Have you ever sent a follow-up email to your potential customers to “check in” if they’ve seen and read your previous and hear crickets? You’ve probably offered them your latest and best product yet – but you received no replies, nor are they answering you calls.
So what now? How do you go about unanswered sales pitch?
Last week, I’ve debunked the common misconception that email follow-ups are annoying and pushy. They’re not. In fact, survey tells us that 80% of sales are made on the FIFTH to TWELFTH contact.
Thus, email follow-up is not optional, it’s a must. What makes a difference though, is HOW you say it. So, if you haven’t read it yet, please take five to ten minutes of your time and read seven powerful email follow-up tips that I’ve shared on the blog last week.
Go on I’ll wait. 🙂
Done? Great! It’s time to put your new knowledge to the test.
This week, I want to do something different. I’ll share two common email follow-ups samples (not necessarily those I’ve received personally) so you can examine them together and determine why they are usually getting trashed.
Ready? Let’s do this!
EMAIL FOLLOW-UP SAMPLE #1:
Hi Mary,
Greetings! How are you? I hope you enjoyed your vacation. During our last meeting, you mentioned you had a friend who was interested in lifestyle coaching and that you were going to refer me to her.
Any positive news from her?
Best,
Mike
FINDINGS:
- Is this a good follow-up email? No.
- Why?
– The follow-up email started with fillers. Creating a personal connection is great, it makes you sound more approachable and friendly. But in business, being friendly isn’t always enough. You have to make an impact, you have to get you potential customer’s attention.
– No clear objective. Calls to action are very important when sending a follow-up email. You must be very specific in guiding the recipient with what you need. The question “Any positive news from her?” is simply asking for an update. - How can we improve the email above?
– You must get straight to the point. Why is your product worth buying? What new and important updates do your leads need to know?
– You must include specific requests. What do you want your lead to do? What do you need from the email recipient?
BETTER COPY:
Hi Mary,
[Insert product here] has improved so much since our last meeting. Our company has added features like [insert features] at no additional cost. We’re mind-blown by all the positive feedback we’ve received since the update. It’s the perfect time for your friend to join us.
How do I get in touch with her? Are you able to forward her this email? I’d appreciate it if you can. Please let me know!
By the way, how was your vacation? Hope you had a blast.
Best,
Mike
EMAIL FOLLOW-UP SAMPLE #2:
Martha,
How are you? I’m sending you this email because last time we met you said to check in with you after 4 months. I hope the website issues you were having are now solved and you’d be open to hear more about our services.
Can I call you tomorrow? If so, please let me know what time is most convenient to you.
Thanks!
Regards,
John
FINDINGS:
- Is this a good follow-up email? No.
- Why?
– The objective is very weak. If you want to get a positive response, you must show that your objective is more than just to check in because it was previously agreed. Here’s the thing if they weren’t interested four months ago and they didn’t call you even once, it would most probably be the same case today.
– No clear reminder of how you can help them. The email talks about calling, but there isn’t any clear reason why this call is needed, or why it has to happen.
– Time isn’t specific. You may have a lot of free time in your hands, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set a meeting time and let your leads decide when they want to reach you. - How can we improve the email above?
– Have a strong objective. When you start writing your follow-up email, especially if it’s after a few months, start by reminding them of the benefit they can get from your product. How can it solve their problem? How has your product evolved since your last meeting?
– Justify the urgency. For some, asking to call “tomorrow” may be too fast, which is why you have to justify the urgency. State your reasons. Are you having a sale? Are you attending an event? Are you offering freebies?
– Provide a specific time. Instead of waiting for a call from your lead, ask through your follow-up email when is the best time to call them.
BETTER COPY:
Martha,
During our last talk, you asked me to check back with you after 4 months. I’m sending you this today, although a month early, to let you know that we will be adding the feature you’ve always wanted to the basic plan without an additional cost.
It will only be offered free for a limited time so I wanted you to know in advance.
I’d be happy to discuss it with you over the phone. What is your most convenient time? Is 4:00pm okay? Please let me know.
Best,
John
Let’s summarise everything that we’ve learned so far:
- Avoid unnecessary fillers. They provide a sense of familiarity, but never gives an impact.
- Focus on the benefits. Never go around the bush. Let them know how your product can help them.
- Request for permission to meet / call. Email follow-ups work, but personal meetings and phone calls give better results. So make it a priority to ask for their most convenient time to meet / answer a call.
- BONUS: Use Google Alerts to create a stronger objective. If you have leads that you’ve been eyeing for a long time now, create a Google alert about their business and their competitors, so you can stay updated about their important developments. You can then use information that you gathered as a reason why you’re contacting them.
So, finally, we’ve come to the ultimate email follow-up template:
[Name of prospect],
[Prospect’s problem] > [Your product that will solve the problem] > [Short benefits and features of product].
[Irresistible offer: freebie, discount, etc]
[Request for permission to meet / call]
Best,
[Your name]
…And we’re done!
Was this helpful? Sound off in the comments and let me know your thoughts!
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