So You’ve Been Ghosted… Now What?

It happens to the best of us. The prospect who swore they were “so excited to move forward” suddenly vanishes into the ether. Your follow-ups sit unopened. Your last email, “just checking in,” echoes back like a ghost town.

But here’s the truth: ghosting isn’t the end. It’s a sign to reappear smarter.

At Mutiny, we’ve tested hundreds of follow-up strategies across our BDR and AE teams. The ones that actually bring deals back from the dead have one thing in common: they don’t chase attention, they earn it.

Here’s how.

Lead with something new, not another nudge

If your last email was “just checking in,” stop right there. The best re-engagements add value, not noise. Try:

• Sharing a new customer story that reframes their opportunity

• Highlighting a product update that connects directly to their pain point

• Dropping a data point that changes the stakes

Keep it short, confident, and insight-driven. You’re not apologizing for reaching out; you’re offering a fresh reason to re-engage.

Drop them somewhere they can’t look away: a hyper-personalized landing page

When another email won’t do the trick, change the medium. We’ve seen incredible success with personalized landing pages built specifically for dormant prospects. Include:

• Their logo, business context, and goals (“Here’s what we talked about”)

• A ‘What’s New’ section with relevant updates or proof points

• A low-friction CTA like “Want me to show how this applies to you?”

Teams using this approach see 2–3x higher reply and re-engagement rates because it feels made for them.

(At Mutiny, we even personalize closed-lost landing pages automatically, pulling in business initiative, pain points, and lost reason as custom variables.)

Re-open the loop with curiosity

Persistence sounds desperate. Curiosity sounds interesting. Use intrigue in your opener:

“Noticed something surprising in your numbers.” “We just ran a campaign that reminded me of your team.”

Frame your outreach as an update worth hearing, not a plea for attention. The goal isn’t guilt; it’s intrigue.

Make it easy to re-engage

When someone goes quiet, they’re not rejecting you. They’re avoiding effort. Reduce friction:

• Offer to send a quick recap instead of asking for a meeting

• Suggest a micro-step, like a landing page or 30-second video

Every small “yes” opens the door to a bigger one.

Bonus: Use insights to make your outreach hyper-relevant. Our team, and our customers, find great insights on what a prospect may be interested in using the Mutiny Web Extension for sales. It surfaces contact-level intel to see what people are engaging with on your site — whether it’s a case study, product page, or campaign page. That context lets us follow up with something that actually matters to them, not just another generic check-in.

Instead of guessing what to send, we show up with content that proves we’re paying attention.

Go multi-channel, not single-threaded

If you’re only emailing, you’re missing chances to be seen. The best follow-ups use email, LinkedIn, and cold calls in a single, consistent rhythm.

• Email: Lead with insight that’s short, fresh, and relevant

• LinkedIn: Engage lightly by commenting, sharing, or messaging with value

• Call: A quick, human voicemail can be the nudge that revives a deal

Teams blending 2–3 channels see up to 50% higher response rates.

Stand out with creativity

Everyone’s inbox looks the same. Be the one that doesn’t. Try:

• A short video or voice note instead of another paragraph

• A humorous hook or visual that fits your brand

• A light holiday twist, or connecting to a cultural event

Creativity isn’t gimmicky when it’s authentic. It signals confidence, and confidence gets callbacks.

Close the loop (politely) when it’s time

At some point, it’s okay to acknowledge the ghosting with grace and professionalism.

“I’ve pulled out all the stops to make this valuable for you, but I don’t want to keep haunting your inbox. Should I close this out or keep it open?”

You’d be surprised how often that earns a response. Either way, you get closure or revival.

Revisit the graveyard: closed-lost campaigns

Just because a deal is “closed-lost” doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. Timing changes. Budgets reset. People move.

Set up automated triggers to spot re-entry signals like:

• A new decision-maker joins

• Their company raises funding

• You release a feature tied to their old objection

When you reach back out, lead with something they haven’t seen before — a fresh ROI story, product release, or relevant case study.

Final Thoughts

Ghosting isn’t rejection. It’s an invitation to rethink your approach. At Mutiny, we’ve found the best follow-ups earn attention through timing, relevance, creativity, and personalization.

When you show up smarter, not louder, even the quietest prospects come back to life. Want to see how Mutiny can help your team drive more enterprise pipeline? Take our free product tour.