Six Tips for Following Up on Sales Leads

Six Tips for Following Up on Sales Leads

You've found a good prospect and your product appears to be a suitable fit. The next step is to call them.  You may connect with them on your first or fourth attempt, but getting them to commit is the real challenge. And so much can go wrong if you contact them too frequently, oversell your product, or appear aggressive and bothersome. Below are some powerful tips on how to follow up with prospects without annoying them. 

1) Email vs. Phone Communication 

Prior to communicating with your prospects, select the appropriate channel. You can email or call. Some salespeople use email, while others prefer to call. Both approaches have drawbacks. Examine both channels before deciding. 

Unlike a phone call, emails allow a prospect to visualize what you're saying. It can be saved, marked as “important” or “follow-up later”, or forwarded to friends or colleagues. 

Consider how many emails you receive daily. 100-200. How many do you actually read? Not many, only the ones that stand out and come from people you know. Any other message will likely be archived, spammed, or tossed. Remember that due to inbox clutter, you may not get a response from your first email. If you use this method, be prepared to send many emails. The subject line is crucial here, as it determines whether or not the email is opened. 

2. Use informal channels to connect with prospects 

Other than phone or email, there are other ways to communicate with prospects that are both personal and persistent. Consider this: 

SMS: Text messages are read 90% of the time and are a great way to stay top of mind with your prospects. You can follow up for a demo after a call or to convert them. For example, a conversion text message would be: Our product's 15% discount ends Friday. It would be wonderful if you could choose premium assistance quickly. Let's talk about it. – Steve

Web 2.0: Interacting with prospects on social media helps build rapport and encourages them to contact you. So interact and engage prospects on social media. To keep readers engaged, your posts should include a compelling call to action. 

Referrals: If you can't discover your prospects on social media, contact or email them, you can chat to the sales team of the company where they work. 

3. Offer New And Valuable Data 

Most follow-up emails or phone calls fail because they seem salesy. A sales follow-up, like a marketing email, needs an angle and a hook to be engaging to read or listen to. 

If you want your prospects to participate in your conversation, you must provide them with useful information. Focus on your prospect's industry and explain how your product solves their problems. Keep the conversation going by sharing relevant information, stories, or questions. Sending new and useful information can triple conversion rates. 

Finish each discussion with a clear next step and get a promise to talk again. If the phone call went well, get the prospect to agree to the following step. 

4. Don't over-follow-up 

You want to contact a prospect as quickly as possible, which means phoning them repeatedly. But this can make you appear desperate. So how can you call enough to get in touch without irritating them? Set up a follow-up schedule. The schedule can vary depending on the prospect's location, the product or service being sold, and even the season. 

5. Persevere... For A While 

If you don't hear back after two days, try again. Focus on a different problem that your product or service solves this time. No response? Wait two days before reaching out again. Your third email reiterates that you've tried twice before, but does not sound annoyed. Send one or two related blog posts that address a problem you believe they are having. Indicate that you're available to talk about their goals based on your knowledge. 

6. Know When To Call It Quits 

No answer after three or four attempts to reach the prospect. It's time to send a "break-up" email. You may believe telling them you've given up on them is a bad idea. Telling a prospect you won't waste their time is fine. This email almost always receives a reaction from cold prospects. Why? Prospects are busy people who count on you to continuously reach out to them. You've tried to contact them, and now you're concluding the conversation. It's their final chance to obtain something, so they'll let you know whether they're interested in your product. 

Conclusion 

Remember, persistence is key in sales, but being obnoxious is also possible. You can elicit a response without being annoying if you stay nice, plan your touches, invest in the connection, and attempt different contact methods.