Sales success hinges on relentless follow-up. Let’s explore a follow-up strategy that’s assertive yet professional. I’ve got the plan; you bring the hustle.
For more strategies like this, check out my sales tip video library on YouTube…
My friend Donald Cooper loves to say those who follow up rule the world, and he is absolutely right.
In sales, follow up is the secret sauce.
It’s the thing that’s going to win deals.
And as salespeople, we have to be professionally assertive in our follow up.
Yeah, I get asked this question all the time.
When should I give up? Yeah.
My snide answer is to say never.
Why would you give up on a good opportunity? But the real answer is this.
I can’t really tell you that without doing a deep dive into every single account and where you’re at and what you’re doing and who you’re contacting and how valuable it is.
I don’t really know.
I just know this.
It’s probably far later than you suspect.
I believe in a follow up pass that includes multiple people that you’re talking to.
So don’t just follow up with a single person or you’ve created a gatekeeper.
Multiple times.
I believe that you should be following up with someone three times a week in both voice mail if they’re not answering and email.
The best approach is to leave a voicemail and immediately send an email saying sorry you missed them and that you would try again.
It’s not overkill.
I know it seems like six a week, but it’s not actually overkill because the email and the phone call are perceived as different follow up.
And so it doesn’t feel like too much.
Do that for a week and then take a week off.
And then try that approach again.
And then take a couple of weeks off.
And then try that approach again and take three weeks off and see what happens.
My guess is that within that second round of follow up, you will get someone to return your call.
We’ve got scripts on our website and scripts in all of my books about how to conduct follow up.
But I’d encourage you to do this: Don’t give up too soon.
Try at least three times a week for at least four different weeks over the course of a few months.
And in doing so, you will see your closing ratios increase, your pipeline improve, and your engagement improve overall.
Don’t forget to check out: The Minimum Number of Stakeholders!