Four Reasons Brands Ghost After Asking for Rates (And How to Stop It)

Every influencer manager knows the feeling. You get a promising email from a brand. They’re excited. They want to know rates. You take the time to craft a thoughtful reply, maybe even loop in your creator to confirm deliverables. Then… nothing.

No follow-up. No "thanks but no thanks." Just silence.

So why does it happen?

1. They never had real budget approval

Sometimes brands ask for rates before they’ve cleared any budget internally. The person reaching out might be an assistant, a junior marketer, or someone doing early research. They’re collecting numbers to bring back to their team, not actually ready to move.

Fix it: Ask upfront if there’s confirmed budget and timeline. A simple “Is this for a live campaign or early-stage planning?” filters out the time-wasters quickly.

2. Your rates scared them off (but they won’t say it)

Pricing is a filter. If you’re charging fairly, you will lose the bargain hunters. Some brands get sticker shock and don’t know how to respond. Instead of saying “This is out of budget,” they ghost.

Fix it: Make it easy to talk money. You can say, “Let me know if this is in line with your expectations. Happy to tailor deliverables if needed.” That keeps the conversation open without discounting yourself right away.

3. They’re shopping around and forgot to circle back

A lot of brands are talking to 10, 20, even 50 creators for the same campaign. That’s not always a red flag, but it does mean follow-up can fall through the cracks. Especially if you weren’t the top pick.

Fix it: Create urgency. Mention limited availability or upcoming travel dates that might align with their campaign. If they’re interested, that’s often enough to get them to reply faster.

4. They were never serious to begin with

It sucks, but it’s true. Some people are just fishing. They want to benchmark, run competitor comparisons, or impress their boss with a creator wish list. They were never planning to book.

Fix it: Set boundaries. If someone seems vague or overly casual, ask specific questions before sending rates. “Can you share the campaign goals and intended usage?” is a good one. If they can’t answer, they probably aren’t ready.

The Bottom Line

You can’t control whether someone replies. But you can control how you present yourself, how you qualify leads, and how much time you spend chasing the wrong ones. Brands ghost for all kinds of reasons. Don’t take it personally, but don’t let it keep happening either.