You do all that needs to be done, follow all the tried and true techniques to evoke a response and still nothing.
What if your prospect goes silent?
Has this ever happen to you? You go in and do a new business pitch and you nail it, plain and simple. The participants are with you every slide, every word, every well-rehearsed statement designed to evoke a laugh in exactly the right places. You walk out on cloud 9 or well, whatever cloud has your monthly cash flow statement.
You got it; you’re sure.
And then the wait begins. They promise to let you know within a week and by the middle of week two you decide to reach out. No reply. Nada. A few more days pass by and then another call and email. Still nothing.
They’ve gone silent.
You do all that needs to be done, follow all the tried and true techniques to evoke a response and still nothing.
By now you’ve ripped that cash flow statement into little tiny pieces and have moved on to new prospects and hopefully greener pastures.
But is that the answer?
A few thoughts to ponder:
You can’t lose what you don’t have. Now I’m not suggesting that you stalk the prospect or become overly aggressive. I am suggesting that they “owe” you a response and so stay attentive and on their grid until you get one. Period.
Just because this is a very important piece of business for YOU it just might not be that important for THEM. And, as you might recall, it’s all about them. Don’t despair. Sometimes projects that seemed to have died an unnatural death come to life weeks and months after their supposed “start date.”
Think carefully. Did you truly screen and qualify the opportunity or did you go in and “pitch on a prayer?” If so, that prospect might not have been that qualified from the very beginning.
Have you done some due diligence to find out if anything has changed in THEIR world? (One client I know neglected to find out that the company that they pitched had merged with another organization and their proposal was now agenda item number 3264646.)
There are lots of reasons that prospects go silent post presentation. Review the circumstances carefully and take the appropriate steps. Most important, make certain that your business presentation is being conducted to qualified prospects that are truly interested in your product or service. That’s not a guarantee that you’ll get a response but it certainly ups the odds.
![6 High-Probability Moments to Send LinkedIn Connection Requests Prior to an Event Events create natural relevance. Conferences, trade shows, user groups, and local meetups give you a reason to connect that does not feel forced. The mistake sellers make is waiting until the event starts or turning the request into a pitch. A better move is connecting days or weeks ahead with a simple acknowledgment of the shared event. Example: Hi Sarah, saw you’re attending the Midwest Manufacturing Summit next month. I’ll also be there and am super excited! I’d love to catch up in person at the event. In the meantime, let’s connect here on LinkedIn. You are aligning with something already on their calendar. When you see them at the event or reach out afterward, your name is no longer unfamiliar. Following an Event After an event, connection requests work best when they reference a real interaction, even a small one. A short conversation, a question during a session, or a brief introduction creates enough context. The request should reflect that moment, not attempt to convert it into a follow-up. Example: Tim, I enjoyed meeting you at the conference last week. Your take on [subject/trend/idea] was intriguing. I look forward to staying connected and to our next conversation. This reinforces continuity and professionalism without pushing the relationship forward prematurely. After a Sales Call Sending a connection request after a sales call is one of the most underused opportunities in prospecting. If the call was answered and productive, the request reinforces credibility and continuity. Example: Thanks again for the conversation today. I appreciated your perspective on how your team is thinking about next quarter. I look forward to our next meeting and sharing some ideas I have with you and your team. If the prospect did not answer, a connection request can still make sense as a light reinforcement, especially early in the relationship. It keeps your name present without escalating pressure. Either way, the request works because the call establishes legitimacy first. After a Meaningful Interaction Not all interactions happen in formal selling environments. Thoughtful exchanges in comment threads, group discussions, or brief conversations in passing all create natural moments to connect. That might mean running into each other at a non-work event, crossing paths at an airport, or chatting briefly in a line somewhere unexpected. Example: Haley, it was a pleasure meeting you on our flight to Atlanta. Thank you for your restaurant recommendations! I look forward to staying connected, What makes this work is that the interaction was real. The request simply continues it. Mutual Connections Shared connections reduce perceived risk when handled with restraint. They signal that you operate in similar professional circles, not that you have permission to pitch. The mistake is overexplaining or implying endorsement. Example: Hi Mark, I noticed that you are connected to my good friend, James, and since you are also [interested in, working in, located in] I thought it might make sense for us to be connected also. A simple acknowledgment is enough. Familiarity does the work. Profile Views Profile views signal awareness, not intent. When someone views your profile after a call, email, or content interaction, a connection request can make sense as a low-pressure acknowledgment. Example: Wendy, thank you for visiting my profile. I had a chance to look at yours, and based on your interests, I thought it might make sense for us to connect. The discipline is resisting the urge to read more into it than is there. Want the exact framework for integrating LinkedIn into a disciplined outreach sequence without pitching, spamming, or wasting time? Buy The LinkedIn Edge by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman today. Sales Gravy is the number one sales training organization](https://salesgravy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/6-Moments-LinkedIn-Connection-Requests-Actually-Work-in-Prospecting-Sales-Gravy-Blog-Featured-Image-768x401.jpg)
