8 Golden Rules for Lead Generation Follow Up

1. Distribute leads wisely.

If you’ve received an inbound lead, then someone is interested
in your business. Give that lead to a sales rep that you know will
follow up on it ASAP.

With a team of sales representatives, there are always some that
will have better strengths than others. This is the time to give the
lead to the real go-getter who will immediately go after that lead
to make a sale.

2. Don’t wait.

If you’re waiting two days to make contact, that is too long. You’ve
received this lead because someone is interested in your business.
Following up within 24 hours is absolutely essential.

Not following up quickly is like throwing the lead to someone else
– this seems obvious, but can it is very prevalent.

3. Be prepared.

Do your homework, and make sure your sales reps have done
theirs. Gather whatever knowledge you can of the contact before
you reach out to them. If you’ve used a quality lead generation
firm, your best source for information should be the lead sheet.

Use the information gathered, refer to the original phone call and
use the name of the teleprospector who generated the lead. It
can also be helpful to find information through LinkedIn and the
company website.

4. Vary your method of contact.

Use more than one channel to make contact. Pick up the phone,
leave a voicemail (our thoughts on the efficacy of voicemails can
be found in this blog), write an email, send a calendar invite.

Key decision makers are busy. Use all of the channels that are
available to you to make contact.

5. Be persistent, not annoying.

It takes an average of 8 follow-up calls after an initial call or
meeting to make a sale. It is important to continue to follow up
with your prospects. Check in, stay top of mind, and let them
decide when they’re ready to buy.

If a prospect does not immediately return your phone call it
doesn’t necessarily mean they are not interested.

6. Don’t use a script — ever.

Remember that your goal is to have a conversation. This can’t
happen if you are using any kind of script. We recommend an
approach that is engaging; and you can’t be engaging if you sound
scripted. Aim for a conversation that gets to the point quickly but
doesn’t flood someone with features and benefits they don’t feel
they need or want to hear about.

What people don’t want to hear is a list of features and benefits, or
anything you would say up front to suggest you can fix all of their
problems. Be ready to listen and ask questions that keep the
conversation moving forward.

7. Keep your calls high quality.

It can be tempting to make an initial call from the car, or other
place on-the-go, but this is a bad idea and can be reflective of your
effort and lack of interest. If you’re not giving the phone call your
full attention, your prospect will know it.

Keep the follow-up high quality as well. If you are sending calendar
invitations, make sure to track them. Has the prospect accepted
your invitation? If not, send another email to find out why, and
offer another time if the initial one doesn’t work.

Do what is necessary to follow through. A call will only be
remembered as long as it is reinforced with the next step.

8. Create a meaningful interaction.

Get the attention of your prospect quickly by saying, “We’re
successfully doing this for others and we think it could be useful
for you too.” This is the beginning of a conversation that is non-
threatening and more approachable.

Once you have the conversation started, it is time to offer up real
knowledge and specific examples of how you have helped others.
Has this solution increased revenue? Has your current client seen
cost savings?

Customers want to know that you understand their industry,
are sensitive to their needs, and can relate to their position.
Communicate with them, not at the, and you will create a
meaningful interaction that they will remember and appreciate.

Contact JMS Elite

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