Following up with prospects is crucial to closing.

There are plenty of things that prospects like to hear, and can help make your follow-up more effective.

I think we both know the almost impossibility of making a sale on the very first contact. Without compelling follow-up, there can be no sales — and I’ve got seven ways your follow-up could improve.

1. Replay What They Say

This is the easiest one. You may have had one conversation with them, and they shared with you one piece of information. So, in your next email to them, you play it back. You say, “Hey, I want to talk some more because you mentioned this….” And you write out exactly what they shared with you.

You can put this into a voicemail in the same way. And you say, “I want to find out more about what you’re thinking…. I want to build on that.”

Sharing what they said not only shows that you were listening, but that you’re invested in what they think.

2. Ask Questions

Prospects will be more inclined to follow up with you if you are placing value and interest in what they share with you.

This is one of the key things I practice in that initial prospecting call. I want them to share with me one piece of information, because if they do, I’m going to run with it. In addition to repeating what they’ve shared, I have a few questions up my sleeve to keep our conversation going.

In fact, it’s good to go into every conversation with at least two prepared questions.

3. Build on Their Comments

I can take what the prospects says, and add value to it.

I may say, “You mentioned this and I want to add some more comments…. I want to share some more ideas…. I’m going to share with you some more insights, some more ways of helping people.”

What am I doing here? I’m taking what you say, placing value around it, and building on it.

4. Create Scenarios

This is kind of like telling a story; people remember stories.

You might share with the prospect, “Hey, you shared this and next time we connect, I want to share with you this situation I saw in another company very similar to yours.” You see, I’m creating a scenario that is relevant to them.

“By the way, you mentioned this and I recently saw it in another organization, in the very same situation, and I have some ideas on it.” I’ve shared a story that can pique their interest, and draw them in.

5. Risk

You see, there are two things that are moving people right now. Risk is one of them. People will many times only make a risky decision if they feel it’s risky if they don’t make a decision. So you have to start talking risks.

“Well yeah, we can forgo this conversation, but with these changes, it is going to impact other things.” Or, “Because of what the competition’s doing, here’s what’s going on…. You see? So you run the risk if you don’t make a decision.”

6. Urgency

Urgency can be a crucial component in follow-up and maintaining prospect engagement.

I may say, “It’s really important for us to be able to talk right now because of the urgency of the supply chain…or there are issues with this….” It could be any number of things. Whatever it is, you create urgency.

7. Have a Clear Call to Action

Don’t leave things vague. We’re going to follow up on this in this way, on this day and at this time. Be very specific. How and when will you connect next time?

Prospects don’t want to be left hanging by salespeople because honestly, they’ll just go someplace else. Or, they’ll choose to make no decision at all.

MANA welcomes your comments on this article. Write to us at [email protected].