What’s the best way to follow up with prospects without overwhelming them with email?
1. Keep It Short and Sweet
Unless I’ve been asked for detailed information, my follow-up emails to prospects are always concise. I first remind them who I am, I tell them the purpose of my email, and then I always ask for a response, regardless if it is positive or negative. You’re more likely to hear back from a prospect if they can quickly respond from their phone and if they feel safe responding to you truthfully. – Derek Hunter, William Roam
2. Send Them Only a Subject Line
I do this all the time, and it works well. The entire message is in the subject line, “Hey {Name}, any word on {next steps…}?” The response rate is probably 50 percent higher than longer emails. – Jeff Epstein, Ambassador
3. FedEx Them a Note
Prospects are receiving emails from every direction. To stand out, send a note along with a Starbucks or iTunes gift card — but send it via FedEx. Pure curiosity alone guarantees that they open it. What will stand out more, your FedEx package or the dozen generic emails from other companies in their inbox? – Jonathan Long, Market Domination Media
4. Use These Words
Send another email. But this time, use these magic words: “No response necessary” at the end. Important people are busy and completely inundated by email. This short phrase takes all the pressure off and you’ll stand out among the myriad of people asking things of them. It’s increased my response rate 150 percent. – Ryan Stephens, Ryan Stephens Marketing
5. Use Video
I am a huge fan of sending prospects a personalized video via Google Drive or Dropbox. I will usually record a 30 second overview of what I want to discuss, thank them for their time and ask for a follow-up. These almost always get responses because they are extremely personal, they get to virtually ‘meet’ you and your video stands out against other emails and prospects. – Vanessa Van Edwards, Science of People
6. Connect Outside the Office
Never send more than one or two emails between face-to-face meetings or phone conversations. If it’s a genuine prospect, chances are you’ll know where you can find them outside of the office. If you catch someone outside their normal work environment, they are more likely to open up and give you true insight into the potential for any business relationship. – Alex Riley, MeritHall
7. Use Social Media
Make sure you are following prospects on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, and add them to a “prospects” list or circle. Stay in their circle of influence by liking, retweeting or commenting on their social media posts. If you do so, they’ll keep seeing your name pop up. Consider creating a “prospects” list on Facebook and retargeting them as well! – Marcela DeVivo, Gryffin Media
8. Send Handwritten Notes
At ZinePak, we use handwritten notes to stay in touch with busy clients who receive hundreds of emails a day. Whether it is to thank them for a campaign, say happy birthday, or congratulate them on a milestone, we always take the time to do it the old fashioned way. In today’s busy world, receiving a colorful envelop with a thoughtful message enclosed has increased our client response year after year. – Kim Kaupe, ZinePak
9. Find or Create Engaging Content
People get hit with work related emails all day, every day, so find a new topic. Our team will send an email about a prospect’s favorite sports team, an article we just read about their company, or a silly photo sharing something we did over the weekend. With the right personalized content, you’ll be able to kickstart the conversation again. – Ivan Matkovic, Spendgo
10. Stick to Key Information
Provide prospects with only the most important updates on what you can do to meet their needs, and connect with them about new projects you’re working on. – Simon Casuto, eLearning Mind
11. Plan Your Follow-Up Early
Hunting down a prospect post-proposal to get that “yes” can be an arduous task. I’ve had a ton of success scheduling the follow up during the initial conversation. During an initial inquiry conversation, I’ll end the discussion with “I’ll have a proposal to you by ____, let’s go ahead and schedule a follow-up call for ____ to review together.” It’s short, sweet and very hard to say no to. – Matt Cheuvront, Proof Branding
12. Pick Up the Phone
In an age of mobile phones that enable anytime, anywhere access, there is a belief that more electronic communications will somehow increase the likelihood that you’ll connect with a prospect. Instead, try the telephone. A recent study from InsideSales reveals that the odds of reaching a qualified lead increase by over six times in the first hour from their initial inquiry. You must act fast! – David Ciccarelli, Voices.com
13. Grab Coffee or a Drink
I find that the less formal and more laid-back the environment the better opportunity to get to know one another and build a relationship. Asking someone to grab a coffee at the local Starbucks or a drink at a local bar is a great way to follow up instead of using email. If possible you should leverage informal opportunities to get to know one another instead of discussing business prospects. – Kristopher Jones, LSEO.com