The Best Sales Follow Up Methods: Email vs. Phone vs. In-Person

When you are growing your book of commercial energy customers, you must master prospecting techniques (see article on How to Prospect). Part of the prospecting process is following up with customers who have expressed interest, might be ready to buy later, or those with whom you have yet to make contact with a decision-maker. The phone is a great tool for following up with potential prospects. The phone allows you to contact many more prospects in a short period of time, and can be very effective if you have had some sort of prior contact with the prospect. Here are some great techniques for using the phone to follow up.

The Phone Is Best Used For…

The phone is a great follow up method when you have had prior contact with a prospect. For example, maybe you spoke to a prospect last month in person and he/she asked you to follow up at a later date. Rather than spending the time to visit that prospect in-person, a phone call might be the appropriate action. Many times, energy prospects who are under contract are not quite ready to speak to a salesperson. The phone is a perfect way to politely touch base with a prospect in order to stay in front of them, so that they will give you a chance to offer a quote when they are ready. Here are some great tips to keep in mind when using the phone to follow up:

• Do not call too often. This is a sure-fire way of annoying your prospect and losing all hopes of getting the deal.
• Be short and to the point. Remember, people are busy and when you call them out of the blue they might not have time to chat for a long time.
• Ask if they have time. It is always polite to ask your prospect if you caught them at a good time and if they have a few moments to talk.
• Have a reason for calling. It is always important to bring value each time you speak with a prospect. Was there a recent change in market pricing? Is there something else you want to bring to their attention that could be of benefit?

Phone Follow-Up Script

Although each scenario is quite different. Here is a great phone follow up script that you can follow:

• You: Hi Prospect, I hope you are doing well. Did I catch you at a bad time or do you have a few quick moments to talk?
• Prospect: Sure, go ahead.
• You: Great. I know we spoke on (last time you talked) and we discussed (what you discussed). The reason for my call is I wanted to (insert value).

For example, I am calling to let you know that energy futures dropped significantly today and it might be a great opportunity to get a quote for your renewal. Would you like me to put some pricing together for you?

Email is another awesome tool to use for following up. Email can also be implemented to help you easily stay in front of your prospects and continually provide them value. Here are the best ways to use email to follow up with your energy broker prospects…

Simple Email Follow Up

Many people prefer email since it allows them to respond to you when they are ready, on their own time. In the Digital Age, the phone can sometimes be viewed as too intrusive when not used correctly. When you need to follow up with a prospect on a future contract, an existing quote, or you are simply trying to set an appointment, try email. Now, there are a few things to keep in mind when writing emails to your prospects:

• No spelling mistakes! Try downloading Grammarly for free on your computer to identify spelling and grammatical errors.
• Keep it short and succinct. Remember, most people are viewing emails on mobile devices now. Keep the context of your email short.
• Make it visually appealing. No one likes to look at paragraph upon paragraph of text. It is overwhelming and most prospects will ignore your email. Try making your emails visually appealing by using bullet points or numbered items (like this text here).

Ongoing Email Newsletters

Another great follow up method to integrate into your energy sales career is a monthly (or quarterly) email newsletter. Email newsletters, when done correctly, can be a great means of keeping your face in front of your prospects (and customers) without having to do a ton of manual work. In fact, you can use email marketing systems such as MailChimp or Constant Contact to create email lists and send mass emails to everyone on your list. Here are some tips for creating an effective email newsletter:

• Bring value. Do not send a newsletter just for the sake of sending a newsletter. Make sure the content is engaging and valuable to your prospects.
• Use a template. There are templates available on email marketing software platforms that will make your emails nice and visually appealing.
• Remember a call to action. Make sure you include your contact information in your newsletter and direct people to make contact with you, so that your emails help you generate new customers.

Last but not least is the in-person follow up. This can be the most effective follow up, but it might not be the most efficient use of your time. If you build your energy broker business by prospecting in-person, then the in-person follow up shouldn’t be a problem. You can simply work follow ups into your daily routine and visit customers along your route.

If you are not used to prospecting in-person, a face-to-face visit can carry a lot of weight. In today’s age, most people will not take the time to go see a customer, let alone a prospect. If the prospect is big enough and worth your time, it could mean something to drop by to say hello or follow up on a previous conversion. Remember, people are busy, so you should keep the prospect in mind when paying a visit. If you are going to see the owner of a restaurant, make sure you go on off hours and not in the middle of lunch! Larger companies may require an appointment, so maybe you can send an email to your prospect letting them know you will be in town and would like to stop by. Here are some in-person follow up tips:

• Avoid going during busy hours. Be smart about when you arrive if it’s a cold visit.
• Try to set an appointment. It is always best to have an appointment before you arrive. Try booking one using the email/phone techniques above.
• Be “in town”. People are more likely to see you if you happen to be “in town”. Try setting several appointments in one area so you can maximize your time.

Diversegy’s full-serve sales platform offers agents, teams, brokers, and customers many benefits. Our program is a commitment and investment into the future of the competitive retail energy industry. Here are some of the key benefits of our platform: