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- Cold Outreach Follow-up Strategy 101
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We’re back!
Today, we're exploring the art of following up in cold outreach.
How much is too much?
When do you go from bring “persistent” to straight up annoying?
Let's dive in.
Understanding the Role of Follow-ups
Follow-ups are a crucial part of cold outreach.
They ensure your message doesn't get lost in the shuffle of a busy inbox, and show the recipient you're genuinely interested in connecting.
For instance, let's say you're reaching out to a potential client named Jessica...
She could be inundated with emails, and your first attempt might go unnoticed.
By following up, you're giving her another chance to see your offer and engage with you.
The Rule of Thumb for Follow-ups
There isn't a one-size-fits-all rule for follow-ups, but a common guideline is the "3-7-7 Rule."
This means you should send your:
1st follow-up 3 days after the initial email
2nd follow-up 7 days later.
3rd follow-up another 7 days later.
Imagine sending the initial email to Jessica on Monday…
If you don't hear back, you'd send the first follow-up on Thursday.
If you still don't get a response, the next follow-up would go out the following Thursday…
And the final one the Thursday after that.
Simple, but effective.
The Importance of Timing and Persistence
Timing is everything.
Sending a follow-up too soon might come across as pushy, but wait too long and you risk being forgotten.
Striking the right balance is key.
Consider Jessica again...
If she receives a follow-up email from you just a few hours after the initial message, she might perceive you as impatient or even desperate.
But if you wait a month to follow up…
Your message could be buried beneath in their inbox…
Or Jessica could have already found a solution to her problem.
The sale is dead in the water!
How to Craft an Effective Follow-up
The goal of a follow-up is to remind the recipient of your initial message without coming across as spammy.
Make sure each follow-up brings something new to the table:
A piece of valuable content
An insightful question
A relevant update
For example:
In your second follow-up to Jessica, instead of repeating the same thing, you could share a valuable document that she might be in her day-to-day.
This approach demonstrates that you’re not just interested in selling your product, but also in providing value.
Knowing When to Stop
If you've sent 3 follow-ups and received no response…
Just stop 😂
You don’t want to become “that annoying person on Linkedin”
The silence could be a sign that they aren't interested or simply doesn't have the need right now.
Remember:
Always be respectful of the other person's inbox & time.
If after three follow-ups Jessica hasn't replied, it could be an indication that your offer isn't a good fit for her needs right now. It's essential to respect her decision and to avoid becoming a source of inbox clutter.
Using Technology To Be Better Organized
Managing follow-ups can be complex, especially if you're dealing with a large volume of leads.
Technology can make the process 100x easier.
There are numerous tools out there designed to help you track and automate your follow-ups without losing the personal touch.
Consider our friend Jessica, for example.
Suppose you've sent her an initial email and a follow-up, but haven't yet received a response.
With a customer relationship management (CRM) system, you could set a reminder to follow up with Jessica again in a week, all while managing your other contacts seamlessly.
These 3 tools are perfect for the job:
HubSpot CRM
Zoho CRM
Insightly
They can help you keep track of your communication history with each prospect…
Making your outreach efforts a walk in the park!
Final thoughts
50% of calls are booked from follow-up.
They are super important.
Not having an effective strategy in place is costing you a lot of customers.
And honestly, it's not complicated...
The gurus might be saying otherwise...
But next time you're feeling overwhelmed by cold outreach…
Read this post very carefully:
You can do this!
That’s all for now.
See you next week!
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