Closing the deal: The Follow Up Strategy that Works
Ever wonder why some businesses boom while others bust? It’s like a dance, right?
The secret isn’t just in the first step. It’s what comes after.
I’m talking about follow-ups – they’re like the salsa to your business cha-cha. A strategic, well-timed move can make all the difference between an audience that drifts away and one that stays for more.
Imagine having a roadmap of powerful follow-up strategies at your fingertips… think handwritten letters that touch hearts or personalized gifts causing delightful surprise. We’re diving deep into this strategy here.
Ready to spice up your sales game with relentless persistence, personal touches and clever tactics? Buckle up because you’re in for quite a ride!
Table Of Contents:
- The Power of Persistent Follow-ups
- Mapping Out a Year of Strategic Follow-ups
- Special Gestures in Follow-ups
- The Power of Information in Follow-ups
- Leveraging Events and Special Offers
- FAQs in Relation to The Follow Up
- Conclusion
The Power of Persistent Follow-ups
Success in sales is a game of patience, persistence, and strategy. Staying connected with potential customers is essential for success, not just taking the initial step. A common misconception in sales is that deals are usually closed after the initial few interactions. But did you know that 80% of successful deals actually occur between the 5th and 12th follow-up?
Yes, it may sound surprising. The real magic happens when you continue to engage with potential clients consistently over time. Persistence pays off.
Persistence Is Key
If closing a deal was as easy as simply introducing your product or service and then waiting for an answer, everyone would be doing it. But most times, this isn’t enough.
To win over your prospects’ trust and business requires more than just one or two attempts at communication; it demands ongoing engagement through thoughtful follow-ups.
Maintaining Consistent Contact
Staying connected doesn’t mean pestering your prospect with incessant calls or emails begging them to buy from you (that might achieve quite the opposite effect.). Instead, effective follow-up involves sharing useful information related to their needs or industry trends.
- You could offer insights into how others have used your products successfully.
- Showcase new features that could benefit them specifically.
- Or even send out gentle reminders about any special offers they might want to take advantage of before they expire.
Whatever approach you choose, make sure it’s about adding value to their experience and not just pushing for a sale.
The Impact of Persistent Follow-ups
So why are persistent follow-ups so crucial? Well, let’s put it this way. Every time you contact your prospective customer with pertinent material or helpful data, it’s a reminder that you’re accessible to support them. You demonstrate that you comprehend their requirements and are eager to assist in fulfilling those needs with your offering.
Key Takeaway:
Patience, persistence and strategy are the power players in sales success. It’s not just about that first contact but staying top of mind with your prospects through consistent engagement. The real win happens between the 5th and 12th follow-up. Remember, it’s all about adding value to their experience – offer insights, showcase features or share special offers.
Mapping Out a Year of Strategic Follow-ups
A year may appear to be a large amount of time, however in the realm of sales and client relationships, it’s just enough to devise an effective plan for following up. But what does that look like? Let’s get into some specifics.
Utilizing Different Forms of Communication
The first step after making contact with potential clients is saying thank you. Expressing gratitude immediately after connecting with prospects can be achieved through any communication approach that the customer prefers. It sets a friendly tone for future interactions.
Then comes Day 1 – when we start utilizing phone calls. Calls offer immediacy and personal connection, helping us clarify any questions our clients might have right away.
We switch gears on Day 2 and send out handwritten letters which give off an air of sincerity often missing in digital communications.
Moving forward to Day 3 – videos come into play. We’re living in a digital age where video content reigns supreme due to its ability to deliver messages quickly while keeping engagement high. Statistics show consumers retain as much as 95% message when they watch it through videos compared to reading text alone.
The Art of Personal Touches
Come Day 4; nothing beats face-to-face interaction hence why we schedule personal visits with our clients wherever possible.The idea behind this approach is simple: people appreciate knowing there are real human beings who care about their needs beyond screens or over telephone lines.These touches go more than skin-deep – they’re at heart level.
- ‘Thought-of-you’ messages bring a personal touch that shows you’re paying attention to the client’s needs and interests.
- Personal visits allow for deeper connection, making your business relationship more like a partnership than just another transaction.
Continuing our journey, we strive to find new ways of building meaningful connections with our clients. This is not about pestering them but providing value at every interaction point.
Key Takeaway:
Map out a year of strategic follow-ups to enhance your client relationships. Kick off with a thank you, then use phone calls, handwritten letters and videos to communicate effectively. Don’t forget the power of personal touches like face-to-face meetings and thoughtful messages that show you’re tuned into their needs.
Special Gestures in Follow-ups
The follow-up game isn’t just about consistency, it’s also about the wow factor. And that comes from special gestures.
Incorporating Visual Elements
A pic conveys an abundance of meaning. So imagine how much value you can pack into your follow-ups with visual elements like photo mockups. They make your message pop and grab attention.
You don’t need to be a professional designer or have fancy software either. A simple tool like Canva will let you create eye-catching visuals for free.
Consider this: On Day 14 of our strategic timeline, we send out a personalized photo mockup showcasing what their brand could look like with our help. This not only gets them excited but gives them something tangible to envision.
The Role of Gifts and Offers
If photos are impactful, then gifts? Well, they’re practically atomic bombs.
Giving away small tokens on milestones shows clients that you appreciate their time and business – it makes them feel valued. But here’s the key: these gifts must align perfectly with their interests or needs – generic swag won’t cut it.
- Day 100: Imagine sending out a unique gift related to your client’s industry or personal interest at this stage? It would keep you top-of-mind while also showing genuine care towards building long-term relationships.
- Day 150: Drop off an exclusive offer tailored specifically for them as another surprise gesture during the process.
- Day 270: Chocolate boot candy anyone? Sounds odd perhaps but if there was some fun story behind why we chose such an unusual gift (like maybe they love hiking), wouldn’t that spark intrigue?
Gifts are about showing appreciation, not bribery. So keep it tasteful and considerate.
These special gestures go a long way in making your follow-ups more memorable and impactful. It’s not just the gift but the thought that counts.
Key Takeaway:
Turn your follow-ups into a memorable experience by incorporating special gestures. Use visual elements like photo mockups to grab attention and offer a glimpse of what you can do for them. Add the wow factor with personalized gifts that align with clients’ interests, showing appreciation and building stronger relationships.
The Power of Information in Follow-ups
Information is the fuel that drives effective follow-ups. When used right, it can help keep clients engaged and interested.
Using Informational Links Effectively
You’ve experienced it – sending a subsequent message containing the link to your newest product or service. But, here’s an uncommon idea: instead of just sending them any old link, try including informational links on day 8.
Say for example, if you’re selling software solutions and they asked about security features during the initial conversation. A helpful move would be to share an article detailing how secure your product is. Not only does this answer their question directly but also shows them that you remember their concerns from before.
| Date | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Email introduction sent out |
| Day 4 | A friendly reminder call made |
| Day 8 | Informational link shared |
You need fresh ideas to stand out from the competition. Think of sharing insights into industry trends or maybe even sneak peeks into upcoming projects – anything that adds value while keeping them excited for what’s next.
Provide helpful information that shows how your product or service can be a solution for their needs, thus building trust and credibility. This way, you are nurturing trust and credibility – which we all know leads to stronger business relationships.
| Date | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| Day 90 | A check-in email sent out |
| Day 180 | This information shared is quite compelling. |
Leveraging Events and Special Offers
There’s a powerful tool in your follow-up arsenal that can keep clients engaged and motivate them to make purchases: event offers and special deals. Used wisely, these incentives don’t just sell products; they build relationships.
The Role of Event Offers
Think back to the last time you attended an event with exclusive discounts or promotions. That feeling of being part of something unique is exactly what makes event offers so compelling.
Around day 10 into our strategic follow-ups at Before The Rise Inc., we introduce our first event offer. It could be a product launch party invitation or early access pass for loyal customers—anything that feels like a VIP treatment for the client.
We repeat this approach on day 30 but with more creative twists, depending upon customer behavior patterns observed during the past weeks. This dual-approach not only maintains their interest but also strengthens brand affinity.
Utilizing Special Offers
Moving forward from events, around Day 50 we switch gears towards special offers—a tried-and-tested way to incentivize customers into action.
Note: These aren’t random discounts thrown in hope it’ll stick. We meticulously plan out these deals based on previous interactions, personal preferences indicated by the client, and how far along they are in their buyer’s journey.
| Date (Follow Up) | Action Item |
|---|---|
| Day 10 | Event Offer #1 – Tailored to individual customer preferences |
| Day 30 | Event Offer #2 – More personalized based on observed behavior patterns |
| Day 50 | Special Offers – Crafted after analyzing the progress in buyer’s journey |
The goal here is simple: provide value, make customers feel special and motivate them towards making a purchase. But remember, timing and relevance are key. Special offers that hit home at the right moment can convert potential leads into loyal clients.
Key Takeaway:
By the 50th day, you should be transitioning to meticulously crafted special deals. These should take into account past interactions and cater to each client’s individual preferences.
FAQs in Relation to The Follow Up
Is the follow up hyphenated?
The term “follow-up” is hyphenated when used as an adjective or noun. But, it’s two words—”follow up”—when you’re using it as a verb.
How do you use follow up in a sentence?
You can say, “I need to follow up on that lead,” if you’re talking about actions. Or, use it like this: “Our next step is the follow-up meeting.”
What is the correct way to write follow up?
“Follow-up” (with a hyphen) works for nouns and adjectives while “follow up” (without a hyphen) acts as a verb phrase.
What is the follow up of something?
A ‘follow-up’ refers to an action taken after another event or situation, often aimed at maintaining contact or assessing outcomes.
Conclusion
So, we’ve danced through the power of persistent follow-ups. The key takeaway? Consistency is king.
We’ve sketched out a year’s worth of strategic moves. Calls, letters, videos… and personal visits make for an impressive salsa!
Special gestures in follow-ups – they’re your ace card! Photo mockups to special gifts can tip scales towards success.
The Follow up strategy isn’t complete without information sharing. Compelling data hooks clients like nothing else.
Last but not least, events and offers keep interest alive long after the first contact. Use them wisely to secure deals you never thought possible!
If you commit to mastering this dance called “follow-up”, there’s no limit to how far your business can go!
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