You know that awful feeling when a client is close to signing with you … but then they ghost you?

You try phone calls, emails, text messages and DMs, but nothing works.

So imagine if there was a way to restart the conversation? You’d make more sales, wouldn’t you?

Former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss has a clever marketing trick for this situation.

As Voss explains in his fascinating book, Never Split The Difference, the way to get the client talking again is to send this seven-word message:

“Have you given up on this project?”

Why those seven words are so powerful

There are a couple of reasons why this seemingly innocuous message works so well, according to Voss.

First, it reminds the client they might be about to lose something – which plays on the “natural human aversion to loss”.

Second, it invites the client to say ‘no’ – giving them “the feeling of safety and the illusion of control”.

Furthermore, once the client has said ‘no’, they often feel the urge “to define their position and explain it to you”.

How one little email ended six months of silence

I’ve been using Voss’s marketing trick since reading Never Split The Difference, and it really does work.

The first time I used it was with a potential client who was so keen on engaging the services of my content marketing agency, Hunter & Scribe, that he initiated contact with me. We had a great phone chat, he told me to send through a proposal … and then silence.

Over the following six months, I contacted him every month or so with a mix of phone calls, emails and text messages, but he ignored them all.

Then I read Voss’s book. 

“Have you given up on this project?” I asked him.

Three hours later, he replied to my email. 

“For the moment, mate.”

That short message was pleasingly long on subtext. It basically said: “I still like you, Nick, and I’m still keen on using your services, but I won’t be able to invest in content marketing for the foreseeable future.”

So I sent this reply: “Thanks for letting me know. I completely understand. If you don’t want me to contact you again, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll contact you in three months to see how you’re placed.” 

He didn’t tell me not to contact him again, confirming that he really did still like me and that he really was still interested in using my services.

Helping silent clients rediscover the gift of speech

The next day, I tried Voss’ trick with another potential client who’d been all hot at the start but had then stopped responding to my messages.

“Have you given up on this project?” I asked.

“Thanks, Nick. It will be on pause for a while. Thank you,” he replied.

Soon after, I sent Voss’ magical message to another silent client.

“Hi Nick. Sorry, I just haven’t prioritised this. It’s not dead. Just busy. Sorry.”

Thanks, Mr Voss.