How can you make your follow-up more urgent and valuable?

1 Use a clear call to action

One of the most common mistakes salespeople make in their follow-up is not having a clear call to action. A call to action is a specific request or instruction that tells your prospect what you want them to do next. For example, you might ask them to book a demo, reply with their availability, or fill out a survey. A clear call to action helps you create urgency, as it gives your prospect a deadline and a reason to act. It also helps you measure the effectiveness of your follow-up, as you can track how many prospects respond to your call to action.

2 Add value with every touch

Another way to make your follow-up more urgent and valuable is to add value with every touch. This means providing your prospect with useful information, insights, or resources that can help them solve their problems, achieve their goals, or make a decision. For example, you might share a case study, a testimonial, a blog post, or a webinar that relates to their pain points, needs, or interests. Adding value with every touch helps you build trust, credibility, and rapport with your prospect. It also helps you stand out from the competition and keep your prospect engaged and interested.

3 Leverage social proof

Social proof is the phenomenon where people tend to follow the actions or opinions of others, especially when they are uncertain or influenced by peer pressure. You can leverage social proof in your follow-up to make it more urgent and valuable, by showing your prospect that other people like them have benefited from your product or service. For example, you might mention how many customers you have, how many positive reviews you have, or how many awards you have won. You might also name-drop some of your existing clients, especially if they are in the same industry or niche as your prospect. Leveraging social proof helps you create a sense of scarcity, exclusivity, and authority, as it shows your prospect that they are missing out on something that others have.

4 Personalize your message

Personalization is the process of tailoring your message to your prospect's specific situation, preferences, or personality. Personalization can make your follow-up more urgent and valuable, by showing your prospect that you care about them, understand them, and respect them. For example, you might use their name, refer to their company or role, mention something they said or did, or compliment them on something. You might also use a friendly tone, humor, or emotion, depending on your prospect's style and mood. Personalizing your message helps you create a connection, a rapport, and a relationship with your prospect, which can increase their loyalty and commitment.

5 Follow up at the right time

Timing is everything in sales prospecting, and it can make or break your follow-up. You want to follow up at the right time, when your prospect is most likely to open, read, and respond to your message. The right time depends on various factors, such as your prospect's industry, location, schedule, behavior, and stage in the buying cycle. For example, you might follow up on a weekday morning, when your prospect is checking their email, or on a Friday afternoon, when your prospect is wrapping up their week. You might also follow up after a trigger event, such as a webinar, a trade show, or a news article, that relates to your product or service. Following up at the right time helps you create relevance, convenience, and attention, as it shows your prospect that you are in sync with their needs and priorities.

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?