any scenario where all contact unexpectedly ceases. Even when the person being ghosted reaches out to re-initiate contact or gain closure, they’re met with silence.

It’s done in the hope that the person being ghosted will get the message, and accept that their attentions are unwanted.

What is ‘ghosting’ in new business?

Though ghosting in a new business context is fairly common, it’s definitely unprofessional when a prospective client simply ceases all forms of communication with you after initial proposals or negotiations.

The practise can be disruptive, and in some cases financially damaging, after what could seem like a promising encounter.

This applies more so in cases where a verbal assurance was made that a prospect had the intention of taking things further – only to vanish without having put any tangible follow-up structures in place. 

Why new business prospects might ghost you.

It can happen as the result of poor communications, where an agency misinterprets the initial interest of a client as a more solid intention.

A potential client may ghost because they were just shopping around, and simply found a better offer from a cheaper agency, but lack the professional courtesy or business experience to be honest with your agency.

It can happen when a client experiences a sudden shift in company priorities, budgetary reviews or workload changes. 

There could be problems with the client’s decision-making process or internal politics involving multiple stakeholders, creating an inability to reach a consensus. 

How to prevent ghosting in new business.

There are number of ways you could look to prevent being ghosted by new business prospects.

For example, you might send a follow-up email after making a proposal, followed by a phone call a few days later to keep things warm.

Alternatively, you could use social media, video calls, or connect on LinkedIn to create a human connection with your prospect. After all, in the age of AI, nothing has the impact quite like human interactions.

Or, you might book the next meeting before you end the current one so you have a definite commitment to follow things up.

Then there’s the ‘Breakup’ Email: If a prospect stops communicating, send a polite email saying you are closing their file due to lack of communication. This often triggers a response if they’re still interested. 

Having been at the forefront of new business for agencies for the past four decades, here is another way to look at it:

First impressions absolutely matter. Be pragmatic, honest and try to build chemistry from the very outset. You may not get a second chance, but if a prospect gels with you in the first place, they are more likely to give you the courtesy of a response instead of pretending you don’t exist.

In the case of agency new business, you are likely to be chasing a relatively expensive commitment from a potential client. They’re buying into a long-term service arrangement for you to essentially become part of their business, so put yourself in their shoes.

It’s the same as recruitment –  you’re not going to recruit a candidate just because the recruitment consultant is pestering you. Of course the prospect would expect to see some tenacity in an agency, as they will hope to see the same from their Account Manager, should you start working with them. But they will want to work with people they like and trust. There may be different buying motivations from the prospect if you are selling them a service rather than a product.

Using a new business agency like Alchemis

The senior team at Alchemis have consistently generated new business and growth for our clients in all types of marketing, creative and communications agencies.

With our extremely strong database of marketing decision makers, we can take your proposition to the right audience, at companies you want to work with, and engage them via intelligent interactions.

This is how Alchemis build meaningful business to business relationships – not with ghosts but with real people.