How do you differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations?

Follow-up conversations are crucial for sales prospecting, but they can also be challenging. How do you stand out from the crowd of other salespeople who are trying to reach the same prospects? How do you add value and build trust without being pushy or annoying? How do you move the prospect closer to a decision without sounding desperate or manipulative? In this article, you will learn some tips and strategies to differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations and increase your chances of winning more sales.

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1 Know your purpose

Before you reach out to a prospect for a follow-up conversation, you need to have a clear purpose in mind. What do you want to achieve with this conversation? What information do you need to gather or share? How do you plan to advance the relationship or the sales process? Having a purpose will help you craft a relevant and compelling message that will capture the prospect's attention and interest. It will also help you avoid wasting time or annoying the prospect with generic or irrelevant messages.

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Cameron (Cam) Gage

Chapter three in my career - my nonprofit era
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Solid work done on the front end targeting the correct ICP will save loads of time on the execution and outreach side. Once you have done this, having a well-constructed value proposition that creates curiosity is the next step. Stop trying to persuade and begin generating curiosity.

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Joe Learned
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1. Never end a sales meeting or call without next steps 2. Log every customer conversation into your CRM 3. Read your notes before contacting the prospect 4. Recap when following up with what the next steps were followed by a call to action.

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2 Customize your message

One of the best ways to differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations is to customize your message to the prospect's specific situation, needs, and preferences. This shows that you have done your homework, that you care about the prospect as an individual, and that you have something valuable to offer. To customize your message, you need to use the information you have gathered from previous interactions, research, or referrals. You can also use personalization tools or CRM software to tailor your message to the prospect's name, industry, company, role, pain points, goals, interests, or behavior.

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Cameron (Cam) Gage

Chapter three in my career - my nonprofit era
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Do mention their role, place in the market or other relevant business topics that show you have done some homework. Do NOT talk about the weather, fishing, football, or where they went to college. This is fake rapport and does more damage than any possible good.

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3 Provide value

Another way to differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations is to provide value to the prospect. This means that you offer something that will help the prospect solve a problem, achieve a goal, or learn something new. Providing value will position you as a trusted advisor, not just a salesperson. It will also increase the prospect's engagement and loyalty, and create more opportunities for future conversations. Some examples of providing value are: sharing useful content, insights, or resources; offering a free consultation, demo, or trial; inviting the prospect to an event, webinar, or podcast; or introducing the prospect to someone who can help them.

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Cameron (Cam) Gage

Chapter three in my career - my nonprofit era
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Try providing value in the form of 3rd party, relevant content that they might actually want and need. Prospects appreciate genuine interest that is not just the normal self serving stuff we generally send.

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4 Be human

A third way to differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations is to be human. This means that you show your personality, your emotions, and your authenticity. Being human will help you build rapport and trust with the prospect, and make the conversation more enjoyable and memorable. It will also help you avoid sounding like a robot, a spammer, or a script-reader. To be human, you need to use a conversational tone, humor, stories, or anecdotes; express empathy, gratitude, or enthusiasm; ask open-ended questions, listen actively, or give feedback; or use the prospect's preferred communication channel, style, or frequency.

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Cameron (Cam) Gage

Chapter three in my career - my nonprofit era
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Be careful with this one. I am all for vulnerability but do not coach what could be seen by the receiver as unprofessional. An ill-placed emoji might do you harm.

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Jenna Collins

Account Executive at Package Express
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This article brings a refreshing perspective to follow-up conversations in the sales process - the importance of being human. It's a reminder that at the core of any successful business interaction, there are real people with emotions and personalities. Showing authenticity, empathy, and a genuine interest in your prospects goes a long way in building rapport and trust. This not only makes the conversation more enjoyable but also memorable. By avoiding the robotic, scripted approach, you stand out and create a connection that can set you apart from competitors.

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5 Ask for commitment

A final way to differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations is to ask for commitment. This means that you ask the prospect to take a specific action that will move them closer to a decision or a purchase. Asking for commitment will help you gauge the prospect's interest and readiness, and overcome any objections or barriers. It will also help you avoid losing momentum or missing opportunities. Some examples of asking for commitment are: scheduling a next meeting, call, or demo; sending a proposal, contract, or invoice; requesting a referral, testimonial, or review; or closing the deal, upselling, or cross-selling.

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Cameron (Cam) Gage

Chapter three in my career - my nonprofit era
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You can do this while at the same time "leaning back". It could sound like "Guide me if it makes sense to explore..." versus "I know we are awesome and you simply have to sit still long enough for me to convince you". No one wants the latter.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your purpose

2 Customize your message

3 Provide value

4 Be human

5 Ask for commitment

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Prospecting

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How do you differentiate yourself in follow-up conversations?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Know your purpose

2 Customize your message

3 Provide value

4 Be human

5 Ask for commitment

6 Here’s what else to consider

Sales Prospecting

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