A follow-up system that adds value
Ferrazzi calls follow-up the most neglected skill in business: people meet, promise to stay in touch, and never do. The few who follow up consistently stand out.
Follow up fast and specifically
After a meeting, send a short note within a day: thank them, recap what you agreed, and confirm the next step. Mention something personal they told you.
Stay in touch without being annoying
Gitomer's rule is to follow up with value, not with "just checking in". Share an article that fits their situation, an idea for their business, an invitation, or news they'd care about. Deiss shows how to make this systematic with a simple email sequence: indoctrination (who you are and what you stand for), engagement (useful content), and an offer when the time is right.
- After every meeting: a recap within 24 hours.
- For open deals: a useful touch every week or two.
- For customers: a check-in at key moments (after delivery, after a month, at renewal).
Say this
- “Saw this article on new booking rules and thought of what you said about weekends.”
Avoid this
- “Just following up to see if you had any thoughts.”
Apply it: Software sales (B2B)
Your product: a CRM for sales teams. Your buyer: a sales director at a 30-person company.
Write a recap-email template you'll send within 24 hours of every conversation. Then list five kinds of useful content you could send buyers in your field.
Study plan (40 min)
- Read: 20 min
- Written exercise: 20 min
Based on
- Never Eat Alone (Keith Ferrazzi)
- The Sales Bible (Jeffrey Gitomer)
- Invisible Selling Machine (Ryan Deiss)
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