The Art of Handling the “Avoider”
(How to Re-Engage Prospects Without Chasing Them)
Let’s set the scene.
You had a good conversation.
Maybe even a great one.
And now?
Crickets.
No returned call.
No reply to your email.
No response to your carefully worded follow-up that you re-read six times before hitting send.
And now the question hits you:
“How do I handle a prospect who avoids communicating with me, without sounding desperate?”
Good news: SELLability technology has a clean, professional answer.
First, Let’s Kill the Myth
Most salespeople assume that avoidance means rejection.
It doesn’t.
SELLability teaches that avoidance is usually a symptom of uncertainty, not disinterest.
Prospects avoid when:
- They feel pressured
- They feel unclear
- They feel embarrassed to say “not yet”
- Or they don’t know how to move the process forward
Your job isn’t to chase them.
Your job is to restore control and certainty.
Why Chasing Makes It Worse
When a prospect avoids communication, most salespeople do one of two things:
- Stop following up completely
- Follow up harder, faster, and more awkwardly
Neither works.
Why?
Because pressure without clarity feels like manipulation, and prospects respond to that by disappearing further.
SELLability doesn’t teach persistence, it teaches precision.
The SELLability Rule of Avoidance
Here’s a foundational principle:
You never chase a prospect.
You invite them back into a controlled conversation.
That shift changes everything.
Step 1: Remove Emotion From the Follow-Up
Avoidance triggers emotion in salespeople:
- “Did I mess this up?”
- “Did they go with someone else?”
- “Should I send one more message?”
SELLability requires neutrality.
Your tone must say:
- Calm
- Professional
- In control
Not:
- Anxious
- Apologetic
- Hopeful
Step 2: Use a Process-Based Re-Engagement
Instead of asking for a response, reference the process.
Bad follow-up:
“Just checking in to see if you had any thoughts.”
SELLability follow-up:
“The next step we discussed was reviewing X together. I wanted to confirm whether that’s still a priority.”
See the difference?
One begs.
One leads.
Step 3: Ask a Question That Forces Clarity
Avoid yes/no questions that let prospects hide.
SELLability questions invite honesty without pressure.
Examples:
- “What changed since we last spoke?”
- “Is this something you want to move forward with now, or should we revisit it later?”
- “Would it make sense to pause this, or do you want to set a specific time to continue?”
These questions do something powerful:
They give the prospect a respectful exit or a clear path forward.
Either outcome is a win.
Step 4: Control Time, Again
Avoidance often means the timeline was never truly agreed to.
SELLability emphasizes time control at every stage.
Instead of:
“Let me know when you’re ready.”
Use:
“If this is still important, let’s set a time now. If not, we’ll put it aside.”
You’re not threatening.
You’re clarifying.
And clarity feels safe.
Step 5: Be Willing to Close the Door
This part scares salespeople, but it works.
SELLability teaches that certainty is created when indecision ends.
A strong, professional close-out sounds like:
“If now isn’t the right time, no problem. We can close the loop and reconnect later if things change.”
Ironically, this often re-engages the prospect.
Why?
Because pressure disappears, and trust shows up.
The Big SELLability Insight
Prospects don’t avoid you.
They avoid:
- Unclear decisions
- Unfinished conversations
- And salespeople who won’t lead
When you lead calmly, professionally, and with control, avoidance fades.
And when it doesn’t?
You still win, because you get certainty instead of silence.
Final Thought
Handling an avoiding prospect isn’t about clever wording or perfect timing.
It’s about control, clarity, and confidence.
SELLability doesn’t teach you how to chase people down.
It teaches you how to make it easy, and safe, for them to engage.
And that’s how professionals sell.
