Congratulations. They said it couldn’t be done—and yet, you’ve done it.
You delivered your value proposition flawlessly, answered every question without hesitation, and really seemed to make an impression on the buying committee.
As you head back to your car (or close out of your Zoom meeting), give yourself a pat on the back. Victory is yours: You’ve nailed a perfect sales pitch.
Now all that’s left to do is send a quick follow up, and wait for the decision maker to send the coveted “we’re ready to move forward” note. But as hours...days...weeks...pass, you might start to wonder where you went wrong.
Many heroes of the sales pitch saga meet an untimely demise in the form of a lackluster follow-up note. To avoid the same fate, keep reading.
The Importance of a Good Follow-Up Message
Follow-ups, whether they’re sent via email, post, or pigeon, serve several important purposes in the business world.
If you’ve recently attended an interview, you know your follow-up should summarize the highlights of your conversation and reinforce why you're the best match. Similarly, a sales pitch follow-up should remind the recipient of your interaction and reinforce the value you delivered with a well-thought out solution of the solution you pitched.
No matter what audience you’re writing for, follow-ups provide you one last opportunity to strengthen your connection with the recipient. They allow you to create an unforgettable impression by delivering valuable content.
When they’re well-written, that is.
Unfortunately, despite the sender’s best intentions, many follow-up messages are irrelevant and uninteresting. So, how can you be sure yours is effective?
5 Ways to Personalize Your Follow-Up Note
Good communications should be concise and personal. Here are 5 tips to achieve a follow-up that secures a response.
1. Identify Yourself
Between emails, phone calls, and social media messages, a decision- maker likely receives dozens of communications a day.
When sending a follow-up, it’s critical that you identify yourself and your company. No matter how well you think your sales pitch might’ve gone, don’t rely on them to immediately remember you.
2. Send the Follow-Up Immediately
This isn’t dating in high school: Don’t play it cool and wait two days to reach out.
Send your follow-up as soon as possible. Otherwise, you (and your recipient!) are likely to forget the details of your interaction. A digital sales platform with anytime access allows you to send your follow-up note from wherever you’re located—no WiFi required. So don’t waste time driving back to the office, or sitting in rush hour traffic. Rather, send a quick note when you get back to your car to avoid a lapse in time.
3. Avoid Overused Phrases
“Checking in...”
“Just wanted to see...”
“Circling back on...”
Etc, etc.
If you’re guilty of using any of the above, you’re far from alone.
However, these phrases communicate that the receiver is about to read a follow-up. In other words, you’re signaling: “This email is not going to provide any new information! Nor any value!”
Every word has to convince the recipient to keep reading. You’re emailing for a reason, so get straight to the point in your follow-ups.
4. Include Tailored Information
You wouldn’t give the exact same presentation to two different prospects, right? So why would you send the same follow-up message?
Tailor it to the needs of the decision-maker and their company. This could be as simple as, “Hey, you mentioned X pain point—and I wanted to share Y resource with you.” Organized content within a digital sales platform makes it easy to locate and send these resources.
5. Follow Up On Your Follow-Up
Don’t let your efforts thus far go to waste. If you haven’t received a response, don’t be afraid to reach out again!
The right platform helps to determine a starting point for that secondary message. If a buyer hasn’t opened the content you’ve shared, for example, send them a polite reminder that they might find the information valuable. Or, offer a different format of content—if your case study didn’t work the first time, perhaps a spec sheet will spark an open and reply this time around.
Send Follow-Ups that Move Deals Forward—Every Time
Great follow-ups are all about sending personalized messages with content that adds value—and that the recipient actually wants to read.
Modus makes follow-ups easier. You get access to buyer engagement data—so you can give your prospects the information that they actually care about—and anytime access for on-the-go communication. If you’re ready to nail your next follow-up message AND win more deals, get in touch.
