How often do you follow up with your prospects?
A few times? Maybe even four or five?
We recently shared some compelling statistics showing you that only 1 in every 100 contacts will emerge as a top-tier partner or customer, and why many people struggle to find this 1%.
Need some more encouragement to keep your follow-up game strong?
We’ve got a few tips to share to keep you focused on connecting and reconnecting with your valuable network leads.
How Many Times Is Enough?
The easy answer is, until your prospect becomes a customer (unless they’ve given you a firm no - in which case, it’s critical to respect that response!
The more complex answer is probably seven times. Much research (and debate) has been devoted to the question of optimal contact frequency. While there’s no golden rule and you should find what works best for you, the general consensus among experts is seven or more touches to move a contact to a customer or a partner.
How You Follow Up Matters
A phone call followed by an email is proven to be most effective method of following up with prospects.
Let’s repeat that -- other than talking face-to-face, a phone call first is most effective.
Don’t let the other methods of contact take you off track -- start with a conversation and let the relationship grow from there.
Trouble getting someone on the phone? Be persistent - you’ll be able to connect with 93% of contacts within six calls.
Follow Up With Purpose
When you’re calling a prospect and it’s truly a follow-up -- not first contact, not a social call just to keep the relationship warm -- make your call matter to that person and their own needs. Don't just call to “touch base” - let them know you want to follow up about the business opportunity you’d discussed previously. Be confident and be straightforward.
That said, don’t dive right in to business without any warm up. This is why detailed note-taking and logging your activities are such important habits - your notes will let you ask about the person’s recent travels, or see whether they’ve had the chance to try out the sample you shared with them.
Track And Measure Your Contact Frequency
It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking we’re following up at the right frequency and with the right people.
There’s too much at stake to let your follow-up process be haphazard. That’s where Traktivity comes in!
Using Traktivity to log calls, schedule follow-ups, and take detailed notes can increase your sales by up to 29%. Make following up easy by keeping on top of your activity and knowing who’s ready for a connection.
Embrace The Power Of Repetition
Sometimes people get discouraged with following up, feeling like they’re repeating the same conversations over and over, without seeing results.
But it’s been proven that repetition is one your most powerful tools in bringing a new customer or partner into your organization. Just because it’s repetitive to you, it’s not repetitive to them - they’re learning, considering, and collecting the information they need to make that decision. So be comfortable with repetition, but make sure you’re repeating the right things -- starting with how the prospect or lead will benefit from your product.
What are your best secrets for successful follow-up?
