The Science of Follow-up

Benjamin Franklin said that "energy and persistance conquer all things." This statement rings very true in the business world. We all appreciate the current economic situation, so I won't go too off course here, but in these times you cannot afford to fall short, because competition is stiffer and there is more at stake than before.
One tactic that will help you succeed is effective follow-up. Good follow-up practices can benefit you in many aspects of your life but are critical when dealing with clients or prospects. How many new business leads exist out there that are not followed up on properly, while marketers and business owners complain about the tough business they are in? How many times have companies made one phone call to a busy client, leaving a message and not trying again?

Effective follow-up is a key part of a disciplined marketing approach

If you are a plaintiff's firm, maybe you received an e-mail question from a claimant who represents your next multi-million case. If you do not have a process in place for your staff to aggressively pursue and qualify the opportunity (I'm talking 100 times out of 100) you may lose that huge case to another firm.

A defense firm seeking new business may be sending literature to an insurance manager, and possibly placing a follow-up call. How about an integrated campaign that combines multiple mailings, calls, surveys and invitations to various events? Much of marketing is about being in front of the customer when they are ready to buy from you. Without follow-up, you may be hitting customers at the wrong time.

Same applies to vendors. You get leads from the Internet, conferences, mailings, ads - are you comfortable with your follow-up process? If someone is not interested today, do you have a consistent way of engaging them again in 6 months to share new developments? When you introduce a new service offering?

Also, if your offering is a little complex, specialized, or otherwise not self-explanatory you may need a face to face or Web presentation for your prospect to truly get your value proposition. In this case, considerable follow-up is essential to land that meeting and differentiate yourself from the clutter that is out there.