MBA2355 How To Follow Up with Clients Without Being Annoying + Free Ride Friday

Summary

The $100 MBA Show: Episode MBA2355 - How To Follow Up with Clients Without Being Annoying + Free Ride Friday

Host: Omar Zenhom
Release Date: August 25, 2023
Title: MBA2355 How To Follow Up with Clients Without Being Annoying + Free Ride Friday

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Introduction

In Episode MBA2355 of The $100 MBA Show, host Omar Zenhom delves into the crucial art of client follow-up. Titled "How To Follow Up with Clients Without Being Annoying + Free Ride Friday," this episode offers entrepreneurs actionable strategies to enhance their follow-up techniques, thereby increasing their revenue by up to 30%. Additionally, Omar introduces the ongoing giveaway, Free Ride Friday, offering listeners a chance to win a lifetime membership to the $100 MBA program.

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Main Content: Mastering Client Follow-Up

1. The Importance of Follow-Up

Omar begins by highlighting the significance of follow-up in the sales process. He emphasizes that many deals fall through due to inadequate follow-up, asserting, “[...] 20-30% of your revenue can be increased simply by just following up properly with your clients” (02:30). Effective follow-up serves as a competitive advantage, distinguishing diligent entrepreneurs from those who neglect this critical step.

2. Setting Expectations

The foundation of a non-annoying follow-up strategy lies in setting clear expectations with clients from the outset. Omar advises:

“One of the most important things about follow up is expectations. You have to set the tone with your clients and let them know they should expect you to follow up just by setting that expectation with the client. You already are not annoying when they get the follow up because you told them you will follow up.” (04:15)

Strategy:

• During Initial Interaction: At the end of a sales call or meeting, inform the client about your intention to follow up. For example, “I will follow up with you tomorrow via email to discuss your decision.”
• Benefits: Demonstrates professionalism and accountability, building trust and credibility.

3. Crafting the First Follow-Up Email

Omar outlines his approach to the initial follow-up email:

“I like to keep this first email short and sweet. [...] recap the conversation, remind them of all the value of what they're getting, and why they should sign up.” (05:10)

Elements to Include:

• Recap of Conversation: Summarize key points discussed during the call or meeting.
• Reminder of Value: Highlight the benefits and value propositions.
• Deadline: Set a specific timeframe for a response, e.g., “Please let me know by the next 48 hours.”
• Promise of Further Communication: Mention that another email with more information will follow if there’s no response.

4. The Second Follow-Up: Personal Video Email

The second follow-up moves beyond text to a more personal touch:

“You can attach a video, meaning I like to keep it short and attach it so they see a thumbnail. I like to attach a video, [...] you actually shot it for them and it's not some sort of generic video.” (06:30)

Strategy:

• Personal Video: Record a brief, personalized video (1-2 minutes) addressing the client’s specific needs and challenges.
• Content: Reiterate key benefits, address any known objections, and infuse a sense of urgency or scarcity.
• Presentation: Use a casual, friendly tone to appear approachable and genuine.

Benefits:

• Increases engagement as recipients are more likely to watch a video.
• Enhances trust and authority by showcasing a personal commitment.

5. The Third Follow-Up: Inviting a Conversational Call

For clients who remain unresponsive, Omar introduces a strategic third email:

“Maybe we need to take one step back and you say I haven't heard from you or maybe you haven't made a decision yet. [...] Let's book a 15-minute call.” (07:45)

Strategy:

• Invitation to a Call: Offer a no-pressure, 15-minute call to address any lingering questions or concerns.
• Clarification: Emphasize that the call is not a sales pitch but an opportunity to provide clarity.
• Outcome: Often resolves objections and leads to closure, either sealing the deal or understanding their hesitations.

6. The Final Follow-Up: Offering an Out

In the final outreach attempt, Omar suggests being transparent and providing an easy exit for the client:

“If you don't want to continue ... I won't email you anymore, and I'll be here for you when you need me.” (09:20)

Strategy:

• Honest Communication: Clearly state your intention to help them achieve their goals while respecting their decision.
• Offer an Out: Allow the client to gracefully decline, fostering goodwill and leaving the door open for future interactions.
• Sense of Urgency and Responsibility: Reinforce your commitment to their success without being pushy.

Benefits:

• Demonstrates authenticity and respect for the client’s autonomy.
• Builds long-term relationships by showing genuine care, which may lead to future opportunities.

7. Overall Principles for Effective Follow-Up

Omar encapsulates the essence of non-annoying follow-up with these key principles:

• Be Professional and Consistent: Maintain a systematic approach to follow-ups.
• Provide Value at Every Interaction: Ensure each communication offers something beneficial.
• Build Trust and Authority: Position yourself as a consultant genuinely invested in the client’s success.
• Respect the Client’s Decision: Understand that not every lead will convert immediately, and that’s acceptable.

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Free Ride Friday: Giveaway Announcement

As part of Free Ride Friday, Omar announces the winner of the week’s giveaway:

“The winner is King of Video. [...] Five stars. This is the best podcast for short, distilled and insightful business lessons.” (14:00)

Details:

• Prize: Lifetime membership to the $100 MBA program, a six-part course designed to enhance entrepreneurial skills.
• How to Enter: Leave an Apple Podcast rating and review to qualify for the weekly random draw.
• Winner Announcement: Every Friday, Omar selects and announces a new winner, encouraging continuous listener engagement.

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Final Thoughts

Omar concludes the episode by reiterating the human element in follow-ups:

“When you're following up, you're not following up with some random person, some imaginary person. There's a real person on the other side of that email.” (15:00)

Key Takeaways:

• Personalization: Approach each follow-up as an opportunity to build a relationship rather than merely pushing a sale.
• Authenticity: Communicate with sincerity and a genuine desire to assist the client in achieving their goals.
• Differentiation: Stand out from competitors by being professional, organized, and caring, thereby fostering trust and loyalty.

Omar emphasizes that effective follow-up is about being a trusted advisor and building lasting relationships, ensuring that clients feel valued and supported throughout their decision-making process.

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Conclusion

Episode MBA2355 of The $100 MBA Show provides a comprehensive guide to following up with clients in a manner that is both effective and respectful. By implementing Omar Zenhom’s strategies—setting clear expectations, personalizing communication, and maintaining professionalism—entrepreneurs can significantly enhance their client relationships and drive revenue growth. Additionally, the Free Ride Friday giveaway adds an interactive element, rewarding engaged listeners and fostering a vibrant entrepreneurial community.

For more insights and detailed business lessons, visit 100mba.net.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Voiceover Artist]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] got a 7am meeting.

[Unknown Speaker]

On a Monday expensing breakfast because it's in policy wasting all afternoon submitting an expense report for that breakfast. If your company used Ramp, you could submit expenses with just a text.

[Omar Zenhom]

Yay.

[Voiceover Artist]

Free your team from expense reports today. Switch your business to ramp.com hey o.

[Omar Zenhom]

Welcome to the $100 MBA show. Powerful business lessons you can count on delivered to you on a silver platter. I'm your host, your coach, your teacher Omar Zenholm. I'm also the co founder of Webinar Ninja, an inhibited software company I started back in 2014 and today's episode is Free Ride Friday. On Free Ride Friday, we give away a lifetime membership to $100 MBA program. Our six part course on how to become a better entrepreneur 100% guaranteed over at 100- MBA net. If you want to win a free ride, just leave us an Apple Podcast rating and review and you enter our weekly random draw. We announce our winners every Friday. A little bit later in the episode we'll be announcing this Friday's winner. In today's episode you will learn how to follow up with clients without being annoying. So many deals get dropped because of lack of follow up. In my experience, 2030% of your revenue can be increased simply by just following up properly with your clients. Whether you're closing deals with clients one on one via email, or you're sending a follow up emails for webinars, or you had a call with a client and you want to follow up regarding that call on the decision they've made, follow up is where you win the game because it's your advantage. Most people get lazy. Most people don't do it right. And this is how you can beat the competition by being better at it. And I'm going to show you how in today's episode without having to feel like you're scammy or bothering your potential clients. In fact, I'm gonna show you how to do it so they feel like you're doing them a favor. So let's get into it. Let's get down to business. All the strategies I'm gonna share with you today, you can pretty much do at any scale. Whether you're doing one on email or group email or even through messenger or group text on WhatsApp. Some people do business on these apps. But for the sake of this lesson, the examples I'm gonna give is just following up with a client individually, one on one. But again, you can app any circumstance. One of the most important things about follow up is expectations. You have to set the tone with your clients and let them know they should expect you to follow up just by setting that expectation with the client. You already are not annoying when they get the follow up because you told them you will follow up. So, for example, if you're on a sales call with somebody and you're giving them a demo of your product or service or your program or whatever it might be, at the end of the call, you could say, hey, here's the offer. I will follow up with you tomorrow via email. So I can ask you what you decided or whatever you want to say or the way you want to word it. But that's kind of how I do it. I like to do this because it shows, number one, that you're professional and you have a system. And number two, that you're going to hold them accountable and you will do what you say. And that's important because if they become a client and they sign up for your program or sign up for your service, it shows that you're a pro. So that's number one. Number two, you send that email and you can automate this if you'd like. And I like to keep this first email short and sweet. And again, we're going to do the same thing we did in the first conversation when we were closing off the call where we set up expectations and say, hey, it was great to talk to you. Here is a summary of what we talked about. Like I mentioned, I was going to ask you what decision you made. If you'd like to sign up, please let me know by XYZ by in the next 48 hours, the next two days, whatever it is, let me know by then. If I don't hear back, I will send you another email with some more information. So what this email does is that one, you recap the conversation, you remind them of all the value of what they're getting and why they should sign up or all the Things that were positive about the meeting. Number two, you give them sort of a deadline and say, hey, if I don't hear back in the next 48 hours or something like that, that you're going to hear back from me again and I'm going to give you some more information. More information doesn't sound like I'm nagging. It just says, hey, it sounds like you haven't made a decision yet, so maybe I'll give you some more information to help you make that decision. And that's the point of that wording there. It's like, hey, I'm going to send you more information. If I don't hear back with a decision in the next 48 hours, not I'm going to nag you or bombard you, I'm going to help you, right? And I like to word my emails to sound like I'm their consultant, I'm on their side, I'm going to help them make a decision to buy or not buy it. Not a good fit. But the point here is that I'm going to help them. So that's the first email that goes out if they don't buy, if they don't respond, if they don't say anything. My next email is going to be different. Now this one you can't automate. And that's okay because it's so effective. It's worth your time. My next email I send is really short and sweet, but this time I attach a video. I say, hey, I just shot you a quick video with more information on xyz, on the product, on the service, or whatever you talked about. And this is literally a video that you could shoot with your phone in selfie mode. And it's literally a minute or two where you say, hey, Client X, I just wanted to show you a quick video and mention feature number one, feature number two, benefit number one, benefit number two of why you would benefit from this product, service, program, whatever it might be. You mentioned on the call that you struggled with this and our program helps you with that. And these are just like nice little benefits of pushing them over the byline and saying, hey, I know that you're thinking about it. Let me remind you, or highlight some things that maybe I didn't mention that could be of value for you. And then you end the video with a little bit of urgency. But it has to be real urgency or scarcity, whether it's a limited number of spots you have or a discount that's expiring or a deal you can't honor. Or your prices are going up. Just let them know what that urgency is or that scarcity is and say, hey, I want to see you win. You got to let them know that in the video I want to see you win. And if we work together, I will make sure of that. You got to make sure that they understand that you will take some responsibility, that you are going to trade on your name, that you are going to say, hey, I'm taking ownership here and I got your back. Some people just need to hear that to know that, okay, I can trust this person and this is the right decision. Now, of course you got to be able to back that up, but you wouldn't be in business if you couldn't. Usually when the client gets the second email and watches your video, it's a done deal. What I love about this second email is that people tend to not like to read sometimes when they're in a rush, but they'll be curious about a video that's attached. And I like to attach a video, meaning I like to keep it short and attach it so they see a thumbnail. I don't like linking to it because that looks kind of weird and some people don't like clicking on links and it gets them curious and it looks really personal and wow, you actually shot it for them and it's not some sort of generic video. And that really earns you a lot of trust and authority and gets them over the byline.

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Voiceover Artist]

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[Omar Zenhom]

It looks like Jim from sales just got in from his client lunch and he's got receipts. His next meeting is in two minutes. The team is asking, can he get through his expenses in that time? He's going for it. Is that his phone? He's snapping a pic. He's texting around. Jim is fast, but this is unheard of. That's it. He's done it. It's unbelievable.

[Voiceover Artist]

On ramp expenses are faster than ever.

[Omar Zenhom]

Just submit them with a text.

[Voiceover Artist]

Switch your business to ramp.com.

[Omar Zenhom]

Now, you guessed it. At the end of the video or in the email, let them know, hey, watch this video takes two minutes. If I don't hear back by X amount of time, I will follow up. Let them know that you're gonna follow up. Okay, third email. Third email is a little bit different. It's a little bit of a curveball that they're not really expecting. But basically what it is is, hey, maybe we need to take one step back and you say I haven't heard from you or maybe you haven't made a decision yet. And in most cases I have found that this means you have questions and I want to make sure I answer those questions. Why don't you grab a time for my calendar here and let's book a 15 minute call. This could be a second call. But basically the point of this call is let's clear up any questions you might have. And there's a good chance they have just one or two questions that are really simple for you. Like they're so easy for you to answer and they're not a problem at all for you to fulfill. But in their head it seems complicated because they're a beginner. But by just giving them that opportunity to just book a call on your calendar, it's non confrontational and they can ask questions and make that clear. Hey, this is your call where you get to ask any question you like and I'll answer it. I won't be doing any selling on this call. Make sure it's clear it's not a sales call. This is just a chance for them to ask questions. This is actually really, really effective because a lot of people just have some questions they need answering or they had time to think about or talk about it with their partner or business partner and they need these questions addressed. Usually if they haven't bought yet, you can close the deal on this call because you address those objections that they have those questions they have and they have no reason not to buy anymore. And by this time you built so much goodwill and you've been so helpful, they're going to feel a sense of reciprocity, a sense of like, hey, I got to respond and give this person a try. If they book the call, you have the call, you're golden. If you don't have the call, they don't respond to the email again. Guess what on that email, hey, if I don't see you schedule a call on my calendar in the next few days, I will follow up with you one more time and I'd like To follow up one more time via email. And in this email, I just flat out be honest with them and say, hey, when we had a call, when we talked, you told me these were your goals. And if you want to achieve these goals, I have a plan for you, I have a product for you, I have a service for you. I have a program for you that can help you achieve these goals. And it's okay to be a little bit aggressive now. I don't mean overly aggressive, but just a little bit, pushing them a little bit, holding them accountable. Say, hey, if you're serious about achieving your goals, if you want what you asked for on that call, then I'm here for you. And let's get this started, let's get it going, let's go. But if you want to continue to push this off for some time in the future, who knows when that is, just let me know. I won't email you anymore, and I'll be here for you when you need me. And I love that line. Because if they're not a buyer, because they just aren't not capable of buying right now, whether they don't have the money or the time or the effort or the motivation, they will tell you you gave them an out. They'll reply and say, I'm not interested right now, but I'll reach out when I need you. And that's great. That means they're not going to shop around. And you got your answer. And this is a technique that I like to use. It's not very popular because it doesn't actually mesh with a lot of people's thinking. And that is the myth that you can make somebody buy. No, some people are just not ready to buy. And that's okay. They're not a good fit for you, but you got to build that relationship and that trust. So when they are ready to buy, they come back to you. And that's the point of this. Give them an out. If they need an out, you're being authentic, you're being real, and you're being fair to them. But that first part of the email saying, hey, if you really want this, if you want those things you mentioned on the call, let's do this. That might be the push they need. They're like, yeah, I don't want to delay this anymore. This person's right. Let's make it happen. And often you'll get a reply that says, let's do it. And you send them the invoice and it's done. So that's it. Those are the four emails. It's not annoying, it's well thought out and you're making sure that you are positioning yourself as the consultant, as the helper, as the person that cares and has your best interest in mind. Again, your job is to help them make a decision. That's what sales is not push them into something they don't need or want or can't do. By doing this, you don't come off as annoying. You come off as professional and somebody that has it together, they're going to want to work with you either right away or in the near future. That wraps up today's lesson. But today's episode's not over. It's Free Ride Friday. Let's see who won this week's Free Ride. And the winner is King of Video. That's the handle on Apple Podcasts. King of Video says listen for distilled and useful business insights and lessons. Five stars. This is the best podcast for short, distilled and insightful business lessons. I've learned a lot as a business owner and creator. Love the energy too. Well, thank you so much, King of Video for your awesome review. Appreciate it all. From Kenya, your mission is to email me [e-mail] if you love this show. Let us know in a rating and review and you enter our weekly random draw we call Free Art Friday. Just pop it into Apple podcasts and you enter our draw until you win our lifetime membership to the $100 MBA program, our six part course on how to become a better entrepreneur, 100% guaranteed over at 100mba.net. Before I go, I want to leave you with this. When you're following up, you're not following up with some random person, some imaginary person. There's a real person on the other side of that email. And I just see it as this is an opportunity for me to build a relationship and to prove that they can count on me, that I am in their corner. They're kind of my pen pal, where I'm trying to show them, hey, you can trust me. I got your back. This is what you're going to get. This is what you're going to learn. This is what you're going to benefit. Let's make this happen. And if you're not ready, that's okay. I also say that's all right, as I mentioned, and when you have that kind of intention, it really shines through. People can hear it, people can read it, they feel it and it differentiates you from the crowd that's just vanilla and just trying to get them to open emails through some, you know, spammy subject lines. No, I like to write these emails as if I'm writing to a friend, not trying to trick them into anything. I'm trying to build a relationship. Thanks so much for listening and I'll check you in Monday's episode. I'll see you then. Take care.

[Unknown Speaker]

Got a 7am meeting on a Monday? Expensing breakfast because it's in policy wasting all afternoon submitting an expense report for that breakfast. If your company used Ramp, you could submit expenses with just a text.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yay.

[Voiceover Artist]

Free your team from expense reports today. Switch your business to ramp.com.