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5 Ways To Follow Up With Somebody Without Being Annoying

  • Ann Smarty

    • Have you ever been in a situation where you knew that you had an absolutely fantastic proposal or deal for a prospect, but just couldn’t seem to get them interested? You emailed, called, and texted and they didn’t reply. If you’ve experienced this, then you know that it doesn’t take long before you start feeling like a pest or a stalker.

    This of course, results in you giving up before you can get the deal. However, the thing you may not know is that it’s possible the prospect didn’t get your emails, never got your phone calls because they lost their phone or were just preoccupied with some other pressing matters.

    Whatever the case, if you know that you have a very good deal that will benefit you, you need to keep following up with them. Of course, the obvious question is how do you do that without feeling like you’re stalking or bugging them? The next few tips will surely help you craft a good follow up strategy.

    Assume Your Pitch Was Forgotten

    You may not like this, but it is truly possible that your pitch was forgotten or was diverted to the prospect’s junk mail folder. So, assume that the pitch was forgotten and re-pitch your ideas to them again.

    If you had sent them an email before, include the email you sent earlier and use this new email as a reminder. Reintroduce yourself and be as clear and as concise as possible. It always helps.

    Always Be Polite

    It’s interesting how people get angry or peeved at the recipient just because they didn’t get back to you. Don’t be like that. Always stay polite. Remember, they don’t owe you anything and can decide to either accept or reject your offer.

    Whatever the case, ensure that you remain friendly, upbeat and polite every time you get in touch. You can be sure that your prospect will take notice and will one day reply to you.

    Get Creative with Your Email Content

    I have just gave ChatGPT this task:

    Someone didn’t reply to my email, please create a funny and catchy email to follow up

    Here’s what the tool came back with

    Hey [Name],

    I hope this email finds you doing well and not buried in a pile of unread emails. Speaking of which, I was just checking in on the one I sent you a while back. Did it sneak past your radar, or is it being held captive in your inbox?

    I’m starting to think my email has gone rogue and is causing chaos in your inbox. If that’s the case, I promise to send a search party to rescue it ASAP.

    On a serious note, I wanted to touch base and see if you had any updates or questions regarding the email I sent you. I’m always here to help and would love to connect with you soon.

    Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope to hear from you soon!

    Best, [Your Name]

    Play with all kinds of tools to diversify your follow-up messages, and stand out!

    Diversify the ways you can be contacted too! For example, if you provide your phone number in your email, you may get quite a few calls back! With affordable IVR technology, those leads will be segmented and assisted automatically.

    Space Your Reminders

    Nothing is as annoying as you trying to pitch him/her every week or every day. Don’t harangue them. If you have emailed or called them twice, allow for some time to pass.

    The standard waiting period is usually 4-6 weeks. So, remind them about your pitch every 4-6 weeks. It’s the smart thing to do. Also, the prospect won’t find you tedious. Most email marketing services have flexible settings that allow you to space out your follow-ups effectively.

    Ask If You Should Stop Reaching Out

    This one is bound to get you a reply. If you don’t get a reply, chances are there’s no one at the other end. Reach out to your prospect after quite a few tries and tell them to please let you know if you should stop contacting them.

    In most cases, you’ll get a definite answer that’ll give you an insight into what they are thinking. Some will tell you they’re mulling things over, others will tell you to give them time, while others may politely say no. Whatever the case, after sending this mail or making this phone call, it’s time to give up and move on. If you are using Wix premium, you can use their cool integrations (like Mailchimp) to handle those follow-ups. Here’s a Wix promo code in case you want to go that route.

    No one likes reaching out multiple times to a non-responsive prospect. But if you want to grow your business, you need to learn how to keep reaching out. Try these tips and you’ll hopefully get some great results.

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    Ann Smarty

    Brand and Community Manager at Internet Marketing Ninjas
    Ann Smarty is the Community and Brand Manager at Internet Marketing Ninjas. She is also a host of two weekly Twitter chats (#VCBuzz on Tuesdays and #MYBlogU on Thursdays) and a regular speaker at the largest marketing conference Pubcon