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Surely we've all heard the phrase “Good morning, I just wanted to make sure...” hundreds of times, which is probably the most obvious example of a follow-up in sales. It's so popular that it has lost its effectiveness because we've seen it so many times that we rarely even respond to it ourselves.
So how do you write a follow-up that is more than just a status check, but contributes to actual sales? When is the best time to send a follow-up? How to keep in touch without discouraging the customer with your intrusiveness? And why, despite our efforts, do we still not get a response?
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A sales follow-up is a key part of the communication process with a customer that follows an earlier contact or attempted contact. It is usually an email message to maintain a relationship with a potential customer or to follow up on a deal.
In the case of a sales follow-up, the purpose may be to remind you of previous correspondence, summarize a meeting or phone call, suggest next steps in the sales process, or tactfully remind you to respond to previous messages.
It is important to remember that a follow-up should not be treated as an intrusive attempt to make contact, but rather as an opportunity to build rapport and strengthen the relationship with the customer. Good follow-ups can significantly increase sales effectiveness, and the best salespeople can even close more than 75% of deals thanks to them.
The key to an effective follow-up is to understand the basic principles of the communication process and follow them. It is also a good idea to use ready-made templates that make it easy to write a professional and effective follow-up.
Learn about Sales Techniques - types of sales techniques and best practices
Before you start writing your next follow-up, it's a good idea to make sure that the customer hasn't accidentally already responded to the previous email. Missing a response can ruin the chance to act professionally and put us at risk of losing contact with the customer. In the clutter of daily messages, it's easy to overlook important information, so it's worth checking to see if an expected response has already arrived in the inbox. If the customer has responded positively to our previous actions or call to action, we can continue talking about possible cooperation. However, if we haven't received a response, consider sending a follow-up, especially if the meeting took place in person, such as at an industry trade show.
But when is the best time to send a sales follow-up? As a general rule, if you have already made contact, you should act as soon as possible, while exercising restraint in the frequency of your messages.
Learn about Prospecting, or how to attract customers
Statistics clearly show that between 35% and even 50% of sales success is achieved by the company that first contacts a potential customer. However, a systematic approach and a defined process are also key to effective performance. With a strategy developed and a follow-up plan established, you have the ability to adjust it based on the results you achieve.
Before writing a follow-up message, it is also worth considering some important issues. How to effectively attract the reader's attention? This is one of the key questions that should be answered before sending the message.
A well-chosen e-mail title is the key to whether your e-mail will be opened. It needs to be both eye-catching and concise. Nowadays, most people read emails on mobile devices, so it's important to keep the title short enough that the whole thing can be seen on the screen without scrolling. Studies show that the most effective titles are usually between 30 and 40 characters long.
Here are some suggestions for email titles that can increase the chances of your message being opened:
Tip: While the open rate is important, the response rate (Response Rate) is more important for follow-up messages. According to a study by Woodpecker, sending even one follow-up can increase this rate by 22%!
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Before you write a follow-up email, it's a good idea to determine what specific goals you want to achieve by contacting the recipient. This will help you create an effective CTA (Call To Action) - that is, an incentive to take action. Follow-up e-mail is also a type of sales e-mail, where the main goal is to encourage the recipient to respond to the message.
In order to encourage the recipient to respond, it is important that the request in the email is reasonable and has a specific context. Therefore, it is a good idea to start by explaining why you are contacting again and the purpose of the contact.
Specifying the reason for the contact will allow you to give your message context and relate it to a specific event or situation - this is key, as a good follow-up relates to an actual interactionSuch an introduction will not only capture the recipient's attention, but also build an emotional connection that will increase the likelihood of a response.
That's why it's a good idea to start an email by referring to a specific context.
Here are three suggestions on how to start a follow-up:
It's worth showing up as a personable, detail-oriented interviewee, well-informed or... doing thorough research.
Your interviewee, like you, probably has a busy schedule. Respect his or her time and precisely outline why he or she is worth spending a few moments with. Clearly state the purpose of the contact and avoid wrapping yourself around the topic of the proposed meeting.
For example, “Following up on our conversation at last week's conference, I'd like to discuss a communication strategy on the Quora platform that can significantly impact the promotion of your product” is a much more concrete approach than “I'd like to talk about your business.”
Another example might be: “I'd like to invite you to an upcoming meeting where we'll discuss ways to improve performance, which we discussed at our last discussion on [company name].”
The value and purpose of the message should be clearly expressed so that the recipient knows what to expect.
Learn about Storytelling - what is it ? How to use in sales
According to research conducted by Yesware, adding multiple recipients to an email can increase the chances of receiving a response by 12%. This fact is also backed by psychology - when others see that an issue is already in progress, it's harder to ignore. In addition, if there are other recipients in the copy of the email, we automatically recognize that it is an important issue. Thus, there is a good chance that at least one person, including potentially a decision-maker, will get involved in the discussion.
Therefore, if there is a legitimate reason to include more than one person in the correspondence (for example, if more than one person from the client's company was involved in the first conversation), it is a good idea to include them in the email copy.
For many salespeople, contacting a customer after an offer has been sent, especially when no email confirmation has been received, may seem like an unnecessary step. Nevertheless, there are many reasons to send an e-mail or call to make sure the offer has been delivered (see box). Even in an e-mail with an offer proposal, it is worth mentioning that you plan to get in touch in the future, for example, in a week's time, to discuss the proposal. This is a way to anchor the belief in the customer's mind that further contact will occur, which may motivate them to read the offer. For those in senior positions, it is also a good idea to ask if we can get in touch and how best to do so. Usually there is no problem getting permission, as customers expect the person who prepared the offer to expect a response or at least feedback on next steps.
There are many reasons to continue communication after sending an offer:
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Many salespeople fear being considered too pushy by customers, but my experience shows that this is rarely the case, as long as our actions are carried out with the right delicacy and consistency. Customers often express positive opinions about salespeople who can strike a balance between being persistent and respectful of their time and needs.
So how do we motivate a customer to make a decision? There are various techniques we can use, especially in situations where the customer does not respond to our attempts to contact him. We can send a short email asking directly, which can help determine whether the customer is interested in our offer. If the customer needs more time, it's worth reminding them of the benefits they can gain by making a quick decision. If other decision makers need to be consulted, it's worth offering your support.
Follow-up is crucial not only for controlling the sales process, but also for building trust and confidence in dealing with customers. Without an effective follow-up, it is difficult to conduct the sales process in a controlled and efficient manner.
Find out What is marketing strategy
Regular use of follow-up in the sales process has many benefits. First of all, it allows you to maintain constant contact with the customer, which increases the chances of finalizing the deal.
Long-term interaction allows us to build lasting relationships, which translates into trust in both the seller and the brand. In addition, follow-up allows us to better understand the customer's needs and expectations, which is extremely valuable when we want to tailor our offer to the individual preferences of the recipient.
Another advantage of follow-up is the ability to demonstrate the value of the product or service. With regular contact, the salesperson can explain the unique features of the product, emphasize its advantages and the benefits it will bring to the customer.
In addition, follow-up provides a chance to get valuable feedback from the customer. It allows the company to find out if the customer is satisfied with the product or service, if they have any additional needs, and what can be improved in the future. This is extremely important in the process of continuously improving offerings and increasing customer satisfaction.
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