As most of you know I’m not a huge fan of templated e-mail cadences but I do appreciate creating efficiencies throughout the sales process and adding structure where appropriate. One area in which we can add structure to is how we follow up with a prospective client after a good discovery call.
Too many of us don’t have a process and end up ‘touching base’ and ‘checking in’ until the frustration kicks in and we start doing some unnatural things to get a response. It becomes subjective and emotional which doesn’t do anyone any good.
You want to make the process as objective and unemotional as you can. It’s about setting very clear expectations with the prospect about the process, documenting it and holding them accountable along the way. If they don’t respond there is only so much you can do before you need to move on, which is why making it objective matters. It allows you to know when to move on.
Here’s the process we follow. If you decide to implement this approach PLEASE make it your own and don’t just copy word for word.
Set Expectations at the End of Qualification Call
- Set expectations for summary e-mail:
“I’ll be sending you a summary e-mail with what I was able to gain from our conversation. Could you do me a favor and look it over and e-mail me back to let me know if it’s all accurate and if I missed anything?” - Get a defined next step:
“When do you want to schedule a follow up call so I can get your feedback and talk about next steps? Do you have your calendar in front of you?”
After the Call
- Send the summary email.
- Send the meeting invitation for the follow up call.
- Follow up (if they don’t agree to a scheduled follow up call). See our suggested sequence below.
The Follow Up Email Sequence
Email 1 (1 week after qualification call)
(‘Reply all’ to summary email, keep original subject line)
Hi [name], have you had a chance to look through the content yet? Let me know if you have any questions and what the next steps are.
Email 2 (4-7 days after email 1)
(‘Reply all’ to summary email, keep original subject line)
Hi [name], when are you free for a quick follow up call?
Email 3 (3 days after email 2)
(‘Reply all’ to the summary email, change the subject line to “Still interested?)
Hi [name], could you let me know where things stand and if you’re still interested in the training either way so I don’t continue with unnecessary follow up?
Email4 (3-4 days after email 3)
(‘Reply all’ to summary email, change the subject line to “Did I lose you?)
(no content in the body other than your signature line and the other 3 emails you sent previously)
Email5 (3-4 days after email 4)
(‘Reply all’ to summary email, keep subject line “Did I lose you?)
I’ll leave you alone at this point. If training/prospecting ever comes back up to the top of the priority list feel free to reach back out to me directly. Good luck with everything.
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Closeout activities and set another activity for 3-6 months out to see if they want to re-engage.
Good luck. Make It Happen!
