Every salesperson gets ghosted. What you send next decides whether that door stays open.
Here’s the problem.
A prospect goes quiet after showing interest. Most people either chase them with three more follow-ups or give up and disappear.
I can promise you this: neither one works. Both come from the same place. Fear of the answer being no.
Here’s the insight.
The email that gets replies isn’t the one that pushes hardest. It’s the one that removes all the pressure.
Here’s the framework.
Four moves make this work. Each one does a specific job.
Subject line: Sorry.
That alone gets it opened. People are curious what they’re being apologised for.
Take the blame first.
“I can only assume I messed something up along the way.” This isn’t weakness. It builds trust and tells them their vendor puts their interests first.
Name the possible reasons.
“Was the price too high? Confusing presentation? Competing priorities?” A menu is easier to answer than an open question. And naming the objection out loud takes some of the sting out of it.
Detach from the outcome.
“Which is not a problem at all.” You’re not chasing the deal. That single line does more to lower their guard than anything else in the email.
Put it together, and it reads like this.
“Hey [name], looks like you’ve decided to pass on working with us, which is not a problem at all. I can only assume, based on your initial interest, that I messed something up along the way. Sorry about that. Would you be open to sharing some feedback so I can do better next time? Was the price too high? Confusing presentation? Competing priorities? Either way, I know there’s a lot competing for your time and attention. Thanks for the opportunity.”
I’ve used a version of this email for years. Ninety per cent of the time, the answer comes back the same way. “No, no problem, Mike. I liked it. Just not ready yet.”
Here’s the application.
Find one contact who’s gone silent on you right now. Write your version of this email. Sorry subject line. Take the blame. Give them a menu. Let them off the hook completely.
Send it today.
Sales is easy. Salespeople are made.
Mike (Rejection) Brunel