Google is buying… a clean energy company?
NEWS TO KNOW
AI is soaring the demand for electricity and power.
Alphabet (Google Parent) is making a big bet with buying Intersect for $4.75BN in cash.
Could we see a wave of energy investments in ’26?
📚 – Gong releases auto-updating any CRM field
BEST FROM LAST WEEK
📝 – Cold Calling Strategy from a Top Nooks Rep
💸 – Stupid Simple 4-Step Framework to Handle Objections
The Real Reason Champions Ghost (And How to Prevent It Upfront)
Let’s talk about the painful reality of champion ghosting. You know the feeling.
That VP who was super engaged, taking your calls, looping in their team, and then… crickets.
Complete radio silence.
Here’s the truth most sellers don’t want to hear: ghosting is typically our fault.
Why Champions Actually Disappear
Before we get to the fix, let’s diagnose the real problem.
Champions don’t ghost because they’re rude or forgot about you.
They ghost because:
You never earned the right to be relentless. You pushed for that next meeting before building real trust. You asked for intros to the CFO when you barely understood their current process. You treated urgency as a weapon instead of a mutual goal.
You didn’t make it safe to say no. Think about it. When someone feels like saying “this isn’t a priority right now” will trigger three follow-up emails and a guilt trip, what do they do? They avoid you entirely. Ghosting becomes the path of least resistance.
You mistook engagement for commitment. They attended your demo and asked smart questions, so you assumed they were all in. But curiosity isn’t commitment. Interest isn’t intent. You moved faster than they were ready to move.
There’s a reason top sellers rarely get ghosted. It’s not luck.
They structure the relationship differently from the very first conversation.
The Upfront Contract That Prevents Ghosting
Use this in your first real conversation with a potential champion:
“If at any point this isn’t a priority, or you’re just exploring, or your boss kills the project, just tell me. I won’t be offended. Fair?”
Then continue to give an out in each upfront contract and at the end of the call.
“Our plan today is to walkthrough the demo. If it aligns with solving for your challenge around attach rate, we can discuss a deeper dive as a next step. And if it doesn’t align, we can part ways. That cool?”
This does something powerful. It reframes the entire relationship. You’re not a desperate vendor.
You’re a professional having a professional conversation.
Real Examples from the Field
Bad approach: After a great discovery call, the seller sends: “Hi Jennifer! Just circling back on our conversation. Would love to get 30 minutes on your calendar next week to discuss next steps. How does Tuesday at 2pm look?”
Champion thinks: “Ugh, I’m slammed and honestly not sure this is a priority. I’ll respond later.” (Narrator: She never responds.)
Good approach: At the END of that discovery call: “Jennifer, this sounds like it could be a fit, but I want to check something. You mentioned your team is underwater until the end of Q4. Real talk, is this actually a priority right now, or are we six months too early?”
If she says it’s not urgent, you respond: “Totally fair. Want me to check back in January, or would you prefer I just wait to hear from you if things change?”
You just gave her an out. And paradoxically, champions respect you more when you’re willing to walk away.
When They Ghost Anyway: Your Recovery Playbook
Okay, so you did everything right and they still went dark. Maybe you had a meeting scheduled but it pushed and you can’t get them back online.
Here’s your three-touch recovery sequence before you bow out:
Touch 1 (Email): Reference back + add value
“Hey Marcus, been thinking about what you said on our last call about your team manually reconciling invoices. Just saw this article about how finance teams are handling month-end close differently now. Thought of you. No agenda here, just figured you’d find it useful. Let me know if you want to chat about where things landed with the project.”
You’re reminding them of a specific pain point THEY mentioned. You’re adding value. You’re not asking for anything. This works way better than “just checking in.”
Touch 2 (LinkedIn message or call): Different medium, different approach
Most sellers keep hammering email. If email isn’t working, they’re probably drowning in their inbox. Try a LinkedIn voice note or actually pick up the phone.
LinkedIn: “Marcus, sent you an email but figured it got buried. Quick question: you mentioned your CEO was asking about ROI metrics. Is that still a hot button, or did priorities shift? Either way, no worries.”
Voicemail: “Hey Marcus, it’s [Name]. Not trying to stalk you, I promise. Just want to close the loop. If this isn’t happening, totally fine. Just let me know so I stop bothering you or we can pick up conversations next week. Talk soon.”
The key? Acknowledge the silence without being passive-aggressive about it.
Touch 3 (Text if you have their number): The pattern interrupt
If you got their cell during your conversations, use it sparingly but strategically.
“Hey Marcus, [Your Name] here. I know I’ve reached out a couple times. Still interested in solving the invoice thing or should I assume this got shelved? Either answer is fine, just want to respect your time. Hope you can appreciate my persistence here.”
Texting feels more personal and urgent. They’re more likely to give you a quick response, even if it’s “not now.”
The magic of mixing mediums: Each channel has a different psychological weight. Email is easy to ignore. A phone call requires immediate decision-making. A LinkedIn message shows up where they’re probably scrolling anyway. A text feels personal and direct. By varying your approach, you increase the odds of breaking through without being annoying.
The Exceptions (Because They Exist)
Are there champions who ghost even when you do everything right? Sure. Sometimes:
- They got fired or moved roles
- A competitor got to the economic buyer first
- The company hit a freeze they can’t talk about
- They’re genuinely underwater and feel terrible but don’t have bandwidth to explain
- Something personal is going on in their life.
That’s maybe 10% of cases. The other 90%? That’s on us.
The Bottom Line
Stop blaming champions for ghosting. Start looking at what you did (or didn’t do) to earn their continued engagement. Set clear expectations upfront.
Make it psychologically safe for them to be honest. And respect their time enough to walk away when they’re not ready.
When you operate this way, the champions who DO stay engaged are actually real opportunities.
And those are the only ones worth your time anyway.
Win the week!!!
