Tips & Tricks Busy Professionals Can Use to Simplify Their Lives

Compliments of Ribary & Associates, LLC

www.tiaribary.com

October 2006

How to follow up

(Final of a 3 part series)

I often get asked how my business has grown so well in a relatively short period of time. My answer: I follow up!

I think of following up as offering a valuable service to others, free of charge. However, many people have a fear around following up. Are you afraid you will “bug” someone by following up with them? Do you fear you’ll be seen as too pushy? Are you unsure what is appropriate?

How you follow up is partially dependent on your personal style and partially dependent on the situation and the other person. Below we’ll explore a few scenarios that require follow up, and offer suggestions on appropriate ways to do just that.

Scenario #1 – Following up with a potential client

You’ve made the phone call and secured your first meeting with a potential client. What do you do after the meeting?

First, before you leave that meeting, you should have an idea of when they want to hear from you again. If you are not sure, then ask.

Second, I suggest sending a short and sincere handwritten card immediately after a first meeting to thank the client for their time and let them know how excited you are about the possibility of working with them. This step alone can set you apart from many competitors and reminds the client you want their business. When you schedule the client meeting on your calendar, simply add a reminder to send a thank you card the next day.

Third, since you asked about when to follow up, it makes it easy to do just that. You are simply fulfilling a promise you made to check back in! You can phone or email them at the appropriate time. Do they want to move forward? If so, great! If it’s not the right time, you can ask about appropriate timing, and follow up again.

Scenario #2 – Thanking someone for a referral

Most small businesses depend greatly on referrals from clients, networking associates, colleagues and vendors. These people can be your personal marketing department. How do you thank them? Do they feel appreciated? If they don’t, you may be sad to discover that your marketing department has quit and you didn’t even realize it!

Every single person that refers you business should be thanked in a nice, sincere way, not with a simple email that says “By the way, I heard from Kelly, thanks for the referral.”

Send a handwritten note! You appreciate finding something in your mail rather than all those bills, right? Well, do the same for those you appreciate. You could also include an appreciation gift. Perhaps a gift card, a candle, a bookmark, a bottle of wine or flowers delivered to their door. You could take the person to lunch or coffee, which also helps cement the relationship. It all depends on what makes sense for your business. Whether you actually get the client or not, send a thank you for the referral.

Emails and phone calls can work too, but make sure they are sincere and not intermixed with other work items. Make that thank you a stand-alone effort.

Scenario #3 – Following up with a prospect or client you haven’t heard from for some time

There may be times when you do not hear from a client or prospect for some time, or, you may be open for more business and need to touch base with old contacts. Consider sending them an email or phoning them to ask how their business is doing. By doing so, you remind them that you are available to help. Even if they do not need your services at that time, they will be reminded, once again, that you care about their business.

Think about the last time you secured a client. How many times did you touch base with them? Each of these “touches” is a form of follow up. Each “touch” is an opportunity to do business with you. And, in this busy world, the easier you are to work with, the more business you’ll have.

If you need assistance with your own follow up systems, call or email me to set an appointment. You’ll start earning more business, you’ll have more control, and you’ll have a system that works!

Previously... Part 1: When to Follow Up and Part 2: Follow Up Systems to Ensure Success

Mark Your Calendars!

• October 11^th and November 8^th – What’s Holding You Back. Four interactive workshops at the Westside Martial Arts. Be sure to mention my name when you sign up!

• October 17^th 24th & November 7^th (Tuesday evenings), 7:00 to 9:00 pm, Beyond Surviving: Thriving in Your Stepfamily with noted Author, Susan Wisdom. Valuable classes for stepcouples.

• October 17^th, 5:45 pm to 8:30 pm – WEO General Meeting. Reclaim Your Life: Priority Based Living with Vicki Norris.

• October 21^st, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm – WEO Connect & Grow Workshop: How to set Big Hairy Audacious Goals* (and reach them).

• October 26th, 8:55 am - Turning Time into Money: Join me, Tia Ribary, for an informative teleforum with The Core Source founder Carolyn Campbell. You'll learn simple strategies to improve efficiency. From 8:55 - 10:00. Click here to register.

• October 28^th, 1:00 to 4:00 pm - Halloween Fun! Haunted Hollywood Tour and trick-or-treating for kids. Follow this link for more information.

• November 14^th, 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm – WEO General Meeting. SBA sponsored Women’s Network of Entrepreneurial Training (WNET).

Wishing you endless success!

Tia Ribary, Professional Assistant

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