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Normally when a qualified prospect stops communicating with you, you scratch your head and say to yourself: “I don’t get it, they’re qualified and I did everything right, yet they’ve gone radio silent on me, why is this happening?”.
From your point of view, it must be them, not you, causing them not to reach out to you.
Regardless of whose fault it is, what are your options at this point?
Most likely, it’s one of the following:
1. Let them go
or..
2. Follow-up with them
If you feel they still have potential, then you’ll probably reach out to them with this type of message:
“Hi [Firstname], I’m sure you must be busy but I just wanted to follow up on our discussion from X weeks ago. Did you have any further questions? I believe we can address your concerns given our years of experience. I’ve attached some information for you to review. I’ll circle back to you later, but should you have any other questions for me before then, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”
Although the above approach seems “professional” and reasonable (it’s the template most advisors use as an industry norm), it could potentially backfire on you for the following reasons:
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It gives the perception that you’re pursuing them, with the sole purpose of moving them forward to becoming a paying client (to make the sale)
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The implication is, the next step in the process is to move forward to resolve their issues, but that assumes they’re committed to solving their issues with you
(that assumption will be an immediate disconnect for them, because clearly, they didn’t trust you enough to call you back on their own)
They’re unlikely to welcome you back, if you’re still using the above traditional “follow-up” approach.
Here’s how to “follow up”, by using a problem-centric approach, that you might want to consider…
“Hi [Firstname], I’ve been thinking about our conversation we had a couple of weeks ago, and it’s been in the back of my mind since we met (pause, let them feel this, that fact that you are thinking about them, a rare feeling these days!).
I recall that you were concerned about your XYZ issue. I’m just curious, has that been resolved so you now don’t have to worry about it ever again? Or, is it still something you’d like to resolve once and for all? If so, would you be open to scheduling a chat, as I may have some insights for you to give you more clarity on how to resolve this (pause and lower your voice)…what are your thoughts?”
See the difference?
The second approach is based solely on the prospect’s problem, which is superior for three reasons:
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It doesn’t assume anything about the prospect’s current situation, but first checks in with them, centered around the original problem they came to you for (which is perceived by your prospect as caring about their needs first, not yours)
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It brings them back to the initial conversation, so they can bring to the surface, the level of urgency they felt when they originally met with you
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It doesn’t offer any more information... just “insights” and “more clarity” that could help them see their issues in a different way (keeping any risk of perceived sales pressure to an absolute minimum)
You need to question everything you are saying and doing pre-sale, especially now that you’re in a commoditized profession. If you’re languaging or behaviour (conditioned from being in the profession for many years) is perceived in any way as “selling”, you’ll break trust instantly.
If you’re open-minded to challenging your sales process and languaging, that is no longer as effective as it used to be, then order your complimentary book and consultation below.
Related: Stop Building Pre-Sale Relationships
Ari Galper is the world’s number one authority on trust-based selling and is the most sought-after high-net worth/lead generation expert for financial advisors. His newest book, “Trust In A Split Second” has become an instant best-seller among financial advisors worldwide – you can get a Free copy of Ari’s book here and, when you click the “YES” button in the order form, you’ll also receive a complimentary “plug up the holes” lead generation consultation.