Successful Lead Follow Up Tips and Tricks
Lead follow-up is a way to take control of your sales and keep your company front of mind for the customer. But how do you do it? You don’t want to be that person that’s constantly begging for the attention of your lead like a puppy begging at your heel. In reality, you do want to be available (and quickly) to the right leads, but there are ways to seem less pathetic pup and more trustworthy leader.
Qualify, Qualify, Qualify – Qualifying leads is important because it helps to determine if you should follow-up. Everyone’s time is valuable, so don’t waste yours with people who aren’t potential, legitimate clients. Create a strategy and maximize the efficiency of the interaction and the potential of the transaction. Get a quick handle on what your lead needs – do this early in the process of qualifying your potential client.
Respond quickly – We live in a high-tech, lightning-speed, internet world. When someone reaches out online, they expect an immediate answer. Be sure to have automation system in place. If someone fills out an inquiry form on your website, ensure that your email marketing software and form are synced to send an immediate response. Something along the lines of, “Thank you for your inquiry. A member of our team will response within X-amount of hours/days.” You can be as detailed or vague as you wish, but let the lead know that you are aware of their request. In an Amazon Prime world, it’s what the public expects.
The Devil is in the Details – As you’re talking to your prospective client, gleaning what it is they’re actually looking for, start building the quote while you’re on the phone. Or if they’ve reached out via email or your website, call to speak with them directly or be very detailed with your qualifying questions and respond within 24 hours. If you have too many inquiries to respond to in one day, ask a coworker for help.
Continue to provide helpful content – Even after they’ve become a customer or decided to go with your company just yet, providing helpful information (white papers, e-books, quick social media snippets) keeps your company in the forefront of the customer’s mind. Not only do you offer a service they need, you’re also offering them education.
Read the room – Tailor your approach to every client’s need. If they downloaded a white paper from your website five minutes ago, don’t reach out and ask if they found it beneficial. Always center your approach around how you can help them, not pitching your services or products right off the bat. “Is there anything I can do to help you find what you’re looking for?” goes a long way. Adding value to a customer’s experience rather than asking for them to buy in, helps you go even further.
You’ve Got Mail – Have an email template ready to go where you can plug and play personal details about your potential client. Tweak as much as you see fit or your lead’s needs call for. Leave room to add a bit of personality. If it’s a matter of just five minutes to make insert those personal touch, take the five minutes. The client will be able to tell.
CRM + You = BFF – If you and your sales team do not have a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) system, stop what you’re doing and get one now. The CRM is a salesperson’s best friend. This is the place where you’ll keep all the details, communication, project status and reminders associated with prospective, current and past clients. Did you get your CRM loaded? Good. Now use it to set reminders to follow up with your leads, either according to your company policy or when your lead requested you follow up.
Leads are the lifeblood of any business. They should be treated as such. Be sure that your company is the right fit for your lead, respond quickly, provide helpful content to keep in the forefront of their mind, be genuine with your communication and be diligent with your notes. Do you have lead follow-up success stories? We’d love to hear all about them in the comments below.
