Had a great initial meeting with a prospect 3 weeks ago - multi-location retailer, easily $20-30K in potential fees. Sent the proposal and... crickets. I've followed up twice via email. How aggressive should I be with follow-ups before I'm being annoying?
Follow-Up Cadence After Initial Meeting
My cadence: email the proposal, then follow up at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks. After the 4-week follow-up, I switch to quarterly check-ins. Some of my best clients took 6-9 months to close. People get busy, budgets shift, priorities change. The deal isn't dead until they explicitly say no.
Try switching channels. If email isn't getting responses, pick up the phone. If you can't get through by phone, try a brief LinkedIn message. Sometimes people just need a nudge through a different medium.
Persistence is key in this business. The biggest mistake I see new auditors make is giving up after 2 follow-ups. Most sales happen after 5-7 touches. That said, every follow-up should add value - share a relevant article, mention a rate change that affects them, or reference something from your initial meeting. Don't just say checking in.
Good advice. I'll try calling this week and will definitely add value to each touch instead of just checking in. The quarterly check-in idea for dormant leads is smart too - I'll set up reminders.