Why Effective Follow-Ups are Key for Lead Generation and Closing Sales
Some say “the more the merrier”, however, we disagree. Our head of sales, Vanessa Huygen, gives some insight into follow-up sales strategies for success.
What is a Follow Up, and how would it help your lead generation strategy?
As a salesperson, following up with potential clients is essential to increase the chances of making a sale. Following up can involve pursuing something further or staying in touch with the client. Keeping the lines of communication open creates opportunities for more sales.
Your initial email to a prospective client must include a clear and straightforward way for them to book a call with you. Then, if you don\’t hear back from them, follow up with a strategically crafted email. This is vital in ensuring steam isn\’t lost on a potential sale.
If a call does materialize between you and a prospective client, and they tell you they would like time to think about your offer, you will still need to follow up after an appropriate waiting period.
According to multiple sources, most sales only occur after an initial point of contact, meaning that significant sales are likely to be lost without following up. However, it is not just about following up but effectively following up.
Follow-Up Email Mistakes to Avoid
Sales teams across all industries face a multitude of challenges and mistakes when it comes to following up with prospective clients via email:
A Lack of Knowledge In Effective Follow-Up Emailing
Many sales team members don’t follow the correct guidelines when structuring an email:
The subject line must be short, relevant and intentional, i.e. it must state exactly what the email is covering. Unfortunately, many people give little thought to a subject line even though it is the first thing that grabs a prospective client’s attention.
Lengthy emails are often difficult to read due to an overload of information. To avoid this, get straight to the point by identifying a pain point, offering a solution, and using strong language. This will capture the reader’s attention and keep them engaged.
If you want your clients to take action, make it easy for them. They’ll lose interest if they have to search all over your email for a link. So instead, put the call to action where it’s easy to find and use.
The time you send an email is also vital, affecting the traction an email will yield. Emails are often sent at sporadic times without thought, lowering interaction rates.
Lastly, don’t send too many follow-ups. Many companies will fill a prospective client’s inbox with excessive emails, leading to frustration. Each email must have an intention, such as to introduce, remind or reassure. Don’t send thoughtless emails without purpose. Knowing when to stop is crucial.
A Fear of Follow-Up Cold Calling
Frequently, people will avoid following up together if it means they need to make a cold call. Most of the time, they fear they may inconvenience or anger a prospective client with an unannounced call. The truth is, it’s business, and cold calls are essential.
Many clients will be pleased that you reached out, as they may have forgotten to get back to you, for example. So even if you only get one sale out of twenty cold calls, it’s worth it.
Preparation is key to feeling more confident and at ease when calling too. Before you call, become familiar with all the relevant information about the prospective client or company. Many people fail to do so and end up sounding monotonous and bland.
Mistakes like this lead to a depreciation in lead generation and sales closures. Therefore, effective follow-up practices are vital.
The Best Cold Calling Follow-Up Practice Tips from our Head of Sales
1.Stay on Schedule
Once a prospective client selects a date and time to have a call with you, make sure you stick to it. When you have a client’s undivided attention, make the most of it and don’t waste the opportunity. This window is tiny, so use it wisely.
2. Keep to your Word
Ensure that you not only honor the date and time a prospective client has selected to have a call but also the promises you make. This will promote credibility and tangibility behind your name. Conversely, a single failure to deliver a promise can leave a bad taste in a client’s mouth.
3. Set Reminders
You must always be on top of your arranged calls and tasks. A CRM software program is essential for any business that wants to monitor its client relationships effectively. It helps keep track of prospective clients so that nothing falls through the cracks. Zoho is a great CRM software to try!
4. Diversify Platforms
There are a variety of ways to reach out to potential clients. Start by finding a convenient platform for them, such as email. Then, if they do not respond, try another platform such as LinkedIn. Finally, if all else fails, a phone call may be the thing to seal the deal.
5. Chameleon your Client
If a prospective client is in the process of building their company, give them time and space. Alternatively, if they own or are part of a fast-paced, ever-evolving company, ensure you mirror their pace. If they sense that you can’t keep up, the risk of losing interest in your services will amplify.
6. Personalized Intent
Make sure to note all personal details and company-specific information before reaching out to a prospective client. Utilize social media platforms such as Facebook Facebook and LinkedIn to confirm names, facts, events, etc. First impressions matter, and attention to detail will get you far!
7. Subject Lines
Subject lines need to be concise, catchy, and intentional. You need to state precisely what the email will be about in one line. For example, a subject line including a first name or company name will make prospective clients more likely to engage
Why Following Up Will Lead to Sales Success
As has been made clear, the main benefit of following up is a higher lead generation and increased sales. In addition, effective follow-up practices promote to-the-point subject lines, precise pain points, hooks and solutions, strategic send times and convenient CTAs. These are all set to quickly convince prospective clients of what benefit you will be to them.
Persistence
Respectful persistence is at the heart of follow-up practices. Pursuing prospective clients with these practices in hand is the best way to get the outcome you want. Without perseverance and the right tools, you risk slipping to the bottom of an inbox feed.
A constant communication stream between a prospective client and your company is essential to follow up. Maintaining regular contact ensures that you are top of mind when the client is ready to make a purchase. This will ultimately minimize the chance that a client will move away from your service offerings.
Each correct follow-up practice is another step in the right direction on your way to optimal company success!
How SCC Will Solve The “No Time To Follow Up” Problem for your Lead Generation Strategy
As has been made clear, effective follow-up practices are the beating heart of a successful company to prospective client relationships. However, because implementing these practices rely on thoughtful email creation and time commitment to research, we understand that you may not have the time. Luckily, there is a solution!
At SCC, we will ensure that your follow-up needs are taken care of. We will create subject lines, opening lines, email bodies and more for not only an initial email but all of the follow-up emails you need. SCC will cover everything down to calendar links and sign-off.
Personalization
We will take care of every step in the pre-sale interaction process, setting you up with a fine-tuned personalized email package. The emails will expertly alert prospective clients to their industry pain points and offer them your services in implementing a said solution.
We already have good follow-up practices down to a fine art so that you can put your time and energy elsewhere. So allow us to transform your emails into leads and leads into sales!
SSC: A Leading Lead Generation Company
Effective lead generation remains a core component of any B2B organization\’s success and viability. This multifaceted and complex aspect of your marketing strategy requires you to engage experts who can deliver results.
As a company that lives and breathes lead generation, SSC does not leave anything to chance or guesswork. We measure every component of our outreach, from subject line to message content to the optimal time of day to approach your prospects.
Data-driven
With the data dictating our process from strategy to conversion and beyond, our SSC team will make sure your business starts this significant journey on a sound footing, guaranteeing a lead generation process that is effective, credible, authentic, and transparent.
SSC can make explosive growth your reality today, from generating a higher ROI and reducing your cost per sale to developing your ideal customer profile (ICP) to driving conversions. Our team is here to help you make the most of the SSC service suite. We\’ll ensure no lead goes unmet and no opportunity is missed. Get in touch with us now to get started.
