Some more thoughts on ghosting

You got ghosted by a client again.

Let’s talk about why that might have happened. 

Think of the people you text back immediately. Think of the people whose calls you pick up on the first ring. Next, think of the people you forget to text back. Think of the people whose calls you let go to voicemail. 

What’s the difference between these people? 

Status. 

You pick up a dream client’s call on the first ring. But your old acquaintance from school who you know is just asking for a favor? You’ll let that call go to voicemail. 

Status is a dirty word. We like to think we’re the kind of people who are above that, right? Like we don’t play favorites or treat people differently based on their perceived status. But status isn’t something we can choose to engage with or not. Status is the water in which we swim in this capitalistic ocean. There’s no avoiding it. 

Let’s try a different exercise. 

Think of a sales experience that you enjoyed. Next, think of a sales experience that you hated—one that you couldn’t get out of quick enough. 

What’s the difference between these experiences? 

Trust. 

The waiter at the nice restaurant who walks you through the most popular dishes has your trust. They treat you with respect, let you know the options, provide helpful service, and ultimately, sell you on more expensive sides, drinks, and desserts. But the street salesman hocking tourist trinkets doesn’t have your trust. You don’t trust the quality of their products and you don’t trust them. 

Trust is an essential component of putting people at ease in your sales conversations. 

So here are some questions for you to stew on: 

• How can you increase your perceived status in the mind of your clients? 

• How can you increase your clients’ trust in you? 

• How can you decrease the scary pain points of your sales calls?

Answer these questions for yourself ad your freelance business, and you’ll find yourself ghosted much less often.