MC Blog - The Art of Follow-Up Part I

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

A couple weeks ago at a networking meeting I met two guys who owned a video production company. I talked to them about how I was looking for someone to do videos that I could put on the Internet. They seemed to have the capability and understood my situation and I gave them my card to follow up with me.

But I haven't heard a word from them.

The thing is, this isn't an isolated incident. I've been in business for almost 25 years. And in that time I've met thousands of people through networking. But I believe that fewer that ten people have ever followed up with me!

What's going on here?

I'm a business owner who networks like everyone else to find clients, but I'm also looking for services. I meet people, I express interest, we exchange cards, I wait for a call and... nada.

Yes, sometimes (very rarely) people follow up with me. And in almost all cases the follow up call is embarassingly bad. I can only remember one or two times in my whole career when I got a good follow-up call.

All I can conclude from this shockingly abysmal lack of follow up is that people either don't know how to follow up or are scared to follow up - or both.

In today's economy, you'd think people would be eager to follow up, would be prepared and know what to say, would ask the right questions and set up selling conversations, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Next week I'll share some ideas on how to follow up and turn it into one of your most powerful business tools.

Cheers,

Robert Middleton

Comments

[Tamara]

I think a combination of everything calls emails mail...about a year ago I found out about a wonderful online system called Send Out Cards that lets me send gorgeous, personalized cards in the mail, with a real stamp, in my own handwriting....right from my computer without running all over town or getting hand cramps from writing. Costs me $1.03 WITH POSTAGE - and I don't have to leave my desk.
I can zap off a "thanks for the referral" card in 30 seconds flat, and then set up a multi card campaign to go out automatically whenever I want it to. This works great for when I am planning my yearly touch program, birthdays, Holidays, whatever I want. Postcards too.
The SendoutCards system sends me an email 7 days before someone's birthday (anniversary, etc.), and I also get a reminder in my system. The email has a link in it, I click on it, it takes me to the Birthday card section (over 500 birthday cards I can choose from- 40 categories - 12,000 cards in the system), I personalize the card, upload digital pictures if I want( I put our business card right into the card - very cool).
I can even add gift cards (like Starbucks, Home Depot), or send gifts like cookies and brownies - CLICK!! They do the rest, and I get back to business. All by sitting in my chair in front of my computer. It's my favorite Rolodex now too!
I loved it so much I signed up as a distributor - I wasn't looking for another source of income, but so many people were asking me how I kept remembering to follow up with everything. Anyways, it is a very cool system so if anyone wants to send a card to see what it's like, you can send one card free on me simply go to www.sendoutcards.com/cardcompany
then click on send a free card.
or email me if you have any questions [email protected] I would be happy to go over it with you.
I highly reccomend this system for following up with your past clients.
Tamara

[Jessica]

Dear Robert,

I just wanted to check in and see how you are going with part 2. I was hoping to make use of your article in a newsletter our business develops. It will link in to your website for interested persons to connect to. Follow-up is an important thing for small business and I look forward to hearing what you have to say about ways that this can be done.

Kind regards,
Jessica.

[Michelle]

Hmmm Interesting and I am a firm believer to following up as it is critical for me in my business...my clients hire me to follow up for them. I think it will be great to see your tips and tools that people can use to follow up. Yes, I agree it's communication as well as organization - can't follow up if one is not organized. I have a client who will send me his business cards he gathers from his networking and I turn that into a spreadsheet to help him follow-up and track..so many ways to follow up painlessly.

[Sue Trumpfheller]

How timely and with so many complaining why don't we/they follow up? On the other hand when I do follow up and there is no reply I wonder. Why? I would prefer a "no thanks" rather than a "no answer", with the"no thanks" I can close their file in my mind and in my record keeping.

[Nickolove Lovemore]

Hi Robert,

You're right on the mark with this. I must admit I've been guilty myself regarding following up but I'm improving.

I believe that a key thing to following up on leads is to do it immediately while everything is still fresh. Otherwise what tends to happen is stuff gets in the way and then it reaches a point when you think that too much time has elapsed to follow up.

Another important point to take into consideration is the quality of your networking. Some people end up with a stack of business cards but very few of them are relevant to their business and following up is often a waste of time. However, if you network strategically you may end up with fewer but more valuable contacts. It's then much easier to follow up.

Nickolove

[Melodieann Whiteley]

Wow, can I relate to this. In my business, it's all about follow-up since my clients typically don't even think about using services such as mine until I put it in front of them. If I didn't follow up well and often, I'd be in serious trouble.

Michael, you are so right. It's amazing how many times I've heard "I'll call you" and then nothing. Which is one of the reasons I make it a point to follow up with everyone and not wait for them to get back to me.

[Dennis Dilday]

I think Grace is right on, but it is a bit strange: you've offered someone business which they seem to want and need, yet they don't "follow up" to find out how to get your business.

Communication is such an amazing thing. D.J.s comment is interesting too. They have your card. It has address, phone and email as well as, maybe, a fax. While the context is critical and the nature of the invitation verbally at the time you gave your card is important, there seems to be an implicit invitation to do whatever works for you. Just do something.

DrD

[Dorothy Lynn]

Hi Robert,

It's pretty amazing to think about the number of lost opportunities when people fail to follow up. I think that fear plays a significant role here, and I also think that people get so caught up concentrating on minor activities they never get around to working on major goals.

Thanks for sharing the insight. Robert.

[michael cardus]

as some one who is both of what you mentioned as far a following up I am looking forward to the posts.
Additionally I find it awkward when people who I have said "I want to give you business" at a conference have not followed up with me.
I find it uncomfortable and have been working to follow up better and more.

[Grace]

I'm always absolutely blown away by the lack of follow-up - and I'm actually weirdly glad to hear that it's not just me who's experiencing this.

I'd say it's fear that's at the heart of it. So often I see how my clients (and I!) sneakily avoid doing things that might lead to playing bigger, being successful, having to be Out There, vulnerable, all that stuff. So there are always apparent reasons to not follow up.

But those reasons are really just stories our fear makes up in its unhappy efforts to keep us safe.

Thanks for the reminder, Robert. This is a great topic, and I look forward to Part II.

[D.J. Frost]

Hi Robert,

You're right on with this subject! Which is better? A follow-up phone call or email? Is one or the other more welcomed?