Are you struggling to follow up with your potential clients?
Maybe you have endless unread messages or emails piling up.
Do you feel like you are on a hamster wheel and can’t keep up?
Perhaps it is too overwhelming, so you avoid it entirely.
Or maybe you are embarrassed because it has just been so long. What should you even say at this point?
It can feel exhausting.
So how do you stay motivated to follow up consistently?
First, why is this even important?
Ever heard the quote “the fortune is in the follow-up”? Consistently reconnecting to potential clients is key to creating a successful business.
You will only make 2% of your potential sales on the first point of contact.
Therefore, if you do not follow up, you miss 98% of your sales potential. You are leaving money on the table.
80% of sales happen between the fifth and the twelfth contact. However, 44% of salespeople give up after just one attempt, and only 8% of salespeople follow up more than five times.
Don’t you want to be part of that 8% and close the sale?
Also, keep in mind that most of your target audience is not ready to purchase. Only 3% of your market is actively buying, while roughly 85% will buy within eighteen months.
So your goal is to build long-term relationships and be in the right place when they decide to purchase.
So why are you not following up?
Step 1: How do you feel?
First, it’s essential to tap into your more profound reason for not following up. On the surface, you may feel like you don’t have time, don’t have a system, have so many people to follow up with, and it is too overwhelming, so you want to quit before you start. I get it.
But first, put those tactical reasons aside, close your eyes, connect with your body, and imagine that you have everything you need to follow up, including the right resources and systems.
Take a deep breath and notice how you feel.
What emotions are coming up for you? Are you drained? Nervous? Scared? Anxious? Tense?
Are you afraid of being successful? Do you feel worried your life or relationships will change when you succeed? How do you benefit from staying in the same place financially?
Or maybe you are afraid of rejection.
Do you think your product or service is not good enough? It may feel like there is something not quite right or that you will disappoint people.
Perhaps you reject yourself even before you start, feeling like it’s a waste of time because it will not materialize into anything anyway.
If you say things like “Here goes nothing” or “What does it matter anyway,” you are setting yourself up to fail.
Or maybe you are nervous that you will seem annoying. Perhaps you are scared you will seem needy. What about this is uncomfortable for you?
Take some time and tap into what is blocking you from wanting to follow up. Ask yourself why you feel that way several times until you come up with the root cause.
If you feel like you are bothering people, fear rejection, don’t believe in yourself or your product, or don’t want to make sales, you will self-sabotage.
After all, if you don’t want to make the connection, you won’t.
Step 2: Feel good.
What negative beliefs do you want to shift? It may feel overwhelming, but once you see what is in your way, you have the opportunity to address it.
First and foremost, tap into your purpose and why you are doing this in the first place.
What is your motivation for having a business?
Next, list all of the benefits of being successful.
How would it positively impact your life or the lives of others? What would be missing if you did not sell your product or service? Give yourself proof that your success is beneficial.
If you feel shaky about your product or service, how could you add value or tweak your offer to feel more confident? What needs to change to solve your ideal client’s problem? Does the structure or the pricing need a tweak?
Adjust anything needed and then validate this with Market Research. You should feel so confident about your offer that you know it would be a disservice not to sell.
Also, keep in mind that rejection is part of the process. 60% of customers say no four times before saying yes.
So, if you don’t follow up, they will most likely miss out on your unique services.
Always remember that you are providing your ideal client with value. So reach out again to allow them to work with you.
The right client is on their way and will be lucky to work with you.
Step 3: Make it easy.
As your resistance builds, the more challenging it becomes. So make this as easy as possible to get it done. Shift your mindset from “what you have to do” to “what you get to do.”
Intentionally block daily or weekly time for follow-ups.
A daily commitment is ideal because early connection leads to higher long-term engagement.
However, keep in mind that whatever works best in your schedule is best for you.
Creating unrealistic goals will cause you to self-sabotage and fall off the bandwagon.
And if you fall behind, always know that you can make more time to get back on track.
Stay accountable by physically blocking your calendar, setting reminders, or having an accountability partner. And if you feel drained, take breaks while also committing to finishing what you set out to do.
Next, determine the method you will use to keep track of your leads. Will you use a CRM? A Google spreadsheet? A Trello board? What best fits your work style?
Having a great system and being organized is critical. It also does not need to be fancy.
A simple google spreadsheet showing the ideal client’s name, if they are a cold, warm or hot lead, the offer, the date of the first conversation, date of the last contact, if they bought, and notes can be enough.
Your goal is to quickly understand who to follow up with to move someone from cold to warm and warm to hot so you can close the deal.
Step 4: Connect.
You want to establish a positive connection between you and your ideal client. Before reaching out, intentionally pause, take a few deep relaxing breaths, and ground yourself. Visualize a relationship where you both feel good. You are there in the spirit of giving to help this person succeed.
You want to learn about the other person, their challenges, and if your product or offer will be a good solution for them. Be open and curious and enjoy the conversation while getting to know them.
Lead with value and build mutual trust. With this mindset, you are more likely to enjoy the conversation and close the sale.
If you feel nervous, think of this conversation as though you are talking to an old friend. How do you usually behave when you are comfortable with someone? It is just another person you can get to know better, so take the pressure off.
What are you supposed to say anyway?
You probably want to say, “Hey, just checking in.” but try to avoid that because it can create feelings of uneasiness.
A great way to start the conversation is with a technique called the 9-word email. This simple method quickly assesses your ideal client. Check out a great resource here.
You will ask your prospect, “Are you still looking for or planning x?” It’s also a great idea to create intimacy by making it more personal and including their name.
Example:
You: Hey Alice! Are you still looking for x? (Alt: Do you still need help doing x?)
Lead: Yes! * If they say yes, continue the sales conversation.
You: Would you like some help with that?
Lead: Yes, please.
You: I have just launched x that solves y. Would you like some details?
Pro Tip: Once you have pitched to your potential buyer, always set up follow-up timelines if they need more time to increase your chances of closing the sale. Ask when a good time to follow up will be. If you are on the phone, book another quick call before getting off the phone. You can also say, “Let me know if you are in or out?” to create urgency for the decision and stop any needless back and forth.
Recap:
Following up is key to your business success. By using the four steps in this article, you will be able to identify your feelings around closing the sale, shift your limiting beliefs to feel good, and create ease in the process. At the same time, connect with your ideal client in a meaningful way to make this a much more enjoyable process.
Step 1: How do you feel?
Step 2: Feel good.
Step 3: Make it easy.
Step 4: Connect.
If you need help building your vision and creating a step-by-step life and business strategy (you can actually stick to), email me the word PROGRAM.
I look forward to you having the success you deserve!
Michele x
