How do you politely follow up with a prospect?

1 Plan your timing

The first thing to consider is when to make your follow-up call. Ideally, you should have agreed on a specific date and time with the prospect during your initial conversation, and confirmed it with an email or a text message. This way, you can avoid catching them off guard or interrupting their schedule. If you don't have a pre-arranged time, try to call within a reasonable window, such as a few days or a week after your first contact, depending on the urgency and complexity of the sale. Avoid calling too early, too late, or on weekends, unless the prospect has given you permission to do so.

2 Prepare your message

The next thing to do is to prepare what you are going to say during your follow-up call. You should have a clear purpose and a clear value proposition for the call, and be ready to address any questions, objections, or concerns that the prospect might have. You should also have a clear call to action, such as scheduling a demo, sending a proposal, or asking for a referral. Your message should be concise, relevant, and personalized, and show that you have done your research and understand the prospect's needs and goals.

3 Be polite and respectful

The most important aspect of phone etiquette for follow-up calls is to be polite and respectful of the prospect's time and attention. You should always introduce yourself, remind them of your previous conversation, and ask them if it's a good time to talk. If they say no, don't insist or pressure them, but ask them when would be a better time and follow up accordingly. If they say yes, thank them and proceed with your message. During the call, you should listen actively, avoid interrupting, and use positive and professional language. You should also avoid being too aggressive, too passive, or too casual, and match the prospect's tone and pace.

4 Follow up with a summary

After you finish your follow-up call, you should always send a summary email or a text message to the prospect, thanking them for their time and summarizing the main points and action items of the call. This will help you reinforce your message, show your professionalism, and keep the communication open. You should also include any relevant attachments, links, or resources that you promised or discussed during the call. Finally, you should indicate the next steps and the expected timeline, and ask them to confirm or reply if they have any questions or feedback.

5 Track and measure your results

The last tip for phone etiquette for follow-up calls is to track and measure your results. You should keep a record of your calls, including the date, time, duration, outcome, and notes. This will help you evaluate your performance, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your skills and strategies. You should also use a CRM system or a spreadsheet to manage your leads, prospects, and customers, and monitor their progress and status. This will help you prioritize your follow-up activities, avoid missing or duplicating calls, and optimize your sales funnel.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?