10 Sales Follow-Up Strategies: How AEs Can Close More Deals

Are you eager to boost your business's sales and revenue? Look no further! Crafting compelling sales follow-up strategies is the key to achieving tangible results. In fact, no sales follow up can make you miss out on up to 98% of successful sales.

By incorporating proven techniques into your approach, you can greatly enhance your chances of success. 

Furthermore, following up with potential customers builds meaningful relationships and increases the chances of closing deals. 

However, from understanding the prospect's needs to timing the follow-up appropriately, every process needs a clear direction. 

Thus, to get quantifiable outcomes, implement these effective follow-up strategies curated by us. These are tried, tested, and proven to be absolute game-changers! 

10 Powerful Sales Follow-up Strategies

Let us learn about the well-planned follow-up strategies to connect with leads: 

1. Use Ideal Follow-up Communication Methods

Each of your prospects has unique preferences and styles regarding how they communicate with businesses. 

Therefore, when following up with a potential customer, it's essential to understand their communication preferences. Some of the common options include:

• Phone Calls/Emails: Some people prefer phone calls because they're more personal. On the contrary, others prefer email because they can respond at their convenience. 
• LinkedIn Messages: LinkedIn messages are a great way to reach out to professionals and establish a professional connection.
• Text Messages: Text messages can be effective for quick reminders or to confirm appointments.

In case you are not sure what your prospect prefers, you should try a mix of different follow-up tactics. 

For example, 

1. Commence with an email
2. Proceed with a phone conversation
3. Subsequently establish a connection on LinkedIn

This approach allows you to test what works best for the prospect and adjust your follow-up strategy accordingly.

2. Understand Your Prospect's Timeframe

Buying is a significant decision that requires careful consideration. Hence, it should not be rushed. 

In B2B sales, multiple stakeholders are often involved in the decision-making process. As such, it’s difficult to determine the ideal follow-up gaps.

In general, following up every day can come across as too pushy. On the other hand, waiting for a month may result in missed opportunities. 

As per our experts, following up once a week or so is considered appropriate in most circumstances. 

Further, to effectively space out your follow-ups, it's crucial to acknowledge your prospect's timeframe. 

Suppose you had a product demo session recently with your potential customer. It indicates that they'll bring it up at their next board meeting. So, if you follow up with them the following day, it could be counterproductive and annoying.

Pro Tip: Schedule reminders on your calendar to never miss the moment to initiate communication when it’s most appropriate. It helps you stay organized and ensure you don’t lose track of potential sales opportunities.

3. Provide Value With Each Follow-up

To provide value in your follow-ups, consider the following strategies:

• Always start by asking the prospect how they are and how their business is going.
• Remember and mention something significant about each prospect. 

Suppose your prospect held a new product launch recently. Here, you can follow up with the prospect by asking about their launch experience and how you can help if they have any challenges. Thus, you can demonstrate your care and build a human connection to drive sales.

• Keep notes about the prospect's pain points and the problems they're trying to solve. Focus your conversation on these challenges and position your product or service as a solution..
• Include a link to a relevant article, informative content, or video in your follow-up email. Further, ensure your content relates strongly to the prospect and the problems they've shared with you.
• Consider notifying the prospect of a special offer or limited-time discount. 

• Industry analysis reports 
• Relevant stats
• Latest trends guides etc

4. Be Specific About Prospects Next Steps

One mistake that frequently occurs during follow-up is when you don’t clearly outline the next steps in the sales process with the potential customer. Hence, it is crucial to be extremely direct in detailing the next actions to prospects.

For instance,

Saying, "I'll call you next week," is too general. In contrast, you can say, "Would it be convenient for you if I give you a call this Friday at 9:30 AM?" The latter proves more impactful in establishing definite expectations and showcasing your dedication to follow through.

Note: If the prospect mentions that they require time to discuss your proposal with their team, set a specific date to follow up with them – such as a week or two later. 

However, if you did conduct a successful product demo and the prospect has shown interest, schedule another call soon. It’ll help you maintain momentum and move things forward.

5. Follow-up Subject Line Best Practices 

Crafting a compelling email subject line can make all the difference in getting a response. Here are some best practices to follow: 

• Keep It Short And Sweet- A subject line that's too long will get cut off and lose its impact. Keep it under 60 characters if possible.
• Be Conversational- Don't be afraid to inject some personality into your subject line. A conversational tone can help you stand out in a crowded inbox.
• Create A Sense Of Urgency- Use action-oriented language to create a sense of urgency and encourage your recipient to take action.
• Ask A Direct Question- A subject line that asks a direct question can be very effective at getting a response. Further, it shows that you're interested in your prospect's opinion and encourages them to engage with your email.
• Clearly Define Value In Email Content- Give your recipient a reason to open your email by letting them know that it contains valuable information or an offer they won't want to miss.

6. Don't Exceed Follow-up Email Text Length 

Prospects are often short on time and can get easily overwhelmed by long, rambling emails. Hence, ensure your emails are short and to the point. You can do so by: 

• Limiting the email to about six lines in total length 
• Using bullet points and clear language to make it easy for the prospect to quickly digest the information and respond accordingly.

Remember: The goal is to keep the conversation going; not to provide a detailed explanation in one email.

7. Keep The Phone Call Brief 

While making an initial phone call to a prospect, ensure it’s concise. While it may be tempting to engage in small talk or lengthy discussions, it's best to stick to the purpose of the call and avoid wasting time. 

Here are some tips you can implement: 

• Experts recommend that follow-up phone calls should not exceed ten minutes in duration. It ensures both parties can communicate effectively without getting sidetracked or losing focus. 
• Further, to make the most of the limited time, it's essential to prepare ahead of time. So, identify the key points that need to be discussed and keep any necessary information or documents handy.

8. Ask The Right Follow-up Questions 

Let's see what the ideal questions to ask in follow up phone calls and emails are:

• For Calls

When conducting a lead follow-up call, asking the right questions can help to clarify any outstanding issues and gather important information. 

Therefore, prepare a lead follow up phone script with open-ended questions that encourage the other person to share their thoughts and feelings. 

For example:

Question 1- Why does [particular solution/service/improvement] matter to you/your business? 

-It can help identify a particular issue's underlying motivations or priorities. 

Question 2- Can you be more specific about [their needs/expectations]? 

-It can help to clarify any ambiguous or vague statements.

Question 3- How did [pain point/solution] impact you? Or, how did you feel about [pain point/solution]? 

-It can help identify a situation's emotional impact and provide insights into the other person's perspective.

Additionally, also know about questions you shouldn't ask. You must ensure not to ask overly direct, presumptuous, or confrontational questions. 

For example,

Question 1- "How much do you prioritize your employees' well-being? 

-This question assumes that the other person does not prioritize employee well-being, which can be off-putting and defensive. 

Question 2- What service level do you have the budget for?

-It may seem like a pushy sales tactic rather than a genuine attempt to understand the other person's needs. 

Question 3- Are you the decision-maker of the company?

-It can dismiss or disrespect the other person's authority or decision-making power.

• For Emails

Unlike phone calls, avoid using open-ended questions in follow-up emails. Your prospect might not be interested in writing down their pain points and expectations. 

However, they might still provide needed information if you change the format of the question. Here are two ways to do so:

• After each relevant question, provide prospects an option to click ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. 
• You can also add multiple-choice answers for each question. 

This change will allow prospects to respond quickly and easily. Plus, you'll get answers to what you need. 

Read on: How to Follow Up on Sales Leads Without Turning Them Off [Templates Added]

9. Send Breakup Email

A breakup email is a message sent to end a professional relationship or communication. It is a courteous and respectful way to end a business connection formally. 

• Maintaining a professional reputation 
• Avoiding awkward or uncomfortable situations
• Leaving the door open for future opportunities 

It can also serve as documentation of the end of a relationship for legal or organizational purposes.

10. Post sale Follow Up 

Though SDRs/AEs don’t involve here but it’s a crucial step just to maintain rapport with your customers. Not only does it help to maintain the relationship, but it also has several benefits for both you and the prospects:

• Firstly, follow-up communication shows your prospects that they matter to you and you care about their needs beyond just the sale. Thus, it helps build a strong rapport and can result in increased customer loyalty.
• Secondly, maintaining communication with your potential customers helps you stay fresh in their minds. Thus, it makes them more receptive to your ideas for future business prospects. Moreover, this approach can increase sales and give you a better grasp of their requirements and preferences.
• Finally, a strong follow-up strategy can lead to customer referrals. Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend you to their acquaintances, which can result in new business and continued growth.

Conclusion

An effective sales lead follow-up strategy can make a significant impact on the success of your business. Consistent and personalized communication with customers, setting clear expectations, and providing value through additional resources or support can all help to build strong relationships and increase customer loyalty. 

By using these strategies and regularly evaluating their impact, you can outperform your competitors, attain remarkable sales achievements, and establish a robust basis for sustained business expansion.

Get in touch with the experts in B2B lead gen services at Revnew. We ensure you reach your target audience with practical and result-driven approaches. With a growing number of our satisfied clients, we want to make your business thrive with our assistance. For further information, contact us here.