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After attending a sales meeting with a key prospect, you’re on the brink of closing a deal pending a final consultation with decision-makers. Unsure how to navigate the follow-up without jeopardizing the opportunity? You’re not alone.
Research shows that nearly 80% of sales leads require at least 5 follow-ups post initial meeting, yet about 44% of salespeople give up after just 1 follow-up or forget to follow up altogether. Conversely, bombarding prospects with excessive follow-ups often leads to no deal.
In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of sales follow-ups and provide 8 effective strategies, along with email examples and templates, to help you secure deals with potential clients.
8 best ways to follow up with potential clients
Following up with potential clients is a crucial step in the sales process. It helps you stay top-of-mind, build rapport, and ultimately close deals. Here are eight effective strategies for following up with potential clients:
- Prompt Follow-Up: Immediately after your initial meeting or contact, send a follow-up email or message. Express gratitude for their time and interest in your product or service. Recap key points of your discussion to reinforce your understanding of their needs. Provide a brief overview of the next steps in the sales process to keep the momentum going.
- Personalized Communication: Tailoring your follow-up messages to each client is essential for building rapport and showing genuine interest. Reference specific details from your previous conversations or interactions to demonstrate that you were actively listening. Personalization can also include acknowledging recent achievements or milestones in the client’s business to strengthen your connection.
- Provide Value: Offer something of value in your follow-up to showcase your expertise and commitment to helping the client. This could be a relevant industry report, an insightful article, or a case study that aligns with their needs. Providing value demonstrates that you are not just focused on making a sale but are genuinely interested in helping them solve their problems.
- Use Multiple Channels: While email is often the primary mode of communication, don’t limit yourself to just one channel. Consider using phone calls, text messages, email or social media messages to follow up with potential clients.
Using a mix of channels can help you reach them more effectively and increase your chances of getting a response.
- Set Clear Expectations: Clearly communicate the next steps in the sales process and the timeline for follow-up. This helps manage expectations and keeps the client informed and engaged. Be transparent about what they can expect from you and when they can expect it, which helps build trust and credibility.
- Follow-Up Schedule: Create a follow-up schedule to stay organized and ensure you don’t miss any opportunities. Use a CRM system or a simple spreadsheet to track interactions and set reminders for follow-ups. A follow-up schedule helps you stay proactive and ensures that you stay in touch with potential clients at the right intervals.
- Be Persistent but Respectful: Persistence is key in sales, but it’s important to strike the right balance. Follow up consistently without being overly aggressive or pushy. Respect the client’s time and boundaries, but don’t be afraid to follow up multiple times if necessary. Each follow-up should provide value and be focused on moving the sales process forward.
- Seek Feedback: If the deal hasn’t progressed after several follow-ups, consider seeking feedback from the client. Ask them if there are any concerns or objections that need to be addressed. This shows that you are open to feedback and committed to improving your approach. Use the feedback to refine your strategy for future follow-ups and client interactions.
By implementing these strategies using email marketing software, you can effectively follow up with potential clients, build strong relationships, and increase your chances of closing deals.
3 sample emails to follow up with potential clients
Here are three sample emails you can use to follow up with potential clients:
Follow-Up Email After Initial Meeting:
Subject: Great Meeting Today – Next Steps
Dear [Client’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I truly enjoyed our conversation and learning more about your business and its needs.
As discussed, I have attached a proposal outlining how our services can benefit [Client’s Company Name]. Please review it at your convenience, and I am available to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
I look forward to the possibility of working together and am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the success of [Client’s Company Name].
Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Contact Information]
Follow-Up Email Providing Value:
Subject: [Valuable Resource] – Thought You Might Find This Useful
Dear [Client’s Name],
I hope you’re doing well. I came across this [relevant industry report/article/case study] and thought it might interest you. It discusses [summary of the content] and provides valuable insights into [topic of interest].
I thought of you because [reason for relevance to the client’s business]. I hope you find it useful, and if you’d like to discuss it further or have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Looking forward to our continued conversation.
Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Contact Information]
Follow-Up Email Seeking Feedback:
Subject: Seeking Your Input
Dear [Client’s Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to follow up on our previous conversations and see if you had any feedback or thoughts on the proposal we discussed.
Your input is incredibly valuable to us, and we want to ensure that our services align with your needs and expectations. If there are any adjustments or additional information you require, please let me know.
Thank you for considering [Your Company Name], and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Contact Information]
Feel free to customize these emails to suit your specific situation and the nature of your relationship with the potential client.
Wrapping it up
In conclusion, follow-ups are a pivotal aspect of the sales process. However, merely repetitive calling and automated emails are not enough. The most successful salespeople ensure their follow-ups add value for their prospects, showcasing their industry expertise and deep understanding of the challenges faced.
Adopting a “I’m here to help you” approach with email template gallery or email automation tool like YoroConnect can transform your follow-ups, making them more effective and facilitating the development of lasting business relationships.
