Avoid the “Just Following Up” Email (Updated)

Avoid the “Just Following Up” Email (Updated)

Sending the "Just Following Up" email without any sort of value or call-to-action is not good. When you send an email, you should ask yourself, "How much value did it provide?" Or "Did I have a call-to-action?" "Or did my email just get deleted?"

I hate to admit it, but I still send emails like that every now and then. So why do we still use it when we’re following up with prospects?

Emails like that are annoying and disruptive to the recipient. And in today's world of constant interruptions, you can't afford to interrupt a prospect without providing some value or at least including a call-to-action.

The team over at Hubspot launched an entire SlideShare on the topic of avoiding the “just following up” email. You can view it below:

The concept of sending multiple “checking-in” emails is quite interesting. In fact, data from Referral Squirrel shows that:

  • 2% of sales are made on the First contact.
  • 3% of sales are made on the Second contact.
  • 5% of sales are made on the Third contact.
  • 10% of sales are made on the Fourth contact.
  • 80% of sales are made on the Fifth to Twelfth contact.

However …

  • 48% of salespeople never follow up with a prospect.
  • 25% of salespeople make a second contact and stop.
  • 12% of salespeople make three contacts and stop.
  • Only 10% of salespeople make more than three contacts with a prospect.

The trick here is making repeat contact with your prospects in a way that adds value. Nobody – you or your prospect – gets any value from an email that just says “just checking in.” It’s a wasted use of your time and wasted space in your prospect’s inbox. 

But what if you followed up with something of value? Perhaps a trigger event from a custom Google Alert you have set up for your prospect’s company? Or a blog post you found that could help them with their latest goals? (Side benefit to providing value = More referrals when you consistently deliver useful information because people will share it.)

Again, you can’t afford NOT to provide value nowadays in this modern world of constant interruption (how many emails, texts, phone calls, snapchats, etc. did you get while reading this short blog?)

Make sure your clients and prospects know that you are THE thought leader in your space and they should be working with you and not your competition!

To your continuous success - Hendrik

Bio: Hendrik de Vries is a former financial advisor and current digital marketing agency owner for RIAs. He is also the Managing Partner at Cash Flow Mapping. He enjoys awkwardly writing his own bio, watching soccer, long walks on the beach with his wife trying to think of different ways to occupy their amazingly energetic daughter Elin.

Ian Judson

I help CEOs who are committed to growth but cannot figure out how | CEO & Leadership Coach @ Judsons Coaching | Business Coaching, Strategic Execution

7y

Point well made!

Shelby Nolan

Creative Designer & Owner Shelby Nolan Originals

8y

Great article. Without adding value it's just another delete waiting to happen.

Xu Jianjiang

Rakxe Electric Co., Ltd. - Sales Manager

8y

Mutual benefit is the right business way.

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