Why Prospects Ghost After Your Quote (And How to Stop It with Price Commitments | Donald Kelly - 1955

Dec 1, 2025

Discover why prospects often vanish after receiving a quote. Learn about the competitive landscape, with buyers typically evaluating multiple vendors before making decisions. Hear a client story highlighting the pitfalls of losing a deal to competitors. Donald shares key statistics on buyer behavior and emphasizes the importance of securing follow-up meetings. He provides practical scripts for confidently scheduling these crucial discussions. Wrap up with final tips to ensure you're always ready for the final review process.

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ANECDOTE

Client Lost Deal Until They Called Out Competition

Donald C. Kelly recounts a client who lost a deal because the prospect was evaluating other vendors late in the process.
The client learned to call out competition and schedule a final apples-to-apples comparison to regain control of the sale.

INSIGHT

Buyers Narrow Quickly To A Shortlist

Donald highlights data showing buyers compare 2–7 vendors and often narrow to three for deep evaluation.
This means if you're not in the initial consideration set, your chance of winning is very low.

INSIGHT

Being First Gives You A Big Edge

Early positioning matters because 92% of buyers start with at least one vendor in mind and 90% choose from that initial list.
Being the first vendor they encounter greatly increases your odds of winning.

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We all know the feeling. You think an inbound deal is good to go, and out of nowhere a competitor pops up and takes it. In this episode, I walk you through why this happens more often than you think and what you can do to stay ahead when prospects quietly start shopping around.

Facing the Reality of Multiple Vendors (00:02:29 – 00:05:26)

● Most buyers are not talking to only one company. In fact, almost every inbound lead is comparing several vendors before they make a decision.

● I break down the numbers and talk about why you should always assume you are one of many. Even when the lead comes from a referral, there is usually another option on the table.

Overcoming the Wait and Hope Pitfall (00:05:26 – 00:09:11)

● Too many sellers wait and hope the deal closes. That approach usually backfires. In this part of the conversation, I share the exact language you can use to bring up competitors in a confident and natural way.

● You will also hear how to set a follow up call for a true apples to apples comparison once the buyer has done their research. This helps you stay in control and positions you as a real guide in the process.

Stats That Influence Your Strategy (00:07:24 – 00:08:46)

● 92% of buyers already have at least one vendor in mind before they ever talk to you. Most stick with that initial list.

● I explain how this shapes your outreach, your social presence, and the way you show up early in the buying journey.

Scripts and Tactics to Win (00:09:11 – 00:16:27)

● Here is where we get practical. I share simple scripts to help you confidently ask which vendors they are comparing, how they are evaluating pricing, and what steps they want to take next.

● I also walk through how confidence, professionalism, and a quick thank you follow up can help you stand out and keep the deal alive.

“92% of buyers start the process with at least one vendor in mind, and 90% of them end up choosing from their initial consideration list.” - Donald Kelly.

Resources

● Don’t forget to connect with me on LinkedIn.

● Check out my LinkedIn Prospecting Course to change your level of thinking and master LinkedIn outreach.

● If you need help creating content for your business, Blue Mango Studios can help.

Sponsorship Offers

1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.