Sometimes following up on prospective clients can be as nerve-racking as making that initial first call. You know that you need to ask prospects to make a decision, but you don’t want to appear to be pushy.

Most businesses do not follow up enough and the results are that many clients slip through their fingers. Finding the right medium is sometimes difficult. How do you follow up in a way that encourages prospects to buy from you?

THE ART OF FOLLOWING UP WITH PROSPECTS

Remember that at the beginning of the buying process, you will have spent some time qualifying your prospects. During this time you should try to get an understanding of their buying habits. Are they someone who is likely to make a decision quickly? Or will they need lots of information and encouragement? This will help you to plan your follow up tactic with each particular client. Traditionally, most follow-ups are done manually. Following a presentation, you may ask prospects if they are ready to make a decision.

A week or two later you may give them a call and ask them the same question. What many business people don’t realize is that you need to follow up more than once or twice. In fact,, sometimes you may need to follow up as many as 12 times or more. But not every one of these follow-ups need to be a manual call asking for the sale. It could be a reminder about a fast action discount, expiring, a newsletter with some client testimonials, an information sheet demonstrating the value that you offer. You can get creative in the way that you keep in contact with prospective clients and get them use dot you contacting them. In the process, you will be building a relationship with them and demonstrating the value of your business to them.

HOW TO FOLLOW UP TO INCREASE YOUR CONVERSATION RATE

• Realize that each prospect will react differently to your follow up process. Some clients will be ready to buy sooner than others. Use your discernment to match your follow up techniques to their buying behavior.
• Don’t limit the number or types of follow up methods you use. Marketing studies show that often people need to receive information at least seven times before they may act on it. Don’t give up just because you get a “no” on the first follow up call, it may be that the prospect just needs a little more encouragement or information to make the decision.
• Focus on building a genuine relationship with your prospective clients. When people trust you they will be more inclined to buy from you. Even if they don’t buy today, because they have a relationship with you when they are ready to buy you will naturally be their first choice.

You need to be creative and flexible in your follow up process. But you should still have a follow-up plan carefully mapped out. By being deliberate in your follow up efforts, you can make sure that each time you contact prospects you are offering them something of value. Even if it takes some time, the process will lead the clients through the buying process and show them how they can benefit from working with you. You can also then track your progress and know which prospects you should be investing the most time and effort with.