You sent the proposal. They said they were “really interested.” And then… nothing. Radio silence. You follow up once, twice, maybe a third time (because you’re not desperate, right?). Still nothing.
So what the f%^k happened?
Here’s the thing: they didn’t ghost you because they suddenly stopped needing what you’re selling. They ghosted you because something in their head shifted, and unless you understand what that something is, you’re going to keep watching “hot leads” disappear into the void.
“This is going to be more work than I thought”
This is the big one. They came to you excited about the outcome, but somewhere between your initial chat and decision time, reality set in. They started imagining all the onboarding calls, the “quick questions,” the back-and-forth emails.
Even if you’re doing all the heavy lifting, their brain is convincing them they don’t have the bandwidth. They’re already drowning in their current workload, and adding one more thing—even one that will help—feels impossible.
What to do about it:
Make your process sound beyond simple. Walk them through exactly what happens after they say yes, with emphasis on how little input you need from them. “You give me an hour on a kickoff call and access to your brand assets. That’s it. I handle the rest.”
“I don’t actually know if I trust this person yet”
They liked you on the call. They nodded along to your pitch. But when it came time to hand over money, doubt crept in. Maybe they stalked your LinkedIn and saw you’ve only been doing this for two years. Maybe they couldn’t find enough proof that you’ve done this before. Maybe you just didn’t give them enough reason to believe you’re the safe choice.
People don’t buy when they’re unsure. They ghost instead.
What to do about it:
Social proof isn’t optional. Case studies, testimonials, before-and-afters – whatever proves you’ve done this successfully before. And don’t wait until the proposal to share it. Pepper it throughout your conversations. “I just wrapped up something similar for another recruitment agency – their time to fill decreased 240% in four months.”
“I need to talk to [insert decision-maker here]”
Even when they say they’re the decision-maker, they often aren’t. Or at least, they’re not the ONLY one. There’s a business partner, a finance person, a spouse who “handles the money stuff.”
They ghost because they don’t want to admit they can’t actually greenlight this on their own. It feels embarrassing.
What to do about it:
Ask early. “Who else weighs in on decisions like this?” If there’s someone else involved, offer to jump on a call with both of them. Don’t let them play telephone with your value proposition.
“The timing isn’t actually right”
They wanted to believe they were ready. They booked the call, showed up, and engaged with everything you said. But deep down, they know they’ve got three other fires burning that need to be put out first.
Maybe they’re in the middle of hiring. Maybe their cash flow is tighter than they let on. Maybe they’ve got a massive client project that’s eating all their time. Whatever it is, the timing’s off—but they don’t want to say that because it sounds like an excuse.
What to do about it:
Give them an out that leaves the door open. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate right now – do you want to revisit this in [specific timeframe]?” Then, actually follow up when you said you would. You’d be shocked how many “not right now” prospects turn into “hell yes” clients three months later.
“I’m scared of making the wrong choice”
This is the ugly truth nobody wants to admit: decision paralysis is real. They’re worried that if they commit to you, they might miss out on a better option. Or worse, they’ll spend the money and it won’t work, and then they’ll look like an idiot who wasted company resources.
So they do nothing. Because doing nothing feels safer than potentially screwing up.
What to do about it:
Remove the risk. Offer a guarantee, a trial period, or a clearly defined exit strategy. “If you’re not happy after 30 days, I’ll refund your first month – no questions asked.” Suddenly, saying yes becomes way less terrifying.
“I got distracted by literally everything else”
Sometimes it really is this simple. Life happened. An urgent client issue came up. Their kid got sick. They went on holiday, and your email got buried.
It’s not personal. You just lost mindshare.
What to do about it:
Follow up with value, not desperation. Don’t send “just checking in” emails—send something useful. An article relevant to their business. A quick insight from a recent project. Something that reminds them you exist and you’re bloody good at what you do.
The Bottom Line
Prospects don’t ghost you because you’re shit at what you do. They ghost because their brain served up a reason why “not yet” feels safer than “yes.”
Your job isn’t to chase them harder. It’s to remove the barriers that are making them hesitate in the first place. Build more trust. Simplify your process. Make the decision feel less risky.
Do that, and you’ll spend way less time wondering what the f&*k happened to that “really interested” prospect who vanished into thin air.
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Hey, I’m Em…
I’m a copywriter and content strategist who escaped the soul-crushing world of recruitment to build a business on my own terms. After rage-quitting 6 years ago with no plan (and somehow making it work), I now help time-poor businesses get their marketing sorted without the corporate bullshit. I write content that actually sounds like them—not like every other boring corporate voice in your industry.
Ready to stop getting ghosted and start converting?
If you’re tired of prospects going silent and want content that actually makes people respond, let’s talk. My Content Conversion Package gives you done-for-you content that gets noticed – across email, social, blog, and web copy – without you having to lift a finger. Book a call, and let’s sort out your content properly.