What’s the best frequency for following up with sales leads?

[Mirage]

I know we have some others here in sales.

What do you find is the best frequency/cadence for following up with leads?

Do you have a system down or do you play it by ear each time?

Do you always leave a voicemail, always follow up with an email, etc?

What is your average close rate and how long from first contact does it typically take you to resolve a deal one way or another?

And what type of sales are you in?

 

[Doc]

I had a system for following up on leads:

1. Get your sale lead and make first contact. Preferably in person. You could even have multiple contacts on the same day but this is still "first contact."
2. Call them the next day. Doesn't matter why. Find a reason and give them a call. Leave a voicemail if you don't hear. Your goal is to re-engage to handle any objections from 1 and/or find new objections.
3. Number three is the three day rule. Wait three days if you don't hear from them on number 2. If you hear from them on number 2 you have someone on the hook and step three isn't necessary.
4. One week from the three day rule. Your final attempt to contact is a courtesy call a week out from the three day call asking if there's anything you can do to help, if they have questions, etc. Make it about the insured and not what you want: the sale. Don't call again after this one because you've probably lost them. If you must keep calling or have a long term lead push the follow-ups out to a month, three months, and six months until you're told a solid "no."

At any point you get the customer "on the hook" during this time you switch over to your sales process.

 

[Mirage]

That’s great stuff, @Doc. Are your customers typically people you initially met in person? Seems like your advice is skewed that way, which is fine, but not always possible in my situation.

I’m dealing primarily with cold or warm calls to people I have not met in real life and am unlikely to. One of the challenges I face daily is what to do with a lead that I am able to continue to leave voicemails with (or live messages with a secretary or assistant) and send emails to, but doesn’t show any signs of life.

In some cases these are warm opt-ins tonce I get that initial touch point, I’m in a similar boat as you are and usually am able to find a win/win for both me and my customer. It’s those other ones who I’d like to improve my game with.

 

[Doc]

This system was for clients I mostly met in person to start with, yes. But First Contact can refer to any time you're speaking to your client for the first time/day and entering discussions. Just start with the next day follow up and work from there.

My system allows you to move on and "spread out" follow ups to longer and longer distances to help avoid spending too much time calling clients that aren't going to go with your services. By my system you would have no more than a few voicemails left to a client before you throw in the towel.

VM 1: The "next day" call
VM 2: The "three day" call
VM 3: The "one week" call
VM 4: The "one month" call

After that you're calling every three to six months because the lead is likely lost at that point if they haven't responded to 1-4 voicemails. You also risk annoying the client if you call more frequently or leave excessive amounts of messages.