How to Cold Call the Vanishing Client

Sometimes we need to make a cold call to a potential client who has “vanished.”  Perhaps a lead suddenly went cold, and it’s our job to reconnect with them.  But we’re not sure how to make the call without coming across as aggressive. 

There can be lots of  reasons a potential client “vanishes.”  And many times it really doesn’t have anything to do with us or our cold calling process at all. 

Let’s first make sure there hasn’t been any sales pressure, which is the number one reason potential clients disappear.  Once we’re sure that’s not the issue, then we can look at how to deal with some other situations in a way that builds trust. 

1.  They’ve been too busy

Often people are simply swamped with work and don't know how to manage their time.  The sticky note with your phone number has just disappeared under piles of paper. 

Acknowledge their stress.  Acknowledge how busy they are, and don’t push them.  When they realize we actually care about them and their world, then they trust us more. 

All you need to say is something like, “You sound very busy right now.  I don't want to add any more pressure to your life.  So I’m wondering, is there anything I can do on my end to make this easier for you?  Where would you feel comfortable going from here, and how can we do it in a way that's easy and stress-free for you?”

Asking these questions out of genuine concern can work miracles.

2.  They don't want to hurt your feelings.

Here's something wonderful about most potential clients.  Maybe they aren’t returning your calls because they’re afraid of hurting your feelings.  Seriously, sometimes they  don't tell you the truth because they like you.  Isn’t that nice?

The essence of building trust is to make sure people know they aren't going to hurt your feelings if they tell you the truth.

They need to know that you welcome the truth absolutely, no matter what it is.  That no matter what happens, even if they decide to go with your  biggest competitor, there are no hard feelings. .

3.   Things may have gone wrong for them since you last spoke.

Perhaps the business has gotten into trouble, or gone under, or they’ve almost  gotten fired, or they messed up the project you were discussing with them.  They may be feeling too ashamed to talk with anyone about what’s going on.

This is a difficult situation.  You may not be able to reach them at all.  If you do, finding out the truth about whether they still have a problem that you can help them solve could be tricky.  But if you engage them in a relaxed  human-to-human conversation, they may trust you enough to let you know what’s going on with them. 

And in this case, your only response can be, “I’m sorry to hear that. It must be very difficult for you. Where do you think you want to go from here?”  And wish them well for the future.

4.  They’re scared you’ll reject them.

It’s ironic to think that potential clients might be afraid that you’ll reject them.  They’re afraid you might not like them personally.  Or that you’ll be upset with them if they tell you, for example, that they’re going with your competition. 

Most people are terrified of conflict and will do almost anything to avoid it.  So the more they understand that your primary commitment is to the truth, not to the sale, the safer they’ll feel to trust you with the truth. 

The key phrase here is, “Not a problem.”  The more you use this phrase, the less frightened people will be.  But you really do have to believe it yourself, and reflect this in everything you say and do.   

Keep in mind that in these 4 scenarios, you’re caring about what’s going on with the other person.  Because of this, trust is built and relationships are deepened.  That’s a very good place to be during every phase of your cold calling process.