I have a problem. I am probably by far the most non-pushy person on this planet. I could never make it as a salesperson. I'm worried because I'm not sure how to handle interested potential clients who have gone cold . . . disappeared off the face of the earth.

I have been in contact with two awesome possibilities. Conversations have been very positive. However, the last communications have come from ME. Two weeks have gone by, and I haven't heard back from either of them. I tell myself, "Well, they are busy . . . they don't need the help right now and will call when they do . . . "

However, I do not want to let these two PCs go. They seem so fantastic to work with. I want them!

Is it OK to send a follow-up email or make a follow-up phone call without coming across as an over-the-top pushy salesperson? The reasonable side of me says, "Yes, call these people to follow up." The idiotic, non-pushy, sincere side says, "Leave those people alone. They'll call you when they're good and ready."

That's my dilemma. Please help me with my struggling conscience !

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Patty

Hi Patty

Originally Posted by eXPERT Business Support

Is it OK to send a follow-up email or make a follow-up phone call without coming across as an over-the-top pushy salesperson? The reasonable side of me says, "Yes, call these people to follow up." The idiotic, non-pushy, sincere side says, "Leave those people alone. They'll call you when they're good and ready."

Absolutely, 100% YES. It is ok to send a follow-up email. In fact, I suggest that any business owner that had an initial contact with a PC follow-up at least once. The people we help are busy and can easily push emails aside and forget. Even more than that though, sometimes emails just don't make it to their destination. You owe it to yourself and to the prospective client to follow-up.

A simple email that says, "Hi XYZ, I am writing to be sure you received my message regarding ..... Did you have any questions about what I sent or any further questions that may have come up since we last spoke?"

I have found when I have done this I either got a response saying, "Yes, I did receive your email. I am thinking about it." "Yes, I received your email and will send over the signed agreement by ...." "No, I did not receive your email, can you please send it again?" "Yes, but I decided not to go this route at this time." Then there are a few (there always will be) that simply don't respond. For those, I chalk up to them being too busy, not interested or simply undecided at this time.

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Darlene Victoria Gonzalez
The Voice & Vision Behind Your Business

Thank you, Darlene. That's really excellent advice, and I really appreciate those words. For some reason it's so much harder for me to follow up than it is to make the initial contact. What is making me hesitate is that I have already initiated that last follow-up email and in one case, I followed up with a phone call (since the PC had called me).

I think you are right. I owe it to myself and to the clients to make this one last attempt. And if it does turn out that I don't receive any interest, I can put it to rest and know that I did all I could.

I'm feeling motivated and am actually going to use your exact words, "Did you have any questions about what I sent or any further questions that may have come up since we last spoke?" That's right to the point. That's excellent.

Thank you so much!

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Patty

I completely agree with Darlene - don't hesitate! I will just add that one thing I'll do from time to time for PCs who are still just 'potential' is to forward current articles, blog posts, resources or news stories that relate to their industry or would benefit their business in some way.

'I came across this interesting ____ today and thought of you and your ______ business - I thought it might be useful/interesting/beneficial...'
If it's something that's at all revolutionary or even controversial I'll sometimes ask for their feedback/opinion. It helps open up some great conversations and lets the client know that you understand where they're at on some level and are genuinely interested in them and their business.

This way you're not even really pushing your services - you're just touching base business owner to business owner.

Good luck! I hope they come around

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Thank you again for the great advice. Good news! I did hear back from one PC after writing my FU email. It turns out that this person has been away in Brazil and won't be back until the first week in April, but we have scheduled a meeting. HE APOLOGIZED for being unresponsive ... I thought that was quite awesome of him. Little does he know the real value of his apology for I had been sweating like a crazy person just wondering about him.

Writing a follow up email to send something of interest is such a great idea. I don't think I'll ever hesitate (well, not too much) to make those dreaded follow-up calls/emails again. Your advice helped me -- more than you know -- deal with my anxieties on this whole subject!

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Patty

Glad to hear you followed up to great results Patty! You've tapped into yet another way to grow your business - polite persistence

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Patty, I definitely know how you feel because I'm the same way! I'm always agonizing over whether to contact them again. I don't want to appear too pushy and possibly irritate them, but I want to keep my business in their thoughts (positively!) for whatever it is they need.

Often I will start out by saying I know they're super busy but I just wanted to touch base with them to see if they'd made a decision on thus-and-so, etc.

So glad, Patty, to see that you received a very positive response from one of the PCs!

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

Wow, this is just what I needed! I met with a PC at the beginning of this month. Everything went well and she wants me to start working effective April 1st. I've sent over the contract for her to review but have not received the signed copy back. I was trying to figure out how to reach out to her without appearing pushy or overly anxious. Now I know exactly what to do. Thanks ladies!!!

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Jána :daisy:
www.virtually-supporting-you.com

When one forwards an interesting article or whatever to a potential client, should one be concerned about the possiblity the information might be considered spam or whatever by search engines who monitor spam, etc.?

How does one avoid being blacklisted, I guess, is what I'm asking in regards to maintaining some kind of positive contact with potential clients or actual clients?

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A L Camien
Manager Member