The Fortune Is in the Follow Up

You’ve probably heard this phrase so many times it’s stopped meaning anything to you. It’s too easy, right? Gaining clients and growing a business can’t be as easy as following up with someone after we’ve already had a conversation with them.
But it is! Because here’s the thing: it takes an average of 6-8 touches to convert a lead into a sale. That means people need more than just hearing your elevator pitch to want to work with you. They’re going to want to get to know you first, but they’re not necessarily going to be the one to reach out to you after that first point of contact, so you need to have a plan in place to reach out to them. Here’s what I recommend:

Plan Ahead

Don’t wait until after the event to figure out how you’re going to follow up with leads. Have a plan in place beforehand so you’ll know going in when and how you’re going to follow up.  I have a pre-made email template that is customized and sent out to people, as well as a version for text incase I only have a phone number.  I also block time in my calendar after an event to ensure the follow up can get done.

Identify Prospects

Identifying your ideal client is something that should be done when creating the foundation of your business, so hopefully you’ve already done this. But sometimes when we’re at networking events, we get so caught up in making connections and following up with leads that we try to follow up with everyone and that leads to overwhelm, which makes it less likely we’ll follow up with leads in a timely manner. It can also lead to a lot of wasted time chasing after leads that don’t fit your definition of the ideal client.

Take Notes

Take notes on every conversation you have with leads so you can mention something about the conversation in your follow-up message. I always jot something down on their business card, which I then give to my assistant to write and send the follow-up email, so all the information she needs is right there on the card along with their contact information. You want to remind them of the conversation and why they gave you their card so they’ll be more receptive to your follow-up message, and therefore more likely to respond. (Side note- if you are writing on the card in front of them, but sure to ask them if it's ok with them. Some cultures get offended if you write on their card but if asked and told why will likely be totally ok with it.)

Follow Up Early and Often

Try to follow up with any leads within 24 hours after that first point of contact. If you wait any longer, they’ll be more likely to have forgotten you and the conversation they had with you. It also doesn’t make a very good impression to wait too long to follow up because it makes them feel like they’re not a priority for you, and if they don’t feel like a priority as a prospect, they’ll assume they won’t be a priority if they become a client.

Once you’ve scheduled a follow-up meeting, send them an invitation as soon as you’ve finished scheduling it, because that makes it more likely the meeting will go on their calendar and they won’t accidentally double book themselves for that time slot.

​Be sure to follow up again after the meeting. As with the event, you’ll want to take notes during the meeting so you can reference the conversation you had with them in your follow up email.  Similarly I have a pre-made email template that is customizable for this too.

For more tips and tricks like these, you check out my other blog posts, or you can check out my online academy, which covers everything from the first steps you need to grow a business, to networking and making sales calls. It’s a great option for those who are just starting out and don’t yet have the budget to hire a business coach.