It's All in the Follow-Up! By Chris Atley


Last weekend I had the pleasure of giving a mindset talk at Cathy Alessandra's Success Summit. I had such a great time sharing this information, and what was even better was to hear how it affected the people in the audience. One woman told me it had literally shifted her entire outlook! She was so excited to get back into her office. This is why I love what I do. It's about sharing information that positively impacts the joy and happiness of other people. I do want to give you some practical business solutions this week. Because even though a healthy mindset is imperative to your success, it's also about taking action. I see a lot of people fall short in the follow-up. Read on to learn effective strategies for following up with potential clients. As important as it is to get out from behind your computer and in front of the people you can help, what you do afterward is equally as important.

You want to have a sound strategy for meeting and connecting with your ideal client - people who you can serve. Gaining visibility is one of the best things you can do to grow your business.

Speaking being the best. BUT it will all be for nothing if you don't have a follow-up plan. I remember having someone out to give us a quote for shutters once. It was a man running his own business and he was a super friendly guy. I really liked him and was pretty convinced we would go with him. He told me he would call and he never did. In the meantime, his competitor followed up and I decided to go with them. Strange though, I did feel a sense of loyalty to him and told his competitor that if they could give me a lower price than his, then I would go with them. In my mind, that gave me a reason to go with his competitor.

There are a couple of great lessons in that story. First, had he had a system in place for following up, I wouldn't have fallen through the cracks. How much other business is he leaving on the table? Second, building relationships and connecting with others is really important. I felt a sense of loyalty to him after meeting him only once. People feel that way with you too. They want to work with you. They are ready. BUT if you don't follow up with them afterward, you will never know this. After you map out your visibility plan, make sure you schedule time after each strategy to include follow-up. Block it off in your calendar.

You will make time for it and it will also prevent you from booking too many things at once. You want to have the time to follow up properly and make the most out of the opportunities you have scheduled in. What is your follow-up plan? Do you make phone calls, send emails or connect on social media? I do all three. Calling all of the people who may be good clients for you is the most important part of the follow-up. Making those calls should be your first priority. Email and social media is secondary but great ways to stay in touch with people. This is especially true if they haven't opted in to your database (where they can stay connected through a newsletter you send out, etc.). What is your long-term follow-up plan? How will you stay in touch on a regular basis?

Social media is great for this. It's really easy to stay connected to the people you have resonated with, but who aren't quite ready to take the next step of working with you yet. Be sure to identify the people you have met who may be able to connect you to your ideal client. This relationship should be nurtured and maintained. This will involve going above and beyond social media. You may want to send a handwritten note or suggest going for lunch every once in a while. When you take the time to execute a well-devised follow-up plan, you will be amazed at how your income will grow! Chris Atley is CEO & Founder of Total Harmony Coaching. Download your "Entrepreneurial Manifesto Kit" to help you create your BIG business and life goals! Your Kit includes an audio class, an assessment and weekly articles that will show you how get focused on the right business strategies that will INCREASE your income and change your life.