How to Make a Successful Follow-Up Call

When a prospect submits an inquiry on your site or via phone, it’s critical to respond quickly. Here’s why it’s right for your prospects, your company, and you:

• Rapid lead response shows your potential customer that you care about them and their needs. 
• It creates a great first impression of your company.
• Rapid lead follow-up makes it much more likely that you’ll ultimately convert the sale.

The importance of rapid lead follow-up can’t be overstated. 

Studies show that your odds of making contact with a lead are high if you follow up within the first 5 minutes of their inquiry. Those odds drop off dramatically as time passes; a salesperson is 100 times less likely to make a contact if the first call is made 30 minutes after submission.

Don’t forget that how you follow up matters. 

The gold standard for follow-up is a quick, friendly, helpful phone call. (If you choose to use email and/or text, we recommend that it be used to support a phone call, rather than instead of one.) 

In this blog post, you’ll learn five elements of a perfect follow-up call. You’ll also have a chance to download a free call script!

1. Proper Introduction

The first step of a top-notch follow-up call is a proper introduction. This means a friendly tone - we like to say “put a smile in your voice” - and a clear reason why you’re calling. 

This intro should include:

• Your name
• Your company’s name
• The prospect’s name
• Why you’re calling

You may also want to confirm that it’s a good time to talk, if you’re calling more than 5 minutes after the inquiry.

You only have a few seconds to make a good first impression, and it’s not as easy as you’d expect. In our business, we hear hundreds of lead follow-up calls every month. You’d be shocked by how bad that first call can be. Take our word for it: a good introductory call is harder than it seems. 

Interested in a customized review of your sales intros? Our sales coaches can help. Learn more about professional sales coaching from Calldrip here.

2. Feature Inquiry

The next step is to learn more about why they reached out to you. What unmet need prompted them to get in touch with your company? What feature caught their attention? Are they considering other types of products or services?

Depending on what you’re selling, this conversation might look different. For example, if you have changing inventory, you might have a chance to show something that isn’t yet on the shelves or the lot. Or, if you’re selling software or services, you might ask about other related features and benefits.

3. Relationship Exploration

Now is the time to deepen that relationship by exploring the context of their inquiry. The questions you ask will be different depending on your industry, but in general, you’re looking to learn whether the prospect is:

• Looking to replace a product or service they’re currently using, or purchasing this type of product or service for the first time.
• Hoping to make a decision quickly.
• Going to be the final decision-maker.
• Able to make this purchase given their budget.

There are other important questions you can ask now, too. For example, car, boat, and other vehicle dealerships might ask if the prospect has a trade-in.

4. Ask for the Appointment

Empowered with this information, you know enough to ask for the appointment. You’re looking to secure an appointment either right then, or later that day or week (depending on your sales cycle).

As with other aspects of the sales process, speed matters. It can be valuable to be the first company your prospect meets with. 

That said, how you ask for the appointment will change based on what you’re selling and how. For retail stores, you might ask where the prospect is located and if/when they can come into the store. You even have an opportunity to put a product on hold. 

If the prospect doesn’t give you a clear time, you can ask moret targeted questions, like “Are mornings or evenings typically better for you?”

Finally, you can offer the prospect two options to choose from based on your schedule. Of course, if those don’t work, be flexible and continue trying to find a time that works for both parties. 

5. Sell Your Company

Finish strong, and leave your prospects with a clear and positive impression. Explain what they can expect in the next meeting, and also share some of the positive things other customers say about your company. This can help the prospect visualize what their future might be like with you in it!

This is also the time to ensure the logistics are ironed out. You’ll want to help ensure that they know how to get to your location or online meeting. (Some people still aren’t that familiar with Zoom, even now!)

Now you know the five components of perfect follow-up calls! 

Want even more guidance on how to make a follow-up call? Download this free follow-up call script today!

Or contact us to learn how our professional coaching team can help your team.