Ghosted by a customer? Try this. 👻

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Hey CS Pro,

Ever had a customer disappear mid-project or go silent before a renewal? You’re not alone. And it’s not always your fault. But how you respond is what makes or breaks the relationship.

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing real strategies to re-engage ghosted customers without sounding desperate, the common mistakes CS pros make, and a personal story where a “dead” customer came back to life. 🧟 

Let’s get into it.

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Why ghosting happens (and why it’s not always your fault)

It’s easy to spiral when a customer suddenly stops replying. You start second-guessing every call, email, or QBR. But the thing is, most ghosting has nothing to do with you.

Still, ignoring it creates real problems. It kills momentum, stalls value delivery, and increases churn risk. So what actually causes ghosting?

A few big reasons:

• You’re only reaching out when you need something. Like a renewal signature or onboarding check-in. That’s not value. That’s a task.

• Your meetings aren’t strategic enough. If every meeting feels like a check-in, your customers will start skipping them. And eventually disappear altogether.

• You’ve only built one relationship. Your champion leaves or changes roles, and suddenly you’ve got no one else to contact. That’s why multithreading early matters.

The silence isn’t always personal. But if you don’t take action, the ghosting will stick around.

Top mistakes CS pros make when they get ghosted

When a customer goes quiet, most CSMs either freeze or get…a little too persistent.

Here are the common traps:

• No expectation setting post-onboarding. Most CS pros are great during implementation. But if you haven’t clearly outlined what happens after onboarding—meeting cadence, success metrics, communication style—your customer will assume they’re done.

• Sticking to your preferred communication style. Maybe you love email. But your customer has 5,000 unread messages. If you’re not showing up where they are—Slack, LinkedIn, text, even quick calls—you’re just getting buried.

• Assuming it’s a lost cause. If your customer ghosts you, it’s tempting to give up. But silence doesn’t always mean no. Sometimes it just means not now. Or not this way.

You need to meet your customer where they are. Literally and figuratively.

Weekly Challenge: Try the Comeback Strategy

Pick one customer who’s gone quiet. Then do this:

1. Research their company. Check for reorgs, layoffs, leadership changes, or shifting priorities. Use Google or AI tools like ChatGPT to help.

2. Send a value-based re-engagement email. Make it about them. Tie it to their goals or a previous success.

3. Switch up the channel. If email hasn’t worked, try Slack, LinkedIn, or even text.

4. Loop in a teammate. Work with your AE or account team. You don’t have to do this alone.

Even if only one customer re-engages, that’s still a huge win.

If you try this strategy, I’d love to hear how it goes. Share your win using #CSProChallenge on LinkedIn and tag me.

That’s it for this week! This Halloween edition of the Customer Success Pro Podcast is a must-listen for any CSMs dealing with spooky silence.

Have a listen to the latest podcast:

I hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact us.

Cheers to your CS success,

Anika

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