The Complete Guide to Follow Up Calls in Sales (With Tips and Templates)

Making the first contact with a new sales lead is (relatively) easy. The hard part is consistently following up.

As a salesperson, itâs your job to send that email, make a phone call, or reach out to your prospects in other ways. Once thatâs done, itâs easy to kick back, relax, and wait for people to respond.

If that sounds like you, Iâm here to tell you thereâs a problemâyou have no follow-up game.

I get it. Nobody wants to feel like theyâre a pain in the ass. And you probably donât love rejection either. But any sales rep contacting a prospect once and hoping for the best, is following the wrong approach.

Sales follow-ups are a key element of an effective sales process, and you need to become an expert at following up, in order to close more deals.

Ready to sharpen your follow-up skills? Let me introduce you to the follow-up process weâve used to land thousands of new customers for our business here at Close.

Making follow up calls is a critical part of the sales process. Yet, it’s something that many sales reps struggle with or avoid altogether. According to studies, it takes an average of 5 follow up attempts to get a prospect to convert. However 44% of salespeople give up after the first try.

This is a missed opportunity as follow up calls allow you to move deals forward, build relationships, and handle objections. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know about follow up calls in sales.

What is a Follow Up Sales Call?

A follow up sales call is when a sales rep reaches back out to a prospect after an initial interaction. This could be after an email, a discovery call, a product demo, or a networking event.

The goal is to continue nurturing the relationship and gently move the prospect closer to a buying decision It acts as a bridge between your first conversation and closing the deal,

Follow up calls keep you top of mind, create urgency, and address concerns the prospect may have. They are vital for building trust and rapport over time.

Why Follow Up Calls Are Important

Many sales reps make the mistake of putting all their eggs in one basket. They invest a lot of time and effort into one call or email and expect the prospect to be ready to buy right away.

When this doesn’t happen, they get discouraged and give up.

However, studies show it takes multiple follow up attempts to turn a prospect into a customer. Here are some key reasons why follow up calls can make or break your sales:

Lead nurturing: Follow ups allow you to continue guiding prospects through the sales funnel. You can provide valuable information, address concerns, and bring them closer to a decision.
Building trust: Consistent communication demonstrates reliability and strengthens your relationship. It distinguishes you from vendors who are only interested in making a quick sale.
Urgency: Follow ups remind prospects about your solution before it slips their mind. This prevents deals from going cold and creates motivation to move forward.
Handle objections: You can tackle pricing concerns, feature requests, competitor comparisons etc. in real-time. Quickly resolving objections increases chances of conversion.
Personalization: Tailoring your follow ups based on previous conversations makes prospects feel valued. It establishes you as a partner invested in their success.

Simply put, follow up calls in sales maximize your chances of closing the deal. When executed effectively, they can increase sales conversion rates by up to 70%.

How Often to Follow Up

When it comes to sales follow up cadence, there isn’t a one size fits all rule. Factors like your average sales cycle length, industry, product complexity etc. impact ideal follow up frequency.

However, according to research by InsideSales.com, it takes an average of 12 follow up attempts to connect with a prospect. Their data also revealed a few key benchmarks:

80% of sales require 5 follow up attempts
After 3 attempts, your chances of connecting drop to under 60%
44% of sales reps give up after 1 follow up

As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to follow up at least 5-12 times over 2-3 months. This increases your chances of conversion while accounting for prospect availability.

Here are some best practices when planning follow up frequency:

Follow up weekly: Once a week is a good starting cadence that balances persistence with avoiding annoyance.
Follow up timeline: Contact prospects more frequently in the beginning (weekly) and then move to a bi-weekly or monthly cadence.
Follow up after key events: Call prospects shortly after they open an email, visit your website, or view a proposal. Strike while the iron is hot.
Follow up around key dates: Connect before or after industry conferences, holidays, or annual budget planning to increase relevance.
Follow up post-rejection: Don’t take the first “no” as the final answer. Follow up periodically to change prospects’ minds.
Follow up after delays: If a prospect goes silent for a few weeks, follow up to nudge them along. Abandoning outreach too early can cost you deals.

The key is to not be too aggressive but also not give up too quickly. Consistency and persistence pay off.

How to Make a Follow Up Sales Call

Follow up calls may seem straightforward but require some strategizing to be effective. You can’t just pick up the phone and start rambling.

Here is a step-by-step process for planning and executing follow up calls that get results:

1. Prepare and Set an Agenda

Like any sales call, preparation is key. The beginning sets the tone for the rest of the conversation.

Start by reviewing your previous interactions and any notes on the prospect. Then create an agenda focused on moving the deal forward.

Your follow up call agenda may include:

Recapping your last discussion
Addressing concerns and objections
Providing new information
Discussing next steps

Having an agenda prevents aimless small talk and keeps the discussion productive. Share it with prospects ahead of time so they know what to expect.

2. Schedule Follow Up Calls

Once you’ve set an agenda, confirm prospect availability to schedule your follow up call. Avoid vague statements like “let’s catch up.”

Instead, be direct about your intent and propose specific dates/times. This makes it easier for prospects to commit.

Schedule follow ups via email or your CRM calendar so you have a record. Following up in real-time when prospects are engaged (like after an email open) also boosts response rates.

3. Send Reminder Emails

Prospects are busy and follow up calls may slip their mind, leading to no-shows. Sending reminder emails 24-48 hours before the scheduled call reduces this risk.

Remind them of the date, time, expected length, and agenda. Offer an alternative time if needed.

Sending calendar invites and enabling confirmations further improves follow up call attendance.

4. Start with a Summary

Don’t jump directly into your sales pitch. Refresh the prospect’s memory by recapping your last discussion first.

Summarize key points like pain points identified, product demo details, pricing quotes etc. This builds continuity from your previous conversations.

Ask if they have any clarifying questions. Clearing up any confusion early helps keep the discussion on track.

5. Ask Discovery Questions

The majority of your follow up call should focus on asking smart questions. This allows you to advance opportunities by uncovering vital information.

Tailor your questions to address prospect needs identified earlier and push them towards a decision.

Examples include:

How would you describe your current situation regarding [problem]?
What factors are important to you in choosing a [solution]?
What objectives would you like to achieve from [product/service]?
Does our proposal seem like it would meet your needs?

Listen intently to prospect responses and ask follow-up questions. Your goal is to have a natural conversation, not an interview. Take notes so you can reference later.

6. Handle Objections

As you progress in the sales cycle, pricing and feature objections commonly come up. Follow up calls allow you to get ahead of these concerns before they derail deals.

First, avoid getting defensive when prospects voice objections. Welcome them as it means they are engaged.

Then probe to fully understand the root of their apprehension. Only once you have all the facts should you respond.

When addressing concerns:

Provide evidence like testimonials, case studies, or ROI calculators.
Offer creative solutions like payment plans, custom integrations, or free trials.
Shift the focus to the value they would gain rather than just the cost.

Handling objections requires active listening, strategic problem solving, and thinking on your feet. Follow up calls give you the opportunity to have these candid conversations.

7. Discuss Next Steps

Every follow up call should bring prospects closer to a decision. Before wrapping up, confirm next steps to keep momentum going.

Next steps may include scheduling a product demo, sending over a proposal, having stakeholders meet, or providing implementation details.

Get prospects to commit to completing the tasks within defined timelines. Following up on next steps is key to ensuring the sales process continues moving.

8. Take Detailed Notes

After wrapping up follow up calls, your work isn’t done. Thoroughly document all discussion points, objections raised, questions asked, and next steps.

Detailed notes prevent information slipping through the cracks and allow you to reference back later. They also help when handing off leads to managers or other team members.

Review your notes before future calls to identify areas requiring more attention. You can even share call summaries with prospects to verify mutual understanding.

Follow Up Call Tips and Best Practices

Mastering follow up calls is crucial for sales success. Here are some proven tips for boosting the impact of your follow ups:

Start strong: Grab attention right away with a compelling opening statement. Then clearly explain the purpose of your call.

Personalize: Use prospects’ names, company

follow up calls in sales

What is a Sales Follow-Up? A

Letâs be realânobody wants to be that annoying sales rep who wonât shut up. Which is why good sales follow-ups provide value to the prospect and give them the opportunity to say no.

Avoid Using Guilt as a Motivator

When you become emotionally invested in the deal, it can hurt when the prospect doesnât respond to you. Thatâs when the danger of using guilt comes in. Saying something like: âWhy havenât you responded to me? Ive sent you ten emails already!â can seriously damage your relationship with this person.

Remember: your prospect doesnât owe you anything. Never, ever make them feel or do anything guilt-inducing.

Making Follow Up Calls to Customers

How many follow-up calls does it take to close a deal?

Reach more people: On average, it takes eight follow-up calls to reach a prospect. People are busy, and you’re not a priority for them—so patiently following up will pay off in the long run. The ultimate goal —close more deals!

What is a follow-up call in sales?

A follow-up sales call is a phone call between a sales representative and a potential customer, or lead, that happens after their first contact. In this call, the sales representative encourages the customer to make a purchase.

What makes a good follow-up call?

Having solid follow-up strategies and tactics will separate you from the dozens of other sales reps who call the same prospects as you. This gives you a distinctive edge. Make the most of your follow up calls and watch your sales grow. In many ways, a follow-up call to a prospect is more challenging than a cold call.

How do you conduct a sales follow-up?

Sales follow-ups can be conducted in a number of ways — the most common methods are telephone and email. Mastering your sales follow-up is a critical skill for reps however, many are not following up enough. According to a study by Brevet, 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal.