Have you ever been ghosted? That awful feeling when someone completely disappears after you *thought* things were going well? Well, plot twist—despite all your hard work, YOU might be the one doing the ghosting in your own business.
Look at your funnel—your content is fire, your ads are crushing it, and leads are flowing in like crazy. But something’s still off… your conversion rates are stuck in “meh” territory and client retention? Let’s just say there’s room for improvement.
You’re “ghosting” the very people ready to invest in your business—and it’s silently killing your profits. Whether it’s leads that hit your funnel then get radio silence, or clients who buy but never receive proper follow-up, this engagement gap is costing you serious money.
What Ghosting Your Leads Is Really Costing You
Warning: Some of the numbers I’m about to throw at you might make you uncomfortable…
Studies show that acquiring a new customer costs FIVE TIMES more than retaining an existing one. And increasing customer retention by just 5% can boost your profits by 25-95%.
Those aren’t small numbers, my friend!
If you’re spending $1,000 a month on ads to generate new leads but not nurturing the ones you already have, you’re essentially setting fire to a big chunk of that money. You’re forced to constantly find new leads—which means more ad spend, more content creation, more time in your DMs, and basically more of everything that already drains your energy and bank account.
But it’s not just about the financial costs. There’s also the opportunity cost. Every time someone shows interest in your offer but doesn’t convert because you didn’t nurture them properly—that’s a missed opportunity. Every time a client doesn’t renew or upgrade because you didn’t maintain that relationship—that’s another missed opportunity.
And these missed opportunities add up crazy fast.
What Ghosting Actually Looks Like
Let’s break down the two main types of ghosting that are probably happening in your business right now:
1. Lead Ghosting
This happens when someone enters your world—maybe they downloaded your lead magnet, signed up for your webinar, or joined your challenge—and then it’s crickets. Complete silence. Or maybe you sent them a few generic emails with no real strategy, no personalization, no genuine attempt to build a relationship.
2. Client Ghosting
This happens when someone actually buys from you (amazing!), but then after that transaction, they’re left to fend for themselves. No proper onboarding, no check-ins, no celebration of their wins, no support when they’re struggling.
Both types of ghosting lead to the same results: missed opportunities for deeper engagement, repeat business, and referrals.
Now, I know what you might be thinking: “Michelle, I just don’t have time to personally nurture every lead or check in with every client!”
I get it. We’re all busy trying to earn more and work less. But here’s the thing—you don’t need to do it all personally. You just need systems in place that make people feel seen, valued, and supported.
Real Results: A Case Study in Anti-Ghosting
Let me share a quick case study to bring this to life.
I had a client who was struggling with exactly this issue. She was a business coach with a decent number of leads coming in, but her conversion rate was pretty low. And the few clients she did have rarely signed up for the next level in her value ladder.
We looked at her systems and discovered she was essentially ghosting both her leads and her clients. Her email nurture sequence was basic and generic—the “everyone else does this” kind of thing. And once someone became a client, there was no formal onboarding, no community, none of that good stuff we talked about.
So we revamped her entire approach to building relationships. We created a segmented email strategy for her leads with different paths based on behaviors and interests. We set up a proper onboarding system for new clients, complete with welcome gifts and clarity calls—the whole nine yards.
We implemented monthly celebration emails where she highlighted client wins (which also became testimonials for her sales pages—double win!). And we created a simple but effective offboarding process that included a graduation celebration and a clear path to the next level of working together.
The results? Within three months, her conversion rate doubled, and her client retention rate went from about 20% to over 70%. But perhaps most exciting was the increase in referrals—her clients now felt so seen and supported throughout their journey that they were much more likely to recommend her to their friends and colleagues.
Referrals became her #1 source of new clients, which meant she could reduce her ad spend and time-consuming content creation because she had created a self-sustaining ecosystem of happy clients bringing in new business.
Your Anti-Ghosting Roadmap
So what practical steps can you take right now to stop ghosting and start building those valuable relationships? Here’s your roadmap:
- Map Your Customer Journey: Where are leads coming from? What happens after they enter your world? Where are the gaps in communication? Do the same for your client journey—what does that experience look like? Where are the touch points? Where are the milestones? Where do you feel they’re not being supported?
- Identify Quick Wins: Maybe it’s setting up a proper welcome sequence or creating a 30-day check-in email for new clients. What could be your quick win?
- Segment Your Audience: Think about how you can create more personalized communication. Remember that relevance is key to engagement—if they’re not interested or it’s not relevant, they won’t engage.
- Celebrate Client Wins: This not only makes the client feel awesome but also shows potential clients what’s possible when they work with you.
- Plan Your Follow-Up Strategy: Just because a program ended doesn’t mean the relationship should. How will you stay connected with past clients?
The Magic of Anti-Ghosting: What’s Really Possible
Now let me paint a picture of what’s possible when you stop ghosting and start truly engaging with your leads and clients:
Imagine a business where leads don’t go cold because your relationship-building sequence is so engaging and valuable that people actually look forward to getting your emails. They can’t wait to read your stories and find out what adventures you’re up to next.
Imagine clients who are so well supported that they achieve remarkable results and can’t stop talking about you to anyone who will listen.
Imagine not having to constantly hustle for new leads because you have a steady stream of repeat business and referrals.
Imagine being able to raise your prices because the value you provide is so clearly demonstrated throughout the entire client journey.
This isn’t just a fairy tale. This is what’s possible when you make relationship-building a priority in your business. And the best part? Once you set up these systems, most of it can be automated. You can nurture at scale without having to work more hours.
Your Next Steps
I challenge you to take an honest look at your business and ask yourself: “Am I ghosting my leads and clients?”
If the answer is yes—and for most of us, there’s at least some room for improvement—then it’s time to make a change.
In a world where everything feels increasingly disconnected, genuine connection is your secret weapon. It’s how you stand out from the crowd. It’s how you turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans. And ultimately, it’s how you build a business that not only makes you money but also makes a difference.
The good news? When you stop ghosting and start nurturing, you can transform your client relationships, boost your retention, and create a thriving community of people who love what you do and can’t wait to tell others about it.
Want to learn more? Check out the full episode of the Traffic & Conversions Show for even more strategies to start truly connecting with your audience. And while you’re there, hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next big idea that could change the way you do business!
Remember, in the online business world, genuine connection is your ultimate competitive advantage—and your community is your biggest asset.
