STEP 9

BECOME MS. OR MR. FOLLOW-UP

Once you get the ball rolling, don’t be the one to let it drop. Always follow up.

   If the relationship is hot (you just submitted a proposal), then your follow-ups should be frequent (once a week).

   If the relationship isn’t going anywhere right away (the decision-maker said, “I’ll get back to you if I’m interested”), then your follow-ups should be less frequent (every other month).

   If you aren’t sure how the relationship is going, simply ask, “When is the best time for me to follow up next?”

      If the response is “Get lost,” don’t call back.

      If the response is “Why don’t you call me in about a month,” confirm a specific date and time and say you’re writing the appointment on your calendar.

      If the response is “You don’t have to follow up; I’ll call you in a few weeks,” let the person know that if you haven’t heard from him or her by a certain date, you will make sure to follow up.

Bear in mind, the more relationships you try to build, the more follow-ups you will have to make, and sometimes they will be scheduled months in advance. That means you need a system for keeping track of your follow-ups, so you won’t forget them.

No system of this type is ideal. Keeping a calendar or schedule is effective, but you must check it every day. There is plenty of scheduling software that will give you a reminder automatically if you have an appointment scheduled, but you must learn the software and keep your computer on. You could simply keep a running list in your pocket, as many people do; but you must remember to update it. Whatever you do, just don’t drop the ball.