This recently worked for me so I figured I’d share.
So you and your new friend/prospective partner and having a lovely conversation, and all of a sudden, they stop responding. Where do you go from here?
First thing’s first, give them an hour or two. Maybe they got caught up with something personal or work related. It doesn’t mean they hate you, just that they thought their time was better spent elsewhere.
If a lot of time goes by and you still haven’t heard from them, add something new to the conversation. Don’t say “where did you go,” add an afterthought to the last thing you said, or even something new and interesting. It’s more likely to pull them back into the conversation and doesn’t paint you as begging for their attention.
If you get left on read again, don’t say anything else. Wait a few days. You have better things to do with your time than talk to someone who’s not listening. Your time is just as valuable as theirs, and this gap in time will let them know that. I suggest 3 days to a week.
Try one last time, this can be a simple “hey,” but really anything works. If they have any interest in talking to you, they should respond at this point. If they don’t, they weren’t worth it in the first place and it’s time to move on to someone who really respects and values you.