While everything might have seemed to go according to plan during your sales meeting, you can still lose a sale when your follow-ups get ignored. Getting your prospect to take action after a sales meeting should begin before you even meet them. Aside from people’s tendency to procrastinate, timing also matters greatly in eliciting engagement from your prospect. If you follow up at the wrong time, you can be relegated to a mere annoyance instead of elevating yourself into someone who can bring them value.

If you don't want your deals to get stuck in limbo, follow these simple but effective steps to ensure successful follow-ups:

Due Diligence Goes a Long Way

Knowing your prospect even before you meet them not only gives you the advantage of acquiring crucial information — it also gives the impression that you’re sincere about working with them. This can do wonders in getting your prospect to close a deal. Understanding who you’re dealing with, along with the objectives of their company, can help build stronger personal rapport and long-term partnerships. Additionally, the information you acquire about your prospect will allow you to customize your sales pitch to connect better with them, resulting in more engaging follow-ups.

Drive Urgency With Results

One way you can show prospects that you respect their time is by crafting a sales pitch that talks about results. Skip the unnecessary pleasantries and show your prospect how your product has brought in real solutions by citing metrics. Build a solid case with studies and testimonials. Then show them what they stand to lose if they don’t take action.

Outline Concrete Next Steps

During your sales meeting, ensure that you and your prospect agree to a set of concrete steps that reaffirm your commitment to work together. This means giving your prospect a clear timeline regarding deliverables. Let them know what you also expect from their end. By setting the right expectations, your prospect will see that you are solution-oriented and not just paying lip service.

Discover the Best Way to Keep In Touch

At the end of the sales meeting, it’s important to ask your prospect which follow-up method they prefer. When your prospect prefers messaging and emails, ask them what you could put in your subject line for your message to catch their attention. If they prefer phone calls, ask them what time and day they would be best for your call. These simple but significant questions can already put you several steps ahead of other salespeople while increasing the likelihood of your prospect taking action in your favor.

Timing Is Everything

Timing isn’t only about knowing what time of day your prospect is likely to engage with your follow-up. It’s also knowing when to keep following them up or if it’s time to walk away. There aren’t any hard and fast rules for this one. Rely on your instincts and learn how to read between the lines. If you feel that your prospect has no intention of buying anytime soon, send them a breakup email asking if they’re still open to your solution and if you can reconnect with them at a better time.

Knowing how to effectively utilize follow-ups can make all the difference in closing a deal. Keep the tips above in mind to get fruitful follow-ups.

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