We put a lot of work into talking to clients, and offering them proposals or invitations to work with us. We want to get closure or continue the conversation at the least. We don’t want to be ghosted.
There are a multitude of reasons that someone might not respond…
- the event was canceled
- the budget changed
- they have a friend who can do the job instead
- they got distracted
- they aren’t in a rush
- they got overwhelmed by the decision
- they feel insecure about making the decision
- they have to run it by a committee
- they thought they already confirmed
Followup emails often sound like this…
“Hi! I never heard back from you. Checking in on that proposal I sent you. Do you have any questions?”
The problem with these emails is that they’re negative and requesting.
Instead I would find a way to be generous and empathetic and positive.
Positive:
Because people want to be around positive people that make them feel good. They book us, they and their guests get more of that positivity
Empathetic:
People have their own interests and they buy for themselves not because someone wants them to.
Generous:
If we’re showing up at every turn with some new gift, they know that we’re on their side and that our performance is also going to be above and beyond what they expect.
Pressure:
The mistake that many followups make is that they are solely focused on pressure. Pressure is very helpful in making a human take something seriously. Our attention is evolutionarily biased toward danger. Social pressure is the danger of being rejected from the tribe and sent to die. Any interaction adds pressure. We don’t need to worry about applying pressure in the content of the message.
The alternative message
So, don’t refer to any missteps on their part. Use positive language. Think of ways to add to their life.
Even if it gets no response, this approach feels better to do anyhow!
Maybe a message like “You just came up in my thoughts. It sparked an idea of an other option for you… in my experience some people planning parties like yours are not as concerned with __ (the main value being offered… eg “a memorable experience” / “guests bonding together” / “elevating the experience with world-class entertainment”) as they are with saving money. Sometimes peoples budgets change suddenly. If you just wanted someone who can do some tricks, I know some high school age magicians who are not very experienced working with crowds and may love giving your event a try. I’d be glad to connect you or help you look at other options. I love getting people the entertainment that best suits their needs.”