You've invested time and energy in generating leads for your direct sales business, but not all of them convert into customers. How do you follow up with them without being pushy or annoying? Here are some best practices for staying in touch with leads that didn't convert and turning them into loyal fans.
Before you reach out to a lead, you need to have a clear goal in mind. Do you want to offer them a discount, a free trial, a referral incentive, or a value-added service? Do you want to invite them to a webinar, a demo, a consultation, or a testimonial? Do you want to educate them, inspire them, persuade them, or entertain them? Having a goal will help you craft a relevant and personalized message that aligns with their needs and interests.
Timing: Follow up promptly after initial contact while the conversation is still fresh in their minds. Personalize messages based on previous interactions. Be persistent in your follow-ups. Offer value-added content addressing their needs. Clearly communicate next steps or options. Use a multi-channel approach for communication. Maintain professionalism in all interactions.
Depending on your goal, your lead's preferences, and your relationship, you may choose different channels to follow up with them. You can use email, phone, text, social media, or direct mail. Each channel has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to consider factors such as response rate, cost, convenience, and personalization. For example, email may be more effective for sending long-form content, while text may be more suitable for urgent or time-sensitive offers.
Knowing the prospect's preferred mode and channel of communications is key. So we will maintain that contact there. I find that the LinkedIn community has grown so much and I leverage off this platform a lot more now than 2-3 years ago. Its a good touch point overall. Other channels will be WApp and Telegram most of my networks are in.
Timing is crucial when it comes to following up with leads. You don't want to wait too long and lose their attention, but you also don't want to bombard them with too many messages and annoy them. A good rule of thumb is to follow up within 24 hours of their initial contact, and then every 3-7 days until they convert or opt out. You can also use triggers such as birthdays, holidays, events, or milestones to send them timely and relevant messages.
One of the most important principles of following up with leads is to add value to every interaction. You don't want to just remind them of your offer or ask for their feedback. You want to provide them with useful information, insights, tips, resources, or solutions that can help them solve their problems, achieve their goals, or improve their situation. You also want to show them how your product or service can benefit them and why they should choose you over your competitors.
A lead that didn't convert should never be banished from your list. If you have exhausted all polite means of persuasion, understand the reason for delay. If is highly likely that the lead is testing the waters, your attitude, the company's performance, etc. It is important to stay in touch without being intrusive. Keep your lead posted with new developments, how good the existing business partners are performing, why every passing day is a missed opportunity & how you feel they could add more value after onboarding, etc. These go a long way in building a lasting relationship.
Another key element of following up with leads is to build rapport and trust with them. You want to make them feel comfortable and confident in your brand and your expertise. You can do this by using a friendly and conversational tone, addressing them by their name, sharing stories or testimonials, asking questions, listening to their concerns, and acknowledging their objections. You can also use humor, compliments, or incentives to make them feel appreciated and valued.
The ultimate goal of following up with leads is to get them to take action and convert into customers. Therefore, you need to include a clear and compelling call to action in every message. You need to tell them exactly what you want them to do, how to do it, and why they should do it. You also need to create a sense of urgency and scarcity to motivate them to act fast and avoid missing out on your offer. You can use words such as "now", "today", "limited", or "exclusive" to create urgency and scarcity.