Don’t get GHOSTED: 4:30pm on a Friday in January is when sellers are most likely to be shunned

Halloween is just around the corner, and many minds are firmly fixed on ghoulish goings on. But a year-round problem for many in sales is being ‘ghosted’ – when a prospect you have previously established contact with suddenly stops responding, and contact cannot be re-established. 

According to new research from Showpad, the global leader in sales enablement technology, more than nine in ten people (92%) who sell either products or services say they sometimes get ghosted for no apparent reason, and on average get ghosted by around one in five prospects (18%). 

Why do we get ghosted? 

Sellers do have some opinions on why they are getting ghosted. A third (33%) believe that prospects get busy with other priorities. Whilst 28% highlight poor chemistry in an initial conversation. The top five reasons sellers believe they get ghosted are: 

• The buyer is too busy with other priorities (33%) 

• They went with a competitor (29%) 

• We had poor chemistry (28%) 

• The buyer couldn’t understand benefits of the product (26%)

• Our solution wasn’t a good fit for them (25%) 

Hendrik Isebaert, sales expert and Chief Executive Officer for Showpad has his own thoughts on this too: “The research shows that many sellers are quick to blame factors beyond their control for being ghosted, but it could be down to them not striking the right note with the prospect or buyer. As sellers, we all know how critical it is to build a good rapport with buyers, but it doesn’t mean we all do it well. Showing up well-rehearsed with intelligent business consultancy is increasingly expected if sellers are to get ahead.

“And never forget, coming across as too eager is a deterrent, as is pushing too hard for that meeting when the customer or prospect is time-poor. And once secured, reaching out to reconfirm the meeting more than once or twice could scare them off entirely.”

When are we most likely to get ghosted? 

While sellers can take steps to set themselves up for success [see tips below], most agree that there are times of the day, week or year when they are more likely to get ghosted. And 80% believe they are more likely to be ghosted during some months of the year than others.

The research found that in January, sellers say they are most likely to get ghosted (23%). Whilst some may presume that fresh annual budgets could make it a good time to reach out, those budgets are often allocated in the previous year's final quarter. Friday was selected as the day they are most likely to be ghosted (33%), whilst 4-5pm is shown to be the time it is most likely to happen, probably down to workers trying to finish up for the day. So, for those planning ahead, 4:30pm on a Friday in January is likely to be the hardest time to speak to a prospect. 

What can sellers do to avoid being ghosted? 

Hendrik Isebaert, who has many years of sales experience, believes that the below steps can help decrease the likelihood of being ghosted as a seller: 

• Send a calendar invitation whilst on the call to ensure they accept the meeting. Just agreeing on a time to call them isn’t reliable as the time in their diary will still appear ‘up for grabs’, so another meeting may go in. 

• Reach out only once or a maximum twice before a meeting to confirm they’re still coming. If they confirm the first time – there’s no need for a second call. Give it a second go if they don’t respond the first time. Beyond that, there is a danger of coming across as needy and damaging any potential future interactions. 

• On the day of the meeting, a friendly reminder saying you are looking forward to it will help – it’s worth mentioning that you and your colleagues have prepared for the call and have some exciting insights to share. If you make it clear you have already invested time in the call before it takes place, but the customer is looking to free up some time in the diary that day, it reduces the chances that your meeting will be cancelled. 

• Don’t push too hard for a second meeting if they’re on the fence after the first one. Bide your time rather than burn bridges down the line.

• Try an incentive if you’re 50/50 about them making the meeting. Perhaps a gift card for a nearby coffee chain, suggesting they grab a coffee and snack on you for the call. Some even order Deliveroo!