The Art of Follow-Up: Unleash your communication advantage

Staying top of mind is crucial in business, especially for mission driven organizations. We compete for a restricted pool of capital, as compared to the broader business marketplace. So how does a social enterprise stay top of mind? Follow-up.

One of the most beneficial, underutilized strategies is to follow-up repeatedly with the person who makes introductions on your behalf. For example, thank the person who made the introduction when they make it, then follow up to let them know once you spoke with the person that they introduced you to. Many people communicate an initial thank you, and that’s it. ?The person who made the introduction wonders how the conversation went, or if the kickoff conversation between the two new parties happened at all. Instead, make sure that the person who made the introduction knows that the new parties communicated with each other. Communicate to the introducer that you sent the new contact a thank you note. This chain of follow-up makes the person who made the introduction look good because of your follow-up communication, which will in turn make your original contact feel good and be more willing to make additional introductions.

Follow-up helps mission-driven business leaders achieve relevance by reminding clients, donors, investors, partners, and prospects of their presence, offerings, and impact. By periodically checking in, sharing relevant updates, and providing valuable insights, social entrepreneurs demonstrate industry knowledge and expertise. This regular contact ensures that when a need arises, the social entrepreneur’s contacts are more likely to think of the social entrepreneur as a viable solution. Whether it's through email, phone calls, or social media, consistent follow-up keeps social entrepreneurs top of mind for their target audience(s), boosting the chances of securing new business opportunities.

Still in school and don’t yet represent a social enterprise? Consider sending an email to your extended network every six months, once at the end of the summer and once during winter holiday. During your summer communication, recap what type of professional experiences you explored and what you learned as a result. Consider including a personal experience too! During the winter holiday, consider sending an email communication to your extended network to help people who care about you stay abreast of what you’re studying, and the impact your learning has on your perspective.

In the fast-paced world of social entrepreneurship, effective communication is key to standing out from the crowd.