Tired of Getting Ghosted?
Here’s How to Keep Leads Engaged
Tired of Getting Ghosted?
Here’s How to Keep Leads Engaged
If you’re here, chances are you’re struggling to keep leads engaged. I get it. It’s frustrating when leads start ghosting you. But I want to flip the script and ask: Could you be the one ghosting them? Let’s talk about what to do when it feels like “nothing is working.”
“They Ghosted Me”
I hear this all the time from clients, from my team, and from other business owners I coach.
They say things like, “I reached out, but they never responded,” or “I sent a message and crickets.” But when I dig deeper, it’s often just one message. Maybe two. That’s not a process. That’s a wish.
Let me give you a real example: We had a candidate take a job through another recruiting agency. The company he joined wasn’t a client of ours yet.
One of my recruiters was hesitant to follow up. She didn’t want to be annoying. Totally normal feeling, but totally the wrong approach.
We worked through it, and after the fifth follow-up, we closed that client.
Consistency is the foolproof way to keep leads engaged.
Following Up is Not Annoying. It’s Professional.
If you’re afraid to follow up, remember this. When you stop following up, you’re ghosting them.
Think about your own inbox. Ever had a vendor reach out and the timing wasn’t right? You meant to respond but forgot. You hoped they’d follow up. But they didn’t. And when you were finally ready, you couldn’t remember their name.
You found someone else instead.
That happens all the time. You’re not bugging people. You’re being present. And when the timing is right, they’ll know exactly where to find you.
Build Trust Before the Sale
People talk about building trust with clients, but that needs to happen before they become clients. You do that through consistency. Not just random outreach.
I’m guilty of randomness too. That’s why I have systems in place and a virtual assistant team that backs me up. So even if I send a Loom video from a hotel after a conference, my virtual assistants (VAs) are following up, tagging prospects in our CRM, and keeping the pipeline warm.
We use HubSpot to manage it all. Everyone on my team knows who’s where in the pipeline and what the next step is. My sales team can even loop me in with a quick task if someone goes quiet. I’ll send a simple text, “Hey, it’s Diane. Is the team taking care of you?” — and that alone often re-engages the lead.
Nurturing is Where the Money Is
In sales, it’s attract, nurture, and close. When you are trying to grow a plant, you don’t water it sporadically.
Most people ignore the nurture step. But that’s where the gold is.
According to HubSpot, most people hear “no” four times before they hear “yes.” And most salespeople give up after the first outreach.
I once landed a client after 23 emails. What did I hear? “Thanks for your persistence.”
Persistence is a preview of how you’ll show up as a partner. That’s the trust you’re building, even if they’re not responding yet.
Ghosting Behaviors to Stop Immediately
Sometimes you are the one doing the ghosting. Here are a few ways that happens:
- Sending cold spammy messages with no context.
- Giving up after one or two messages.
- Ignoring people who replied once but didn’t buy immediately.
- Posting content without ever actually messaging or engaging with leads.
Your visibility is your responsibility. People will forget about you, even if they liked you, if you don’t stay in front of them and keep them engaged. I’ve literally lost touch with someone I wanted to hire just because I couldn’t find their info again.
Keep it Simple, Keep it Consistent
A simple system that you use will always beat a complicated one that you don’t. You cannot keep leads engaged with a process that is too complicated.
Even if you don’t have a huge team, you can start with a small process. A spreadsheet, a CRM, a virtual assistant who knows the drill — it doesn’t need to be fancy.
But you do need to be consistent.
The Big Question: How Do I Follow Up Without Sounding Desperate?
Short answer? Just do it. You don’t need to beg. Just ask something simple like:
“Hey, is this still a priority for you?”
Say it out loud before you send it. If it sounds needy, rephrase. But remember: consistency is not desperation, but rather, it’s the commitment that separates the amateurs from the ones building something that lasts.
Final Thoughts
Don’t build relationships just to let them fall flat. Stay present. Stay consistent. Use your tools, use your team, and use your voice to keep leads engaged.
And if you need help building a follow-up system or want a virtual assistant who already knows how to help with this, check out ATeam.
Want help turning your outreach into a results-driven system?
Hi! I’m Diane Prince. I co-founded a company that we built from scratch to $50 million in six years and sold to a strategic buyer. I am a keynote speaker that talks and writes about building startups, founding businesses, and entrepreneurship. I share my perspective from my own experience from over 25 years building, scaling, and selling businesses.
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