# Ghost Proof Coach: Knowledge Base Reference **Use:** Upload this file to the Custom GPT's **Knowledge** section in OpenAI's GPT Builder. Same upload to the Claude Project's project files. The GPT will reference this when calibrating output, identifying scenarios, and matching prompts to silence patterns. This document is structured for retrieval, not for human reading. Section headers are explicit so the GPT's knowledge retrieval finds the right block when it needs it. --- # THE FIVE SCENARIOS · DIAGNOSTIC LIBRARY Every ghosted deal fits one of these five. Use this to identify which scenario the user is in. ## SCENARIO 01 · POST-DEMO GHOST **Description.** The demo went well. The prospect engaged with smart questions. They may have said "this looks promising." Then nothing. Days became a week. A week became two. **Identifying signals.** A live demo happened in the last 7 to 30 days. The rep felt the conversation went well. There was a verbal or written intent to follow up that has not materialized. **What most reps do wrong.** Send the same check-in email three times with slightly different subject lines. The prospect feels chased, not understood. **What OCI does.** Observe what the prospect engaged with most. Connect on the specific moment they leaned in. Invite them back with a low-friction door tied to that moment. **Default arc:** Curiosity Re-entry → Value Bridge → Honest Invite → Clean Break. ## SCENARIO 02 · POST-PROPOSAL GHOST **Description.** Proposal sent. Review promised. Deadline came and went. Now the rep is in the uncomfortable space between following up too soon and waiting too long. **Identifying signals.** A formal proposal was sent in the last 5 to 30 days. The prospect committed to a review timeline that has lapsed. No engagement metrics on the proposal document, or engagement without response. **What most reps do wrong.** Either wait passively or send "just wanted to see if you had any questions on the proposal." Both leave the prospect with no reason to re-engage. **What OCI does.** Treat the proposal as an Observation goldmine. The silence is almost always about one unanswered question the prospect has not voiced. OCI helps surface and address it. **Default arc:** Quiet Check → Unspoken Question → Reframe → Gracious Exit. ## SCENARIO 03 · INBOUND LEAD GONE COLD **Description.** They came to you. Filled out a form, requested a demo, downloaded something. The first conversation was warm. Then they disappeared. **Identifying signals.** Inbound origin (the prospect initiated). Strong first call. Quiet for 7 to 21 days after. Particularly stings because the prospect raised their hand first. **What most reps do wrong.** Treat the inbound ghost like a cold outbound ghost. Volume cadence. Same generic re-engagement sequence. The intent gets erased. **What OCI does.** Observe what changed between the prospect's original intent and the silence. Connect on the specific problem that brought them in. Invite them back without restarting the sales process. **Default arc:** Intent Mirror → Gap Finder → New Door → Permission Close. ## SCENARIO 04 · MULTI-THREAD GONE QUIET **Description.** Multiple stakeholders engaged. The champion was active. The technical lead asked questions. The whole org went silent at once. **Identifying signals.** 3+ contacts at the same account were on the thread. All went quiet within a 5 to 14 day window. Frequently happens after a budget review, reorg, or strategic priority shift. **What most reps do wrong.** Keep emailing the original champion. Do not realize the champion may no longer be the right entry point. **What OCI does.** Observe the org. Find the new center of gravity. Connect through a different door without abandoning the original champion. **Default arc:** Champion Check → New Entry Point → Organizational Reframe → Champion's Exit. ## SCENARIO 05 · EOQ DEAD DEAL REVIVAL **Description.** Last two weeks of the quarter. A deal that went cold months ago is sitting in CRM. Manager wants pipeline. The question is whether anything is left to work with. **Identifying signals.** Deal cold for 60 to 180 days. Quarter is closing. Pipeline pressure is real. The temptation to send "limited-time discount" pressure is high. **What most reps do wrong.** Send the classic EOQ pressure email. "We have a special offer ending Friday." Signals desperation. Erases trust. Buries the deal. **What OCI does.** Write from abundance. Maximum pressure met with maximum calm. Some deals pay this month's rent. The prospects who remember how graciously you closed the loop pay next month's. **Default arc:** World Has Changed → Honest Reset → Low Stakes Invite → Abundant Close. --- # THE SIX SILENCE PATTERNS · SIGNAL MAP Inside each scenario, the silence is one of six patterns. Name the pattern before picking the move. ## TIMING MISMATCH **What it means.** The prospect liked it. The business clock did not align. Budget cycle, hiring freeze, quarter close, personal bandwidth. **OCI lead.** Observe. Acknowledge timing. Do not push the window. ## INTERNAL SHIFT **What it means.** Reorg, new priority, new stakeholder, budget reallocation. Your deal did not become less valuable. It became less visible. **OCI lead.** Connect. Find the new center of gravity. Do not assume your old thread still carries weight. ## QUIET NO **What it means.** They decided against you. They did not want to tell you because the process was real and saying no felt unkind. The compliment-in-disguise silence. **OCI lead.** Invite. Offer a gracious close. The relationship lives past this deal if the close is clean. ## LOST CHAMPION **What it means.** Your internal advocate left, was reassigned, or lost influence. The deal is not dead. The person carrying it is gone. **OCI lead.** Observe. Map the new terrain before speaking. A new champion is a new relationship, not a warm handoff. ## PRIORITY DRIFT **What it means.** A new fire appeared. Your deal is still valid, still budgeted, still wanted. It moved down the list. **OCI lead.** Invite. Give them an easy door back. Do not make the door hard to open. ## UNSPOKEN OBJECTION **What it means.** Something in your proposal is not sitting right. They have not told you. They are working through it internally or hoping you will figure it out. **OCI lead.** Observe, then Connect. Name what you think the objection might be. Invite them to correct you. Precision beats persistence. --- # THE FIVE-STEP REVIVAL SEQUENCE Five sequential moves. Calibrate spacing to deal size. Never skip a step. Never change the order. 1. **The Observation Message.** Signal you were paying attention. Reference something specific. Make it entirely about them. 2. **The Value Drop.** No ask. Deliver something useful. The value stands alone. 3. **The Honest Question.** One direct question with full permission to say no. 4. **The Frictionless Ask.** Smallest possible ask. A yes or no. Ten seconds to answer. 5. **The Clean Release.** Release completely. No guilt. No urgency. Write from abundance. --- # THE THREE PRE-SEND TESTS Run silently before delivering any message to the rep. 1. **The Ten Second Test.** Read the first two lines only. Would the prospect keep reading? 2. **The Motive Test.** Would the prospect wonder what the sender really wants? If yes, rewrite. 3. **The Mirror Test.** Does the message use the prospect's words, pace, problem? Or the rep's? If a draft fails any one, rewrite before showing the rep. --- # THE FULL PROMPT LIBRARY · 20 PROMPTS ACROSS 5 SCENARIOS These are the locked prompt templates. Use them as the structural backbone when generating output. Customize the bracketed details to the rep's actual deal. ## SCENARIO 01 · POST-DEMO GHOST ### 1.1 The Curiosity Re-entry **When.** 5–7 days after demo. No response to first follow-up. **Tone.** Warm. Curious. Zero pressure. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** You had a demo with [prospect name] at [company] on [date]. During the demo they showed strong interest in [specific feature or moment]. They asked about [specific question]. It has been [X days] since your follow-up and you have not received a response. Write a short, warm, curiosity-led email that references what actually interested them during the demo, not to pitch again, but to open a real conversation about whether that thing still matters to them. No pressure. No urgency. Just real interest in where their thinking landed. ### 1.2 The Value Bridge **When.** 10–12 days post-demo. Prompt 1.1 opened, no reply. **Tone.** Generous. Peer-to-peer. No ask. **OCI Layer.** Connect. **Template.** You had a demo with [prospect name] at [company]. They expressed interest in [pain point or goal]. You have not heard back. Write a brief email that introduces one new piece of value: an insight, a case study, a result from a similar company in their industry, that directly connects to the problem they described. Do not mention the demo or ask for a meeting. Just deliver something useful and let it speak for itself. End with one light, open question. ### 1.3 The Honest Invite **When.** 14–18 days post-demo. Two touches, no reply. **Tone.** Direct. Human. Disarming. **OCI Layer.** Invite. **Template.** You have followed up twice with [prospect name] at [company] after a demo with no response. Write a short, honest, human email that acknowledges the silence without making them feel guilty. Tell them directly that you are not here to pressure them. You want to know if the timing is off, if something changed, or if there is a concern you have not addressed. Make it easy for them to say no or to resurface. Give them a door, not a push. Under 5 sentences. ### 1.4 The Clean Break **When.** 21–30 days post-demo. Three touches, no response. Final. **Tone.** Gracious. Confident. Final. **OCI Layer.** Invite, final door. **Template.** You have reached out three times to [prospect name] at [company] following a demo with no response. Write a final, gracious email that lets them off the hook completely. Tell them you will not reach out again after this message. Leave the door open for the future without conditions or guilt. End by wishing them well, and meaning it. This message should feel like the most confident thing you have sent. You are not desperate. You are closing the loop with professionalism and warmth. Under 4 sentences. ## SCENARIO 02 · POST-PROPOSAL GHOST ### 2.1 The Quiet Check **When.** 4–6 days after sending. First touch. **Tone.** Light. Human. No agenda visible. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** You sent a proposal to [prospect name] at [company] on [date]. The relationship going into the proposal felt strong. It has been [X days] with no response. Write a short, light email that does not mention the proposal directly. Check in on them as a person first. Acknowledge that proposals land in the middle of busy schedules and you are not here to add to the noise. Ask one simple question about something they mentioned personally or professionally in a previous conversation. Under 4 sentences. No ask. No urgency. ### 2.2 The Unspoken Question **When.** 10–12 days post-proposal. First follow-up sent, no reply. **Tone.** Open. Self-aware. Confident. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** You sent a proposal to [prospect name] at [company] and have followed up once with no response. Review the proposal and conversations leading up to it. Identify the one thing most likely to create hesitation: price, timeline, scope, or a gap in what was offered. Write a short email that names that hesitation directly without being defensive. Acknowledge it. Offer clarity or a solution. Do not ask if they received the proposal. Do not ask for a meeting. Just remove the obstacle you suspect is standing between them and a response. ### 2.3 The Reframe **When.** 16–20 days post-proposal. Two touches, no response. **Tone.** Reset. Generous. Forward-facing. **OCI Layer.** Connect → Invite. **Template.** You have followed up twice with [prospect name] at [company] after sending a proposal with no response. Do not follow up on the proposal again. Write a short email that sets the proposal aside completely and reframes the conversation around one core outcome they told you they cared about. Not what you are selling. What they said they needed. Ask whether that outcome is still a priority for them right now. If the timing has shifted, give them full permission to say so. You are not saving the deal. You are finding out if there is still a conversation worth having. ### 2.4 The Gracious Exit **When.** 25–30 days post-proposal. Three touches, no response. Final. **Tone.** Dignified. Warm. Permanent. **OCI Layer.** Invite, final door. **Template.** You have reached out three times to [prospect name] at [company] after submitting a proposal with no response. Write your final message. Acknowledge that you actually enjoyed the process and the conversations. Tell them you understand that timing, priorities, and decisions are complex and that you hold no frustration. Release them completely. Leave one sentence that tells them the door is open if anything ever changes, not as a tactic, but as a truth. Close this chapter well. ## SCENARIO 03 · INBOUND LEAD GONE COLD ### 3.1 The Intent Mirror **When.** 5–7 days after strong first conversation. They initiated. Then nothing. **Tone.** Reflective. Curious. No agenda. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** [Prospect name] at [company] reached out through [channel] and you had an initial conversation on [date]. They have since gone quiet. Write a short email that reflects their original intent back to them, not what you sell, but what they came looking for. Reference the specific problem or goal they described when they first reached out. Ask simply whether that problem is still present for them. Do not pitch. Do not reference next steps. Just reconnect them to the reason they raised their hand. ### 3.2 The Gap Finder **When.** 10–14 days. First follow-up sent, no reply. **Tone.** Self-aware. Open. Disarming. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** [Prospect name] at [company] came to you with clear intent and then went quiet. Reflect on the first conversation. Was there a moment where the conversation shifted from their needs to your pitch? Was there a gap between what they described and what you offered? Write a short email that acknowledges the first conversation may have missed something important for them. Invite them to tell you what that was. Make it clear you are asking because you want to understand, not to restart the sales process. ### 3.3 The New Door **When.** 18–21 days. Two touches, no reply. **Tone.** Fresh. Insightful. No history visible. **OCI Layer.** Connect → Invite. **Template.** You have followed up twice with [prospect name] at [company] with no response. Do not reference previous follow-ups. Write a completely fresh email with the advantage of everything you already know about them. Lead with one relevant insight about their industry or a challenge common to companies like theirs. Ask one question that invites a response on their terms. Give them a reason to reply that has nothing to do with buying anything. ### 3.4 The Permission Close **When.** 25–30 days. Three touches, no response. Final. **Tone.** Generous. Complete. No conditions. **OCI Layer.** Invite, final door. **Template.** You have followed up three times with [prospect name] at [company] since their initial inbound contact with no response. Write your final message. Acknowledge that they reached out with a real problem and you hope they found what they were looking for, whether with you or someone else. Tell them you hold no frustration. Give them explicit permission to close this conversation without guilt or explanation. Tell them if the problem resurfaces, you will be here, and mean it. Under five sentences. ## SCENARIO 04 · MULTI-THREAD GONE QUIET ### 4.1 The Champion Check **When.** 7–10 days after thread goes quiet. **Tone.** Personal. Pressure-free. Human. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** Your champion [name] at [company] was engaged and advocating internally. The entire thread has gone quiet. Write a short personal email to your champion that has nothing to do with the deal. Check in on them as a person. Acknowledge that internal processes are complex and decisions move in ways not always in their hands. Tell them you value the relationship regardless of outcome. Ask one simple human question. Give them a safe space to resurface without the pressure of having to deliver news about the deal. ### 4.2 The New Entry Point **When.** 12–16 days. Champion check sent, no reply. **Tone.** Respectful. Strategic. Warm. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** Your champion [name] at [company] has gone quiet along with the rest of the thread. Review every person involved in any conversation or meeting. Identify who asked the most operational questions and who asked about pricing or ROI. Write a brief, respectful email to that secondary contact that references your work with [champion name] warmly and opens a new conversation around one specific business outcome relevant to their role. Do not pressure the champion. Frame this as a natural extension of the conversation already in progress. ### 4.3 The Organizational Reframe **When.** 20–25 days. Two touches across org, no response. **Tone.** Sharp. Insightful. Organizationally aware. **OCI Layer.** Connect → Invite. **Template.** The entire thread at [company] has gone quiet across multiple contacts. Write a single email to the most senior person involved that reframes the conversation entirely. Do not reference previous follow-ups. Do not pitch the product. Open with one sharp observation about a challenge facing their industry right now. Connect that observation to the outcome they originally said they needed. Ask one question that invites a response from whoever in the organization is closest to that problem today. You are starting a conversation that the right person may not have been part of the first time. ### 4.4 The Champion's Exit **When.** 30+ days. Three touches, no response. Final. **Tone.** Honoring. Warm. Unconditional. **OCI Layer.** Invite, final door. **Template.** Write a final personal email to your champion [name] at [company]. Not about the deal. About them. Acknowledge that they went to bat for something they believed in and that takes courage inside any organization. Tell them you respect what they tried to do regardless of where the decision landed. Release them from any obligation to respond or explain. Tell them the relationship matters more than the outcome. Close with warmth and no conditions. ## SCENARIO 05 · EOQ DEAD DEAL REVIVAL ### 5.1 The World Has Changed **When.** Deal cold 60–90 days. No prior EOQ pressure applied. **Tone.** Timely. Insightful. Zero desperation. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** You had a promising conversation with [prospect name] at [company] approximately [X months] ago that went cold. Do not reference the previous deal or proposal. Research what has changed in their industry, company, or competitive landscape since you last spoke. Write a short email that leads with one sharp, specific observation about something that has shifted in their world. Ask one question grounded in real curiosity about how that change is affecting them. No pitch. No urgency. No mention of quarter end. Just a relevant human reaching out at a moment that actually makes sense. ### 5.2 The Honest Reset **When.** 5–7 days after 5.1, no reply. **Tone.** Direct. Open. Unhurried. **OCI Layer.** Observe → Connect. **Template.** You last spoke with [prospect name] at [company] approximately [X months] ago and the conversation went cold. Write a short email that names the gap directly without apology and without pressure. Acknowledge that time passed, priorities shift, and the conversation may have lost its moment. Tell them you are not reaching out because of your calendar or your quota. Tell them you are reaching out because the problem they described is one you have not stopped thinking about. Ask simply whether that is still true. Under five sentences. ### 5.3 The Low Stakes Invite **When.** Two touches, no response. **Tone.** Effortless. Generous. No weight. **OCI Layer.** Connect → Invite. **Template.** You have followed up twice with [prospect name] at [company] with no response. Do not ask for a meeting, call, or decision. Write a short email that makes the smallest possible ask: a yes or no, a single reaction, a one-word reply. Lower the barrier to re-entry so completely that responding feels easier than not responding. Attach or reference one useful piece of content that requires nothing from them except to receive it. Close with a question so simple it would take ten seconds to answer. ### 5.4 The Abundant Close **When.** Three touches, no response. Final. **Tone.** Abundant. Confident. Permanent. **OCI Layer.** Invite, final door. **Template.** Write your final message to [prospect name] at [company] on a deal that has been cold for [X months]. This message must feel like it was written by someone who does not need this deal to close. Acknowledge the silence without frustration. Tell them you will not reach out again, not as a pressure tactic but as a courtesy. Tell them the problem they described is one you solve well and when the timing is right you will be ready. Close with one warm, final, condition-free sentence. Do not mention quarter end. Do not offer a discount. Write from abundance. --- # QUICK REFERENCE · SCENARIO TO PROMPT MAP | Scenario | First touch | Second touch | Third touch | Final | |---|---|---|---|---| | Post-Demo Ghost | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | | Post-Proposal Ghost | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | | Inbound Cold | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | | Multi-Thread Quiet | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | | EOQ Revival | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.4 | --- # QUICK REFERENCE · PATTERN TO PROMPT MAP | Silence Pattern | Recommended OCI Lead | Best Prompt Match | |---|---|---| | Timing Mismatch | Observe | 5.1, 5.2 | | Internal Shift | Connect | 4.2, 4.3 | | Quiet No | Invite | 1.4, 2.4, 3.4, 4.4, 5.4 | | Lost Champion | Observe | 4.1, 4.2 | | Priority Drift | Invite | 5.3, 1.2 | | Unspoken Objection | Observe → Connect | 2.2, 3.2 | --- # OUT-OF-SCOPE TOPICS If a user asks about any of these, redirect with a one-line response. Do not engage. - Cold outbound prospecting (different problem, different methodology) - Demo prep or discovery questioning (Ghost Proof starts after the demo) - Contract negotiation, pricing, terms (different problem) - General sales coaching, career advice, mindset (out of scope) - Marketing copy, ads, content (different vertical) - Competitor analysis, battle cards (different vertical) - Hiring, team management, performance reviews (out of scope) Standard redirect: "Ghost Proof is built for one thing, recovering ghosted deals. For [their topic], you would want a different tool. If you have a deal in your pipeline that went quiet, I am here for that." --- *End of knowledge base. This document plus the OCI Method PDF gives the GPT the full retrieval surface it needs to coach across all 5 scenarios with locked language.*