Why You’re Getting Ghosted by Prospects

(And 3 Ways to Get That Second Date)

Kateryna Hliznitsova for Unsplash+

This week, let’s talk about something that’s happened to all of us in sales—ghosting.

You know the feeling. You’ve had a great conversation with a prospect. You’re thinking, “This is a done deal!” You follow up once… twice… then crickets. Nothing. They’ve vanished. It stings, right?

I was talking about this with my accountability group last week. Our coach shared a perfect analogy He said:

“Sales is like dating. If someone ghosts you, it’s because they don’t see enough value to go on a second date.”

I never thought of it this way. Have you?

It got me thinking about why this happens—especially to business owners like you.

The Real Reason Prospects Ghost You

If someone ghosts you, it’s not because they’re rude or busy or forgot. It’s because you didn’t show them how much pain they’re in… or how much better life could be with you.

They didn’t see the value.

My coach then shared this famous teaching by Sales guru Brian Tracy —”in all of human history, people only buy one thing: improvement. We’ve bought only one thing—ways to make our lives better.

He then said, “…and in IT, let’s be real, people usually buy because they’re in pain. Big pain. If they don’t feel that pain—or believe you can make it go away—they’re not calling you back.”

The good news is, you can fix this. You can stop getting ghosted and start getting those “second dates”—those follow-ups, those signed contracts, those long-term clients.

3 Key Strategies to Get the Second Date (A.K.A. The Sale)

Let’s dive into 3 powerful ways to show prospects the improvement you bring—and make it crystal clear why they need to work with you.

1. Find the Pain and Make It Real

Think back to those sales calls where the prospect says, “Everything’s fine” or “We’re just exploring options.” That’s a red flag. If they’re not feeling pain, they’re not moving forward.

You’ve got to dig deeper. Ask them questions that uncover what’s really going on.

Modify each question to align with your industry:

• “What’s keeping you up at night when it comes to your IT?”

• “If your systems went down for a day, what would that cost you?”

• “What’s the biggest frustration you’ve had with IT support in the past?”

Don’t stop at surface-level answers. People don’t buy “faster service.” They buy peace of mind that their business won’t crash at 2 AM.

Make the pain real. And then, paint the picture of what life looks like without that pain.

Say to your prospect: “Imagine never having to… worry about downtime again. Imagine knowing your clients’ data is 100% secure. That’s what we do.”

2. Show Them the Gap (And How You Fill It)

Once you’ve uncovered the pain, you need to show them the gap between where they are now and where they could be with you.

This is where you stand out from other competitors.

In my IT industry we have a propensity to throw around tech jargon such as firewalls, backups, SLAs. But business owners, our prospects, don’t care about tech. They care about outcomes.

You’ve got to translate your services into real results.

• “Right now, your team is losing 10 hours a week to IT issues. We’ll give you that time back.”

• “Your current company is reactive. We’ll be proactive, so problems don’t happen in the first place.”

• “You’re at risk for ransomware attacks. We’ll make sure you’re protected.”

Bridge the gap between their pain and your solution.

And make sure they know: you’re not just another vendor. You’re the one who gets them where they want to go.

3. Be the Safe Bet They Can Trust

Here’s key lesson here, people buy from who they trust.

If they ghost you, it might be because they don’t feel 100% confident that you’re the right choice.

So, how do you become that safe bet?

• Share stories of how you’ve helped other businesses just like theirs.

• Show testimonials or case studies (even simple ones).

• Speak their language. No jargon. Just results.

And most importantly—be real.

Let them see you’re not just after their money. You’re here to solve problems and build a relationship.

Why This Works

When you make the pain clear, show the gap, and build trust, you become the obvious choice.

No more ghosting. No more wondering if they’ll call you back.

They see the value. They feel the urgency. And they know you’re the one who can make things better.

Final Thought: Don’t Take Ghosting Personally

I know it’s frustrating. But ghosting isn’t about you—it’s about what they didn’t see.

Next time, make the pain obvious. Show the improvement. Build the trust.

And they won’t just come back for a second date—they’ll want to stay with you for the long haul.

Ready to stop getting ghosted and start closing more deals?

Let’s talk about how coaching can help you master this. Because you don’t need to work harder—you just need to show your value better.

Let’s make that happen.

I’m here to help you get those “second dates”—and turn them into lifelong clients.

Let’s do this together.

Lisa Shorr is a Certified Image Consultant, Business Communication Coach, Co-Owner of a thriving MSP, and author of Your B.R.A.N.D. Unleashed: 9 Proven Strategies That Build Trust and Maintain Lasting Client Loyalty. With over two decades in the IT industry, Lisa specializes in helping MSP and small business owners and leaders develop their executive presence, improve client retention, and become trusted authorities in their field. Through her proven B.R.A.N.D. Method and high-impact coaching programs, Lisa transforms technical teams into confident, client-focused professionals who lead with clarity, connection, and confidence.