The Soft Follow Up

Good morning!

“How often should I contact someone?”

“When following up, how much is too much?”

Undoubtedly, these are two of the most frequently-heard questions in my conversations with Vault members. But the subject of follow-up frequency also comes up in my home life. For example…

My stepdaughter did a week-long dog sitting gig and when the family came home, they promised to send her some money via Venmo. The afternoon went by. Nothing. Then a day. And then another day. Frustration grew. She didn’t want to nag but, well, she wanted to get paid!

Sound familiar?

Have you ever been reminded of something you forgot? Maybe you promised to send someone a card or owe someone a phone call. Seemingly out of the blue, you remember.

But the thing is, it wasn’t out of the blue. Something triggered that memory. Most likely, it was a soft reminder.

The suggestion I made to my stepdaughter was this: Find a picture you took of the dog and send it along to the family with a note like, “I took this picture last week and thought you might like to see it.” Receiving the email might be all they need to remember their promise.

You can do the same with customers and prospects who have promised to reconnect with you. Email a link to an article regarding their industry. Share a case study or testimonial. You could even send them a promotional item. The point is to stay top of mind without making the “Verizon” sales call:

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?

In my experience, you do more harm than good by following up too frequently. Remember, your priorities are your priorities and not theirs. It’s hard to stay patient, but you will blow any opportunity you have by pressing too hard.

Nag, but do it softly.

Oh, and by the way, payment for the dog sitting arrived!

Every sales challenge you’re facing has been solved by someone else. Find ideas, inspiration, and continuous sales growth through The Sales Vault community. For more information, go to SalesVault.pro. I can be reached at 781-934-7036 or bill@salesvault.pro.