The Art of Following Up
“I just can’t get anyone to call me back.”
"You would think that they’d want to talk with me since I’m a potential client.”
I would think the same.
I cringe when I hear those stories. I feel a responsibility to return calls and emails to potential clients as soon as possible. I owe it to them. They’re looking for someone to help with a project, they have questions, and most importantly, they have options. When it comes right down to it, those potential clients turn into paying clients, and I owe it to my partners and employees to follow up. That work creates a sustainable business for our small team.
I can tell very early in a conversation that we aren’t going to be a good fit for one reason or another, but that doesn’t keep me from helping them understand what it will take to get their idea off the ground. Prospects are people, and they deserve respect regardless of their budget! Clover Partners does exceptional work, and we price it accordingly. We ask the hard questions up front, but not to kill the conversation. We want to be able to offer a timely proposal, or kindly direct them to a more cost effective solution. As such, a potential client will know from our first interaction that we value them – regardless of whether they choose to work with us or not.
Now for the practical side of the follow-up. As a smaller shop, we don’t need a complicated CRM to manage leads. One of our partners suggested using Trello for lead management and that works great.
Here’s my workflow. Maybe it could help you.
Receive an email from the potential client
Respond and ask if there is a convenient time to chat on the phone. (It’s important here to have them commit to a time/date for a call – that gets it on the books and tells them that I am serious about the engagement)
Once that call is on the books, I make sure that it is a priority. I’ve found that it generally works much better for me to call them, as I can better manage the situation
Make (or take) the call. Be kind, courteous, and to the point. They called for a reason, and you have the answers.
Ask the hard questions up front: What is your timeline? What is your budget? By doing so, you diffuse the awkwardness and open the conversation to be really productive and educational -- regardless of whether you win the business.
Give a broad ballpark (when possible). This oftentimes determines if a detailed proposal is in order. If they say it’s within reason, then go ahead and draw up a proposal. If not, offer to find someone who can help them.
Don’t ever, ever, ever, just leave them hanging. Ever.
We don’t want to just work with our clients, we want to build relationships with them. It’s a better experience for everyone. And frankly, that foundation starts with the response to that first inquiry.
