Reaching out to a Prospect: How Much is Too Much?
2/16/2017
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So
you have the perfect prospect who fits all your target criteria, and you decide to
reach out to them. You get their voicemail, or the receptionist, and after several
attempts you get no return call, no messages, no emails, nothing. What do you
do next? How long should you keep trying before coming off as annoying and
irritating? How much is too much when it comes to reaching out to a
prospect?
When
you are selling a product or service, you need to be persistent. But, there is a fine line
between persistence and annoyance. If you are uncertain where to draw the
line, here are some tips to help you out.
Email versus phone; which is better? You
can choose between using an email or a phone call, or both - depending on the type
of product or service you are offering, and what you think will resonate more with each specific prospect.
Reaching out via Email
In today's tech savvy world, emails
are a great means of getting a message across. It doesn’t put too much stress
on the prospect, or on you, and it can be saved for later reading. But if you
choose to start the communication via email, as most businesses prefer, do not be
too surprised if you do not get a response after the first email. People receive a plethora of emails on a daily basis, and many of those emails end up in trash or junk mail. That
being said, if you decide to use the email approach, go ahead and
schedule several follow-up emails without the fear of coming off as
a pest. Make sure to space them out by a few days to a week.
Tip: Make
sure that you are targeting to the appropriate contact with relevant information. Small
Business CRM can categorize prospects and update the status of various
prospects so you do not have to waste your time finding out what your
prospects have been up to. With the use of a Simple CRM you will get this done much
faster and with a more precise message.
Reaching out via Phone
If
you decide to proceed with a phone call, be prepared for reaching voicemail or the 'gatekeeper'. If you do manage to get
through, you need to be natural yet to the point. Remember that politeness is key; "Hello Mr/Mrs [name], how are you? This is [name] from [company]...". It is always good to ask if they are busy or if they have a few moments. Again, you want to be brief, especially when making a cold call. People are busy, and you do not want to come across as wasting their time. Time is important in today's busy world, let them know you are cognizant to that fact.
Phone and Email Combination
The
best method is, of course, the email/phone combination. Start with a phone call. If you leave a message, feel free to let them know that you will follow up with an email if there is information you need them to review, or if you are attempting to set time for a meeting. With this method, it allows them to follow up with their preferred communication message. When making cold calls/contacts with little information, wait at least
48 hours between the two combinations if you do not want to be perceived as a bother.
When
You Should Stop
When you are getting into your follow up calls and emails, make sure to give a value proposition and modify your follow up messages. Always reply within your initial message sent. If you are saying the exact same thing each time, you have a higher rate of losing their interest. After sending the two (slightly different
emails) the third one should be the final email. Let them know in a non-direct and non-threatening way that this is your last contact. As opposed to saying, "this is your last chance for a discussion", or "I will no longer be reaching out", try modifying your message to, "if you get to a point where a conversation makes sense, please feel free to reach out". If you do not receive a response after three emails or three phone
calls, then it is probably time to stop.