Scheduling Follow Ups

Why Scheduling The Next Conversation Helps

Following up with a prospect can feel uncomfortable when you don't know when you should contact them again or what you are supposed to say. One of the easiest ways to make follow ups easier is to schedule the next contact while you are still talking with the prospect.

If you have agreed to talk again next Tuesday, or you've told them you will send an email with information they asked for, there is a reason for the follow up. They are expecting to hear from you. You aren't calling out of nowhere trying to figure out how to start another sales conversation. My go to in any sales conversation is to schedule the next call or contact.

That doesn't mean they will always answer the phone or respond to your email. People get busy. They may have every intention of getting back to you and simply don't have the time when you call. They may read your email and think, “I'll get back to this later,” and then something else comes up.

I wouldn't assume that silence means someone isn't interested.

Keep The Conversation Going

When I was selling, I liked talking to people. I was genuinely interested in what was going on with them and what they were trying to accomplish. I think people liked working with me because they knew I was happy to tlak to them and hear from them if they needed anything.

That makes a difference when you follow up.

If someone doesn't answer your call, you don't have to take it personally. You can leave an upbeat message, send a happy email or try again when it makes sense. You are simply keeping the door open and letting them know you are still there. I once had a prospect tell me he liked getting my voicemails because they were always so nice. They made him feel good about talking to me again. 

Sometimes a prospect needs more time than they expected. Sometimes their priorities change. Sometimes they need to talk to someone else before they can make a decision. You can't control those things, but you can control how you treat the person while they aren’t buying from you. Eventually, many of them will become customers if you're talking to a viable prospect.

Following Up Is Part Of The Relationship

Not everyone you talk to is going to become a customer. That's just part of being in business. But that doesn't mean a conversation that didn't turn into a new paying client was a waste of time. Every call is another opportunity to improve and learn. Learning what doesn’t work is just as valuable as learning what does.

If someone doesn't work with you, they can still walk away with a good impression of you. They can remember that you listened to them, answered their questions and treated them well. People talk about the salespeople they have dealt with, and you want to be the salesperson they remember for the right reasons.

Word of mouth can work for you or against you. You never know when a conversation can turn into a referral. And you usually never know if what someone says about you stops someone from doing business with you. Reviews are what you see in writing. A lot of things are said between friends that don’t show up online.

I also think this is why it's so important to stay focused on the people you are in business to serve. Do what you have the heart for so your heart will be in it. When you actually like helping the people you work with and the ones who decide not to work with you, connecting with them becomes much easier. You're not pretending to care. You do care. 

Make Following Up Part Of Your Sales Process

Having a sales system can make things easier. A system takes the guesswork out of deciding what you are going to do next. When follow ups are built into the way you normally work with prospects, they become routine.

With a system, you’ll have a cadence for checking in with people that feels natural. With new leads, you’ll know when the next contact should be. You don't need a complicated system. You just need a process that is easy for you to follow so you’ll use it.

One thing to keep in mind is that you need to be talking to the right people. “Selling” to someone who doesn’t need or want what you offer is discouraging and awkward. If you’re doing lead generation and the people coming into your funnel aren’t really potential buyers, you need to fix that.

Following Up Without Being Pushy

Following up isn't about chasing someone until they finally say yes. It's about continuing a conversation and following up at an agreed upon time. Sometimes you may just follow up until they tell you not to. 

When you schedule the next contact, establish why you will be talking again and approach the person with genuine care, following up becomes a lot more comfortable. You are not interrupting their life to ask for a sale. You are doing what you said you would do. That makes you reliable and trustworthy.

You Need To Have a Sales System. 

Doing sales without a sales system makes sales less repeatable, more challenging, and draining. If you want help creating a sales system you will actually use, my workbook, “Sales Without Being Pushy: Write a Simple Sales System You Will Actually Use,” walks you through creating one. You can use the Read Sample button on Amazon to see if it's your kind of thing before you buy it.

Need Help With Your Sales Process? Reach out to request a consultation.