When you are dealing with prospects, you are not only approaching them with an initial offer, but chasing them with more information and then pursuing them to get a response. With every interaction, your aim is to keep the conversation going so that you can strike a deal. Your prospects need to be engaged constantly - you can't run the risk of a prospect falling off your radar and losing out to a competitor. This is why quick and timely follow-ups are essential. However, making a blind follow up without considering the client’s needs will be ineffective. Here are a few tips to ensure your follow-up is not just a shot in the dark:

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE FOLLOW-UPS

WHY FOLLOW-UP IS REQUIRED

Effective Follow-UpsYour prospect, whether it is a lead handed down from marketing or a lead who arrives at your website after a search, has some sort of interest in what you are selling. You need to pique their interest further by engaging with them and telling them more, as well as learning more about their needs. This way, you will be able to provide them with a better solution.

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND

You should also try and keep your follow-ups consistent. You might want to create a sequence, or a number of messages which are linked together and build on each other. Try to keep the tone consistent with your brand and offering. Your messages do not have to be scripted, but well planned...this will make them more well-received. You should also provide complete answers. Your prospect may ask for more information, and it is up to you to provide ample, concise information which clears their doubts and concerns. Share deep,insightful product knowledge with your customer- this helps build trust and enhances your credibility. And, most of all, your response should be quick and speedy. Respond as soon as possible, and give them a quality response. You should be able to see when you last interacted with your prospect and get back to them at a reasonable time. The longer you take to respond, the easier it is for your prospect to move on to a competitor. Salesvue enables you to follow up easily, because it allows you to track easily. Our one-click call screen lets sales reps log calls with the click of a button. You can record when the call was made as well as what action was taken; so when you follow-up, you take the correct next step, at the correct time. Follow-ups are key to retaining and gaining customers - make sure you take the time to do them effectively.

FOLLOW UP ETIQUETTE

Remember the basics of business etiquette. Always leave your contact details with the prospect so that it may serve as a call to action. Follow up within a reasonable timeframe after you make your pitch. Long enough for them to consider your proposal, but soon enough so that they do not forget you. If they are busy the first time you approach them, schedule a call. If they need additional information, ask when they need it.

LISTEN MORE

As you speak to your prospects in sales calls, make sure you listen carefully – they may require some extra information or insight that you need to bring to the table at your next meeting or interaction.

TAKE NOTES

In order to take effective action and get your pipeline working smoothly, you need to note how your follow up went, what came out of it and where you stand. When was the follow up call made? Was there a concrete response or was the prospect unavailable? Was any communication sent? Instead of asking dozens of questions and taking notes, use a smart system like Salesvue. When your sales executives are chasing numerous leads, you need to have a system in place to keep track of who is being contacted, when and how. Salesvue allows you to keep track of your sales team as they chase prospects. Executives can log calls and define the actual nature of the interaction- whether they had a conversation, left a message with someone or sent a voicemail. This gives you real data that you can use to plan your next step. All this in a few easy clicks.