Mastering the Art of Follow-Up in Sales: Persistence Beats Resistance
In the world of sales, one activity reigns supreme: the follow-up. Persistence truly beats resistance. As a seasoned salesperson, I've learned firsthand that getting a response on the first, second, or even third attempt is rare. In fact, it takes an average of seven touchpoints to get a response from a cold prospect. That’s why it’s essential to be relentless and strategic with your follow-up efforts.
Define Your Target Audience
Before embarking on your follow-up journey, ensure you're targeting the right people to avoid wasting time. Start by defining your ideal customer profile—these are the people most likely to benefit from your offerings and have the capacity to buy. Craft an ideal persona profile at those companies. Reach out across the board to everyone who fits that persona.
Craft a Compelling Value Proposition
To capture the attention of prospects, understand their needs and craft a compelling value proposition. This involves not just one email but a well-thought-out sequence across multiple channels like LinkedIn, email, and phone calls. Clearly articulate the tangible benefits and key differentiators that set you apart. People are busy; ensure your message is timely, relevant, and crystal clear.
Consistency is Key
Persistence is rare in sales, with many giving up before reaching the crucial seven touchpoints. However, it’s vital to keep pursuing as you never know when the timing might be right. Consider each email, whether it gets a response or not, as part of a sequence, and don’t stop until you’ve reached at least seven touchpoints. Know which opportunities to pursue and when to move on.
Adding Value with Every Touchpoint
Even if the timing isn’t right for all prospects, continue sending value until it is. Sending valuable insights, research, case studies, or relevant articles can keep you in their thoughts without being intrusive. Personal story: after sending numerous emails to a promising prospect over two years, I finally got a contract because I consistently provided value.
Stay Resilient and Adaptive
In sales, you need to remain resilient, even when you feel like giving up. I once almost quit trying to contact a prospect, but a simple "call me" changed the course of my career. That one call led to my biggest client ever. Adapt your approach. Utilize different channels, tweak subject lines, and reach out to various people within an organization.
Make Follow-Up a Daily Routine
In the early days of my career, I made following up part of my daily routine, resulting in approximately five meetings per week. Following up isn’t only for prospecting; it's crucial after promising calls, proposals, and contract submissions. Regular follow-ups keep you top of mind and available when prospects are ready to respond.
Conclusion: Helpfulness Equals Sales Success
Remember, persistence wins over resistance if you're providing value. Always start emails thinking about how you can genuinely help the prospect. Offer something useful to help them do their job better. This consistency in adding value builds trust and credibility, leading prospects to turn to you when the timing aligns.
People are constantly juggling tasks and priorities, but that doesn’t mean they're uninterested. Make yourself a priority by being helpful and available. Consistently follow up with qualified prospects that fit your ideal customer profile, and you’ll set up meetings that lead to opportunities and eventually close deals.
I hope these insights prove helpful. My name is Andrew Barbuto, and I’m excited to share that I have a book coming out called "Top Sales Producer: How to Crush Your Sales Quota." Visit my website AndrewBarbuto.com/top-sales-book for a free sneak peek, and check out my exclusive meeting hack and cold outreach strategy.
Always remember, if you're not helping, you're not selling.
