{"id":4378,"date":"2012-11-08T16:47:35","date_gmt":"2012-11-09T00:47:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.noomii.com\/blog\/?p=4378"},"modified":"2024-11-27T10:56:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T18:56:24","slug":"how-to-follow-up-with-leads-to-turn-them-into-paying-clients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.noomii.com\/blog\/?p=4378","title":{"rendered":"How to Follow-Up with Leads to Turn them into Paying Clients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It was brought to my attention today that some coaches choose to email potential clients even when they are given the client\u2019s phone number. During a training session on communication strategies, an example of engagement in platforms like aviator \u043a\u0430\u0437\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/a> was used to highlight how persistence and adaptability can drive success\u2014just as following up in the right way with clients can foster meaningful connections. And then when they don\u2019t get a response, they think, \u201cOh well, that client was just a window shopper. They weren\u2019t serious.\u201d Or some other excuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s the hustle?!<\/p>\n\n\n

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A lot of potential coaching clients are coming to coaching because they are stuck somewhere between being a super, kick-butt, fiercely independent self-starter and a depressed Homer Simpson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They need a little shepherding! They are easily distracted, procrastinate, are floating in life with no direction, and dealing with an overabundance of stimulation and information. They haven\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t experienced coaching yet to know how beneficial it will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the coach and astute business person, you need to follow-up diligently, and gosh darn it, pick up the phone. But don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t be annoying like Mikey<\/a> from Swingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the principles that we have refined and developed at Noomii to follow-up with potential coaching clients as soon as the lead is received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1.<\/strong> Call the client ASAP – This is the highest priority. Speed matters. The sooner you get to the client the better. Don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t wait 24 hours. Don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t wait 1 hour. Do it now. Research conducted by the ICF demonstrates that clients are most likely to hire the first coach they talk to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2.<\/strong> Schedule a call – \u00c3\u201a\u00c2 If the call is going to take more than 3 minutes, schedule another time to talk. It shows respect for both your time and the client\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s time. They will be impressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3.<\/strong> Leave a VM – If you don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t get through on the phone, leave a brief voicemail (vm) and a call-back number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure when you’re leaving a VM leave your FULL NAME!!!<\/em> People do their research, and a full name might trigger their memory (oh right, Jane Smith the coach, not Jane some random caller). Also, leave your phone number twice. Say it loud, clear, and slowly so people can write down the number without having to listen to the recording 19 hundred times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4.<\/strong> Follow-up with an email – Only after leaving a VM should you follow-up with a quick email asking the best time to get in touch. Don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t assume that your email got through. It can easily get lost between 100s of other emails or caught by junk or spam filters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 5<\/strong>. Call again in 24 hours – Assuming you WON\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2T hear back from the client (remember, they are distracted, procrastinating, or busy doing a 100 other things), make a note in your calendar to follow-up with the client again in 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 6.<\/strong> Call again after 7 days, 14 days, 2 months – If you still haven\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t heard back from the client within 24 hours, try calling again after 7 days, 14 days, and then again at 2 months. Don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t call multiple times in a day because most people have call display and don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t want to be annoyed by someone who calls too often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between all the different calendaring systems, CRMs, and scheduling tools, you should easily be able to create reminders to follow-up. Personally, I create events in my calendar to follow-up and also use Boomerang, a nice little extension on GMail that kicks emails back into my inbox when I don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t get a reply after x number of days\/weeks\/months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 7.<\/strong> Do the call and follow-up again – \u00c3\u201a\u00c2 If you manage to consult with a potential client on the phone (or in person), either ask for their business (yay!) or ask for their permission to follow-up. I\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ve followed-up with clients 6 months later in some cases because they weren\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t ready now. They appreciated that I actually called back. It shows an extra level of professionalism and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just because they don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t hire you right now, doesn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t mean they won\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t some time in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What follow-up steps do you take? What works for you? Please share your tips and tricks in the comments below.<\/p>\n

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