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Show Notes
Getting someone’s attention is only the beginning. You can create great content, attract the right people and have meaningful conversations, but what happens next can make all the difference.
Follow up is where many potential opportunities are lost.
Why Follow Up Matters
Follow up is something we often don’t like to talk about, but it’s really important. Follow up is not about being pushy or trying to convince somebody. It’s about staying connected long enough for the trust to catch up with the client.
We get visible, get attention, send emails, run webinars, appear on podcasts and interviews, and then when nobody calls, we often disappear. Someone might reply, join a discovery call, or say they’re interested but “not yet” because they need to get their finances in order, speak to someone, or deal with something else. We can easily assume that means it’s over, but often that’s not the case.
Trust Comes First
Nobody buys from people they don’t trust. Even when we buy online, there is still a level of trust that we will get what we paid for. Video, case studies and seeing how someone works can help build that trust.
When you’re selling something, there are three types of trust involved:
- Trust in themselves
- Trust in you
- Trust in the program, offer or promise
Follow up is about building and maintaining all three.
Follow Up Is Part of the Relationship
Good follow up doesn’t sound pushy. It’s not about asking, “Have you made a decision yet?” or reminding someone that they said they would do something.
It’s about doing the right thing for you and the client and staying connected. A prospect might attend your webinar once and return six months later before finally booking a discovery call. If you removed them from your list after the first webinar, that relationship would never have had the opportunity to develop.
Sometimes a buying decision takes minutes. Other times it takes months or even years. Your prospects are on their own journey, and you cannot expect them to follow your timeline.
Don't Wait for Them to Come Back
If someone says, “I’m on holidays. I’ll get back to you in three months,” don’t simply wait three months for them to contact you.
Instead, send something useful that relates to what they discussed. If they mentioned struggling with their inbox, for example, send them something that could help them with that problem. You’re continuing to nurture the relationship without pushing them to buy.
The problem isn’t always lead generation. You may already have plenty of people in your network who have raised their hand, asked a question or spoken with you. The opportunity may be in following up with the people who are already interested.
Nurture People at Their Own Pace
Think about your own buying behaviour. You might see something you want and intend to buy it, but then life gets in the way. The phone rings, the kids need something, your partner interrupts, or you simply forget. Months later, you remember that thing you intended to do.
Your prospects can be exactly the same.
After webinars, don’t bombard people, but don’t leave them to hear nothing either. Find a healthy middle ground and continue giving them opportunities to engage.
Someone might not be ready for a $5,000 program, but they could be ready for a $500 strategy call or a smaller part of your course. Sometimes people need a taste before committing to something bigger. Give them a quick win that helps them recognise that you’re the person who can help them.
Stay Top of Mind
After a discovery call, if someone says “not yet” or asks about the price, find ways to keep the relationship warm. When their problem becomes urgent, you want to be the person they remember.
Consistency matters. Make sure people remember:
- Who you are
- Who you help
- What problem you solve
- How you can help solve it
Do your follow up in a way that aligns with your ethics and the way you want to market. Not every marketing approach works for everyone, but staying connected and top of mind is important.
Look Behind the Leads
There may already be opportunities sitting in places you haven’t checked. Look back at missed calls, old conversations and even LinkedIn messages that you never responded to.
You’re putting great content out there and telling people what you can do, but if you’re not following up, you’re leaving potential clients behind.
Your leads are often people who are already waiting to buy. They may simply have one more question, need more reassurance, or need another week or two.
Let people buy in their own time, but help them along by staying connected and staying top of mind.
Links
Contacts
The Follow Up Gap, Are Clients Slipping Away?
Your next coaching client might not be someone you have to go out and find. They may already be there, with their hand half raised. Your job is to help them raise it all the way and show them that you are the right person, the person they’ve been looking for, and the one who can help.
If you have been waiting for a while, this is the perfect time to raise your hand and take action. When is the best time to do something? Several years ago or today. Press the button. You can do it.
Listen to the full episode of Small Business Talk episode 363.
You can also find the video versions of the Small Business Talk Episodes on YouTube.
