Submit your Question: Spotify - click the button below. All other platforms - send me a DM on Instagram or email: support@janinegarner.com.au 

Let’s talk about that all-too-familiar business gut punch: you send a killer proposal, wait for the “yes” and get nothing but radio silence. Ghosting. It’s frustrating, it’s awkward and it can leave you questioning your value. But here’s the truth: you don’t need to slash your prices or chase after people who aren’t ready. You just need a smarter way to turn that silence into your next opportunity.

The GHOST Framework: Your Comeback Plan

In this episode, I share how to respond when you get ghosted without losing your cool or your confidence. Meet the GHOST framework:

G: Give the Magic Pill

H: Humanise the Follow Up

O: Offer a Quick Win

S: Set Decision Gates

T: Take Back Your Power

Silence Isn’t Rejection—It’s Data

Ghosting isn’t a verdict on your worth. It’s just information. By showing up with clarity, boundaries and a focus on real outcomes, you can turn that silence into stronger client relationships. Remember, you are not here to chase and convince people to work with you. You are in the business of partnership. 

Here’s your challenge for this week: reach out to someone who’s gone quiet with a “Yes, No, or Not Now” message. Celebrate any response because clarity is always a win. And if this episode hits home, share it with someone who needs a boost. You’ve got the skills to turn silence into your next big success. 

LINKS:

Connect with Janine:

Elevate with Janine

The Focus Finder Assessment

Website |  Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Mentioned in this episode:

Apply to our Elevate Mastermind

Elevate Mastermind

Hello.

Hello, Janine Garner here again.

I hope you are all amazing.

So quick show of hands.

I know I can't see you, but let me just test this virtually, who's been ghosted

after delivering an absolute amazing.

Kiss of a proposal.

Yep, same here.

And if it helps, I once refreshed my inbox so many times.

I think my laptop actually thought it was doing a cardio session.

How many times have you seriously sent a pitch

packed with so much value

you spent hours finessing it, you've triple checked the links

you've hit send, and then.

Silence.

Absolutely zero response.

No reply, no acknowledgement, no.

Got it.

Not even a thumbs up emoji.

Just inbox tumbleweeds.

It's not just you and no, you don't need to slash your price

to get noticed because today on.

This podcast, we're gonna dive into what seems to be a modern epidemic

of being ghosted, why it's happening more than ever, and I wanna give

you some tips and tools and ideas on how to turn that silence into

clean decisions and better clients.

I'll share the story of the dream prospect who went poof on me.

I wanna share with you the exact moves I made and I used to bring

that client back, and I'm gonna give you a 5 step framework that you can

actually action before lunchtime.

Today we're gonna break the tried rules, the tired rules of chasing

and creating momentum with clarity and confidence and maybe a spark.

So get that kettle on, get that notes section open, and let's start

turning those crickets into contracts.

So a few months ago, I'm fresh off a high energy strategy

day with a corporate climb.

The stakeholder group is absolutely buzzing.

The whiteboard looks like an amazing part of modern art, and

we've got really clear, crisp.

Outcomes.

I'm also really clear on what the next steps are, and I've been asked to submit

a proposal to that effect, a proposal that is about the next 12 months of how we can

both work together, how we can embed the strategy, and how we can really unlock

that next level of leadership potential.

So of course I spend a few hours writing the proposal and I, off

it goes, we schedule a check-in, I send a gentle nudge, and then.

Nada, absolutely nothing.

Or Janine would've spiraled into, is it me?

Should I, should I cut rates?

really, is this what they actually wanted?

Should I throw in a bonus keynote or two?

You know, you've heard me actually rant about this before, on prior.

A podcast here about not undercharging and not bending over backwards, but

instead actually valuing ourselves.

Because those two things are a fast track to burnout and certainly not growth.

And if you check back, you'll find former episodes on that.

But what I did instead is I pressed pause and I asked a better question.

The question was, what's the value gap that they're currently feeling?

Not, what am I missing from my proposal tech?

Not about what feels risky to me, but actually asking myself

what is currently risky to them.

how foggy are they feeling right now?

What's in the way for them?

Here's what I suspected.

The team in the room was aligned, but the approver of

the proposal wasn't in the room.

They loved the destination, but they were actually really nervous

about the next 30 days, and they weren't actually doubting me at all.

They were doubting themselves, the timing, the bandwidth, their

ability to implement what we were about to do without disruption.

And so I shifted from chasing to actually serving with structure.

No discounts, no desperation.

I sent a short thank you for note referencing a specific insight that they

shared during that strategy session.

It wasn't just circling back.

It was a proof that I'd been listening and I named one immediate measurable win.

One next step.

I showed them a magic pill that they could put in place immediately

and drew a simple line for them between today and that result.

I also offered them a decision gate.

A very clear yes.

No or not right now option, a respectful, pressure-free way to get closure

for me, or momentum for me to get closure for them or momentum for them.

Now the result is that this activity resets the conversation.

We had a really quick, tight, quick win session and a very clean yes,

ultimately with extended scope over and above that original proposal.

Not because I pushed harder, but because I made it easier for them to decide.

So this is what I wanna share with you today because let's just

talk quickly about what's really happening when you are ghosted.

The reality check right now is that time poverty is very real.

Your key contact may be doing the work of five people.

Their calendar is a game of Tetris.

Your email's not being ignored.

It's just actually Buried in a significant amount of pressure and workload.

The second thing is that decision drag is structural.

You know, post 2020 when many, what happened was many organizations added

in extra levels and layers of sign-offs.

The person who lost your solution may actually, in reality, need two

committees and a budget holder to nod before they can move ahead.

The risk perception is actually greater than the ROI slides.

Even with a great ROIA great return on investment buyers

are fearing execution risk.

They're asking themselves, will this disrupt business as usual?

Who's going to own it?

What if we look silly if it stalls?

What if it actually doesn't create the change that we want?

There's also a little bit of confidence dip in the middle that's happening Early.

Excitement is always high, but mid funnel confidence dips because the

next steps feel fuzzy, and that's when ghosting spikes and when potential

clients start questioning pricing prices actually a proxy for certainty

when buyers start nitpicking on price.

It's often a sign that they're uncertain about what actually happens next.

Not about the actual dollar figure, but more about what happens next.

And if you respond by sending a thicker deck, if you respond by listing even

more features or slicing your price, you are actually fueling the overwhelm.

So what you've got to do is we've gotta respond to this ghosting

activity with a clear outcome, a tiny first step, a clean decision path.

You've got to become the signal in the noise, not add to the noise.

We've gotta disrupt the all dance and create some movement

and empower the decision.

Both for the clients potential client, but also for yourself, so that you

actually have some clarity moving forward as to what is happening

and what that pipeline truly is.

So what I wanna introduce for you is the Ghost framework, the G-H-O-S-T

framework, five Moves that have the potential to bring those buyers back.

Now we're gonna go through it one step at a time.

So let's start off with G. G for ghost G is stands for giving the magic pill.

Which is one clear outcome.

You see, ghosting loves vagueness.

It thrives in the fog, so you've gotta think about what is one

small but mighty result that you can help those potential clients.

Get results fast.

I want you to think about solving that right now.

What's the one outcome that they care about right now?

The thing that's keeping them awake at 3:00 AM in the morning.

Solve that.

This is what I call your magic pill.

It's that first taste of transformation, the first gift of you.

It's the value add.

It's not the whole shebang, it's not the whole program.

This is just a little, little something, a little bit of sprinkle,

a little bit of your magic that proves that you get it, that you

understand them and that you can help.

So, for example, if you're a coach, it may be about sharing a one page

journaling prompt that unlocks, unlocks a client's limiting belief.

If you're a consultant, maybe it's about sharing a three point framework

or a quick voice memo or loom video where you are unpacking how to

triage their biggest bottleneck.

If you're an advisor, maybe it's about sharing a quick calculator or

checklist or even a sample chapter of something that you've written before

and showing them how to, for example, save money or get clarity and direct.

This is not a sample of your program.

It's not bait.

It's real help and it's real fast results.

It's saying to your potential clients, I see you.

I understand you, I've got you.

And what we're doing here is we're reframing the conversation from

proposal to progress confidence, and actually getting results

and outcomes beat price wars.

Always.

So G, we want to give a magic pill.

Next letter, h. H stands for humanizing the follow-up.

Just checking in, or I'm just following up on a previous email is dead.

It smells like desperation, quite frankly, and I want you to replace

that with something that's memorable.

That's respectful and that's actually human.

And this is where we go back to the thank you for strategy.

Again, I shared this on previous podcasts.

There's three parts to The Thank You For strategy.

Part number one, t. think about something that they have shared with

you, something that matters to them.

This shows that you were listening.

So for example, it may be, you know, thank you for sharing with me the current

challenges that you are facing with, conversations at leadership, with engaging

your team, with networking internally with siloed working, whatever it may be.

The t the thank you for the part one is.

Thanking them for sharing a piece of information with

you that mattered to them.

Then we move to the second part of this strategy, which is a ask

a clear next step question, not a pitch, but a partnership nudge.

So it may be, is there any further information you need from me?

Whatever it may be.

But ask is part number two to the thank you for strategy.

And finally, part number three is the D do something.

One generous act, one level of insight, one bit of connection, one bit of clarity.

Now, as an example, one of my clients followed up after a very

intense, values led discovery call.

By saying thank you for the story about your founder, it

reminded me of why I do what I do.

Now, if it's helpful, I've mapped out your three biggest culture

blind spots, and I've also suggested a possible 90 day plan.

If you want me to walk through it, let me know.

That very simple piece of follow up, not a, I'm just following up with, but

this thank you for strategy landed that particular client, a six month engagement.

She wasn't pushing, but she was partnering, she was showing, I get you.

I see you.

I wanna help you.

Next step, we're talking O.

This stands for offer a quick win showing but not telling.

You are not selling coaching or strategy or support.

What you are actually selling is movement and momentum for that particular client.

What we know is action shows.

Proof.

This is where I want you to think about how you can collapse

doubt about the decision.

How can you make it easy for your client to actually build the

confidence in you, in your work, and how you can make momentum happen?

Now, it's slightly different to the magic pill.

The magic pill is sending something.

This is about something, uh, a little bit smaller where they see you in action.

So, for example, it could be a launch and learn, it could be a 45 minute

decision lap, where you're getting clear on priorities and a go or no strategy.

It could be a 30 minute strategy call or strategy sprint where you're picking the

pain point and you're mapping out how they can navigate it over the next 30 days.

Maybe it's a snapshot deck where you are very quickly highlighting

what's missing and how.

To fix it and what action like.

The key thing here is you want it to be short, it's results focused.

it's an added value piece where you are giving your potential clients a sense

of what it's like to work with you.

Your prospect doesn't want more information.

They want to feel momentum.

So this is about giving that momentum to them.

S is one of my favorite.

This is where we set decision gates.

This is about really getting back in control because the worst thing

as a consultant, a coach or advisor, is an ongoing never ending pipeline.

Where you've been speaking to people forever and ever, and you

actually don't know if it's gonna land or it's totally disappeared.

So this step is a lifesaver.

It literally saves time.

It saves sanity.

It saves those awkward energy leaks.

Those leaks where.

You've pitched, you've served, now you actually need a decision.

And I wanna hat tip, an amazing client of mine, Leah Meher, who actually,

came up with this email, bit of email Gold, which she shared within my

elevator and Inner Circle community.

This is about sending a message.

We want to put some decision gates around the ghosting.

So the subject line could be here, you know, quick chat.

Yes, no, or not now, or maybe, and the message runs something like this.

It could say, you know.

Hey, Sam, I'm just checking.

if nows the right time to move forward on the proposal I've sent you, if

you could please reply with a yes.

Let's look it in.

No, I'm all good with that.

And I'll close the file or not.

Now, let's circle back in a few months.

I'd love to know if a 10 minute chat helps say the word and I'll call.

So essentially what you're doing is you are taking back control, you are sending

a yes no, or maybe email to those.

People that have been ghosting you and you are giving them that chance,

that decision gate to themselves, close it off or move forward.

What you've done is you've created a boundary and you've

given them the control.

'cause often ghosting isn't rudeness.

It's actually.

About resistance and overwhelm, or potentially your clients

don't know how to say no.

When we give people a simple choice, you'll be amazed at

how quickly they will respond.

And the final step here, the final option here, here is TT,

in the acronym of G-H-O-S-T.

Ghost T stands for taking your power back.

This is not about entering the discounting spiral.

Let's talk about the real cost of ghosting.

It can wreck your confidence if you let it, but here's the deal, You

are not someone else's nice to have.

You are not a discount dispenser.

You are not available for approval.

Choosing.

And if they start nitpicking price, I want you to think about

how you can pause and reframe.

Maybe ask them what's the key outcome that matters most to you?

Is it speed?

Is it cost?

Is it depth?

And then the conversation is about.

Prioritizing that one thing.

Maybe it's about going back and closing down the nitpicking pricing

conversation by saying, I don't discount, but I can adjust the

scope to fit your investment range.

What feels doable?

Right now?

I've had one of my.

Awesome, clients.

often when people say to her, is the price negotiable?

She'll actually say yes.

How much more would you like to pay?

The point here is that Your price is a mirror for your client's readiness.

It's really important that you own your worth, you own your proposal.

You own your pricing conversation.

It's not about discounting, but it is about taking stuff out.

So those clients that ask, can I get a discount?

Remember, they're not trying to insult you often.

They're trying to reduce their own risk, so help 'em feel safer.

Without shrinking yourself.

For example, maybe you're a business coach and you've sent a proposal to help,

I don't know, a solopreneur repackage her services and she goes, quiet what

you might do using the ghosting process.

We pick up the G and you send her, a quick template on how she can

name and price her signature offer.

Maybe with the h you send a thank you for message about sharing her

zone of genius and the fact that you love the fire in the voice and you've

outlined a three launch step process.

Maybe you offer.

A 10 minute signature sprint and suggest a setting of boundaries.

Send her a yes no or not now, email, but you can tap into each of

these five strategies of GHOS and T and use them to essentially speed

up that decision making process.

This is about owning your power.

This is about owning your presence, and this is about going into partnership

with those potential clients.

This is how you stop ghosting from stealing your magic.

So I know ghosting is on the increased.

I want you to remember, it's not a verdict.

It's just information.

And when you show up with clarity, with humanity and with solid boundaries,

you have the opportunity to turn that silence into real momentum,

into deeper respect, and into a better way of serving your clients.

You are not here to chase.

You are here to find those incredible A grade clients that have problems

and that are willing to invest in you.

You are not here to chase.

You're not here to convince you are the safe pair of hands, the hot

commodity, the brilliant partner.

Your dream clients are craving Even if they're not quite brave enough to

say yes yet, you've got to ensure that every action you take, every bit of

communication you make, every single next step is reinforcing your positioning

and your authority in the market.

So here's your challenge for this week.

I want you to.

Pick a person that may be currently ghosting.

You send them the yes no or maybe not yet message using the

framework that I've shared above.

And then I want you to celebrate either outcome, because either outcome

is clarity, and clarity is the win.

Always, if this episode landed with you, if it helped you sit up

a little bit straighter and own your value just a little bit more,

please give me a rating here.

On whatever podcast channel you're listening to, and if there's anyone

else that you think would benefit from listening to the message, any

other, supplier, client, friend, partner of yours, please pass it on

and even better take a screenshot, share it on your socials, tag me

and tell me your biggest aha moment.

'cause I want to hear what click.

What's shifted, and even what still feels a little sticky,

because this is about conversation.

You're not alone in this.

You've got brilliance to unleash.

You've got clients that need your help, and you've got people that you

know you can serve to help get the outcome that they are looking for.

Silence doesn't get to stop that.

I'm Janine cheering you on As always, thank you so much for listening this

week, and I'll see you next time.