Rarely—very, very rarely—I get ghosted by a potentially new client.

Yet, I know that this is something that other freelancers often struggle with.

Ghosting occurs when a potential client that at a certain point showed interest stops replying to emails and messages.

When it happens, I don't take it personally; there can be a million reasons why someone stopped replying.

But I've learned through the years that there are certain things I can do which drastically reduce the chance of being ghosted by a lead.

I currently run two productized services: Product Alchemy, a UX/UI design subscription, and Motion Gurus, a bundle-based custom animations service. Both combined generate over €100k yearly in revenue for me.

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Who is this article for:

✅ You're a freelance UX or product designer.

✅ You may have been ghosted recently by a potential client, and you are looking for tactics to mitigate the risk that it happens again.

✅ You are curious to learn what's worked for me.

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In this article, I go through my 3 tactics that help me avoid being ghosted.

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1. Give, give, give, ask

‍My first approach is to help for free without asking anything in return.

This can be doing a free UX audit, thinking along with them on a certain feature, or even sharing other UX designers who may help them in case I'm not the best match.

The more you give openly and for free, the more reciprocity you induce. The more reciprocity you induce, the less likely someone will ghost you.

If you've generated enough reciprocity, ghosting is virtually impossible.

I often get asked, "What is your limit to giving free UX help?" and my answer is that in practice I try to limit it to not more than an hour.

Once that free hour is over, my second tactic kicks in.

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2. People want what they can't have

We are attracted to things we can't have or where there is the risk of us losing.

As freelancers, we can trigger this built-in switch in the brain of our potential clients by:

• Creating scarcity: limiting the number of clients we work with.
• Putting up a waiting list: if you are fully booked, communicate it. It's a powerful form of marketing.
• Charging premium for your service: by pricing high you signal quality and world-class delivery.

You may be thinking, "But Diego, I'm at €0—how can I possibly put up a waiting list?"

Indeed. The three steps I've shared above have a chicken-and-egg dilemma. And whenever I've been at €0—which happens often after taking a month off, which I do every year—I hustle like an animal until I have enough revenue so I can make use of the 3 powerful tactics I've shared.

You may be also thinking, "Diego, can't I just fake scarcity and pretend I'm fully booked when actually I'm not?". Sure, but I would not recommend it. Tricking people is a slippery sloop. Decency always pays off.
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3. Book a call, from a call (BAMFAM)

This is perhaps the most practical and immediate tactic for reducing ghosting. BAMFAM stands for Book A Meeting From A Meeting.

The moment you hang up a call or stop a video chat without a next call scheduled, you create a vacuum.

This vacuum is where ghosting thrives.

Never end a discovery call without a follow-up call booked in their calendar.

Executing this is super simple all I need to say is: "how about we touch base in 4 weeks at this same time?"

By doing this, you accomplish several key things:

• Momentum: The lead is still engaged and the project is top of mind.
• Create Commitment: Having an appointment in their calendar requires a conscious effort to cancel or reschedule, making a simple 'ghost' much less likely.
• Own the Process: You are guiding them through a clear, professional sales funnel, signaling that you are a highly organized service provider.
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Conclusion

I rarely get ghosted by a lead but if it happens, I try to not take it personal. There can be a million reasons why someone stopped answering my messages. People are busy, it's all good.

Although I don't take it personal I've learned that there are simple things within my zone of influence which can drastically improve the chances of closing a lead.

My approach with every lead is sistematically the same:

1. Reciprocity: I'll build a ton of reciprocity by helping for free without asking anything in return.
2. Scarcity and loss aversion: I communicate that I work with a small amount of clients and when I'm fully booked I make it front and centered on my site and Linkedin.
3. A Next Step: I'll book the next call from a call. This helps ensure the lead is kept warm and I'm in the loop of their decision process. While they are deciding I'm helping them out for free.

By intentionally building reciprocity, creating scarcity and having a next step, I shield myself a silent drop-off.

Thanks for reading all the way through 🫶

Anything you feel wasn't clear in this article or you think I should add? Please don't hesitate to reach!‍

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