Re-Engage: What to Do When a Customer Goes Dark on You

In high-tech B2B sales, building relationships and trust is essential to success. You invest time and resources into finding the right prospects and nurturing them through the sales process. However, sometimes despite your best efforts, a potential customer suddenly goes dark on you. They stop responding to emails, phone calls, or any other communication attempts. This can be frustrating, but it’s important to re-engage and not to give up on the prospect.

Here are helpful strategies that you can use to re-engage with sales prospects who have gone dark:

1. Use Data to Assess the Situation

The first step is to assess the situation. Review the prospect’s activity leading up to them going dark, including emails, website visits, and social media engagement. Look for signs of disengagement or a change in priorities. If the prospect is still opening your emails, clicking on links, or visiting your website, there is a good chance they are still interested in your product.

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If you’re using a CRM system, it’s a good idea to review the prospect’s profile to see if there have been any changes to their company or job title that might explain their lack of response. Armed with this information, you can determine the best way to re-engage with them.

2. Send a Personalized Follow-Up Email

If you haven’t heard from the prospect in a while, try sending a personalized follow-up email. This shouldn’t be a generic email asking if they’re still interested in your product. Instead, try to reference specific conversations or topics that you discussed with them. This shows that you were paying attention to their needs and priorities.

Keep your tone conversational, and avoid being pushy or aggressive. You could also try adding a bit of humor or personality to your email to make it more engaging. Remember, the goal is to re-ignite their interest in your product, not to force them into a sale.

3. Re-engage by Offering Value and Build Trust

You need to offer them something of value. This could be new features, a case study, or demo of your product. By offering value, you build trust and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

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If you have a blog or social media account, share relevant content with the prospect. This not only demonstrates your expertise but also keeps your product top-of-mind for the prospect. You could also offer to connect them with other experts in your industry who might be able to help them with a specific problem or challenge they’re facing. This will demonstrate that you are concerned about their needs even if you are not able to meet them at the time and make your more trustworthy

4. Renew the Relationship through Different Channels

If the prospect isn’t responding to your emails, try reaching out through a different channel. Send a message on LinkedIn, call their office, or send them a direct message on Twitter. Be persistent but respectful, and try to find the channel that the prospect is most responsive to. You could also consider planning a customer visit, so that you can speak with your prospect in person.

Keep in mind that high-tech B2B sales prospects are busy professionals. They may not have time to respond to every communication attempt you make. However, if you continue to offer value and stay top-of-mind, they will be more likely to engage with you when the time is right.

5. Re-Engage by Providing a Sense of Urgency

If the prospect is still interested in your product, but has gone dark due to competing priorities or a lack of urgency, provide them with a sense of urgency. Let them know about upcoming product updates or promotions that they don’t want to miss out on. You could also offer a limited-time discount or special offer to incentivize them to take action.

Be careful not to come across as pushy or desperate. The goal is to create a sense of excitement and urgency around your product, not to pressure the prospect into making a rushed decision. Keep the tone conversational, and focus on how your product can solve the prospect’s specific needs or pain points.

6. Reconnect by Getting Personal

When trying to re-engage with a prospect, it’s important to show them that you understand their business and the challenges they face. This means taking the time to research their company, industry, and competitors. Use this information to build a narrative that can personalize your communication attempts and offer tailored solutions that address their specific pain points.

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You could also try sending a personalized video message or voice message. This shows the prospect that you are willing to go the extra mile to connect with them and adds a human touch to your communication attempts.

7. Re-Engage by Leveraging Social Proof

B2B sales prospects are often hesitant to take a chance on a new product or vendor. To overcome this hurdle, leverage social proof to demonstrate the value of your product. This could include case studies, testimonials, or reviews from other customers in the prospect’s industry.

Social proof helps build trust and credibility, and can be a powerful motivator for prospects who are on the fence. Make sure to highlight social proof in your follow-up emails or other communication attempts to increase the chances of re-engaging with the prospect.

8. Focus on Relationship Building

Sales is all about building relationships and trust over time. When a prospect goes dark, it’s a sign that the relationship may have stalled. To re-engage with the prospect, focus on relationship building instead of just pushing for a sale.

This means staying in touch with the prospect even if they don’t respond to your initial communication attempts. Share relevant industry news or updates with them, offer to connect them with other experts in your network, or send them a personalized thank you note for their time and consideration. These small gestures can go a long way towards rekindling the relationship and re-engaging the prospect.

9. Know When to Move On

While it’s important to be persistent in trying to re-engage with high-tech B2B sales prospects, it’s also important to know when to move on. If you’ve exhausted all communication channels and the prospect still hasn’t responded, it’s time to move on to other prospects.

Re-engaging with high-tech B2B sales prospects who have gone dark requires a multi-faceted approach that combines persistence, personalization, and a focus on relationship building. By leveraging social proof, offering tailored solutions, and staying top-of-mind with relevant content and updates, you can increase your chances of closing the sale and building a long-term relationship with the prospect. Remember, high-tech B2B sales is a marathon, not a sprint, so stay patient, stay focused, and keep building those relationships.