Most people don’t hire you the first time they speak to you, visit your website or watch your presentation. You need to follow up.
When you follow-up you get more clients.
But how? And when? What do you say, what do you offer, what do you send them? How often should you contact them?
That’s what you need to figure out.
You need a follow-up plan for each point of contact with prospective clients, and each stage of the “buying process”.
Your plan should spell out what you will do
- after a free consultation–in the office and on the phone (they’re different)
- with people you meet at networking events
- with people who attend your presentation (in person, online)
- with people who subscribe to your newsletter or download your report
- with first-time clients, to convert them to repeat clients and stimulate referrals
- with lapsed clients
- and so on.
Your plan should also answer the following questions:
- Who? Should you follow-up personally or can an assistant do it? Should you do it the first time and then have someone on your staff do it?
- When? You’ll want to send a “thank you” or “nice to meet you” note immediately but what’s the schedule for additional follow-ups? How often? Over what period of time?
- How? Calls, emails, letters? A combination? Should you text? Invite to lunch or coffee? What can you automate?
- What? What will you say? What will you ask? What will you tell them or invite them to do?
You also need a follow-up plan for the professionals and prospective referral sources you meet.
Your plan doesn’t need to be complex, nor do you need to figure out everything in advance. Start with one point of contact and one or two follow-ups; once you have this in place, you can add more.
But start. Because in business, the fortune is in the follow-up.
If you need help creating or implementing your plan, let me know.
