You've just had a great conversation with a potential client, partner, or mentor at a networking event. You exchanged contact details and agreed to keep in touch. Now what? How do you follow up with them without sounding too pushy, boring, or generic? Here are some tips on how to keep your follow-up message brief and engaging.
Avoid sending a generic or copy-pasted message that could apply to anyone. Instead, personalize your message by mentioning something specific that you discussed, complimenting them on their work or achievements, or expressing your appreciation for their time and attention. This shows that you paid attention, that you care about them as an individual, and that you have something in common.
Reiterate something you discussed. It can also help if you vary your messaging approach and make it a voice note or a video.
Personalizing the message is a great way to delve into a conversation, it also makes the prospect feel heard and appreciated which starts the conversation in a positive note. You can talk about something that you might have witnessed together during the event. I feel this should be the hook for any email i.e. the first line of every email where you grab the reader's attention fully and then subtly mention about the services that we offer and how it has helped many others.
Don't beat around the bush or ramble on about irrelevant details. Be clear about why you are following up, what you want to achieve, and what you expect from them. Do you want to schedule a meeting, ask for a referral, request feedback, or offer help? Make sure you state your purpose and your call to action in a concise and polite way.
Clear statement of purpose and a customized message are remarkable for ensuring effective follow-up. Expectation should be clearly communicated to achieve the purpose.
Don't just follow up for the sake of following up. Provide some value to the person you are contacting. For example, you could share a useful resource, a relevant insight, a helpful tip, or a valuable opportunity that relates to their goals, challenges, or interests. This demonstrates that you are not just looking for a favor, but that you are genuinely interested in helping them or adding value to their situation.
Don't forget to be friendly and courteous in your follow-up message. Use a warm and professional tone, address the person by their name, and thank them for their time and consideration. You can also add some humor, enthusiasm, or emotion to your message, depending on the context and the relationship. This helps to create rapport, trust, and likability with the person you are following up with.
Don't send one follow-up message and then disappear. Follow up with the person until you get a response, a confirmation, or a rejection. However, don't be annoying or spammy. Space out your follow-up messages by a few days or weeks, depending on the urgency and the importance of the matter. You can also vary your follow-up methods by using different channels, such as email, phone, social media, or text. The key is to be persistent but respectful, and to show that you are genuinely interested in building a long-term relationship with the person.
Consistency is the key to a good follow-up agreed! The measurement or frequency of consistency can be set by knowing if the lead/prospect generated is outbound or inbound. If it is in-bound there is an interest rather a need for your services, here you can push the pedal and be consistent like following up in 3 days or so. In an outbound lead I personally think it is better to be consistent with your follow-ups say once in a week, in this case you have to be informative which will ensure that this lead turns into an in-bound lead i.e. gains interest in your services, rather than pitching what we can offer it is better to mention what's in it for them.