Why Your Nonprofit Sales Calls Ghost You (And the 30-Day Fix)
Download MP3You had a great discovery call. They were excited. You sent the proposal right away.
And then…nothing.
If you’re replaying the call wondering what you said wrong, the problem might not be the call at all. The problem may be that you never told the potential client when the door closes.
In this episode, Holly Rustick breaks down a simple 30-day sales follow-up system for freelance grant writers who are tired of chasing proposals, wondering when to follow up, and losing warm leads in an open-ended sales process.
You’ll learn why every proposal needs a clear expiration date, how to build your follow-up cadence around that deadline, and why closing the loop doesn’t have to feel pushy or desperate. Holly walks through the five follow-up emails to send during that 30-day window; including the closing-day email most grant writers never send.
She also explains why leads who don’t buy shouldn’t disappear from your business entirely. They may be out of the active sales conversation, but they can stay in your ecosystem through your email list until they’re ready to come back.
If you want to improve your sales conversion rate without generating more leads, start here: set the deadline, write the emails, send them to everybody, and let the system do its job.
ABOUT HOLLY RUSTICK
Grant Writing & Funding (GWF) has a Global Movement to Secure $1 Billion in Grant Funding for Good and $30 Million in Grant Writing Businesses by 2030. Holly Rustick, CEO of GWF, is leading the movement; a world-renowned grant writer with 20+ years of experience, bestselling author, and business coach for new and seasoned grant writers to replace their full-time income writing grants part-time from home through her signature programs: the Freelance Grant Writer Academy and the Grant Professional Mentorship.
Rustick is the host of the top grant writing podcast “Grant Writing & Funding” and the author of the Bestselling book, The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing. With an MA in International Political Economy, past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, serving on numerous boards of directors, Holly is also an unapologetic feminist. She lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella.
CONNECT WITH HOLLY RUSTICK
Website: https://grantwritingandfunding.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollyrustick
RESOURCES:
- Weekly Newsletter: “Write Grants. Get Paid” - Get thought leadership on grant and freelance grant writing strategies every week in your inbox. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/
- Freelance Grant Writer Academy: Replace your Full-Time Income Writing Grants Part-Time from Home. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/freelance-grant-writer-academy/
- Grant Professional Mentorship: Double your Monthly Revenue with an Income Stream Outside of Grant Writing. https://grantwritingandfunding.com/mentorship
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Thanks for listening!
Warmly,
Holly Rustick
Leading the $1 Billion for Good Movement: By 2030, aspiring and seasoned grant writers inside the Freelance Grant Writer Academy & Grant Professional Mentorship will 1) WIN $1 Billion in Grants, and 2) MAKE $30 Million in their Grant Writing Businesses. We are on our way already.
