Getting nothing but radio silence from prospects can be frustrating.
Especially after you’ve had some initial discussions and sent in your proposal.
When you hear nothing back, your self-esteem and confidence can take a hit. And you start to feel like you’re wasting your time.
So, how can you compel prospects to respond?
In a previous podcast episode, I talked about the “proposal deadline” method of prodding prospects off the fence.
In this short podcast episode, I describe two ways to get prospects to respond to your final follow up attempt by creating a pattern interrupt.
The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe in iTunes to get this show delivered straight to the Podcasts app on your smart phone, tablet or iPod.
Idea #1: Let prospects know this is your last attempt
This is a technique I have been using for years.
It’s simple: In your last follow up attempt, you let prospects know that this will be the last one.
You could say something like this:
Hi Jane, this will be my last follow up attempt. It sounds like this project is no longer priority for you, which is fine. I would love the opportunity to connect again, should you return to this project or if something else comes up.
Often, prospects won’t respond to your follow ups because they don’t have an answer for you. Something is going on internally that they can’t communicate. — and they feel bad giving you the same “I’m not sure” answer.
Often, prospects won’t respond to your follow up attempts because they don’t have anything new to tell you.
So, they opt for radio silence.
By telling them that this is a last follow up attempt, you’re disrupting this pattern.
Prospects can no longer use you as a type of snooze button, and so they are more likely to respond.
Idea #2: Ask prospects if they’ve given up
This idea comes from Chris Hardee, a former coaching client of mine. He discovered it in the book Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.
With this approach, you ask non-responsive prospects the following question in your final follow up attempt:
Hey Bill, have you given up on this project?
I would suggest combining this question with first approach I outlined. So, it would be something like:
Hey Bill, have you given up on this project?
This will be my last follow up attempt….
Give these two ideas a try the next time you’ve submitted a proposal — and are getting nothing but radio silence.
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