How to do lead follow up: 9 Winning strategies for consultants!

Is closing a consulting client your biggest challenge? 

Well, you’re not alone; a survey by Consulting Success revealed that 42% of consultants struggle to convert prospects into clients. 

Also, did you know? 80% of sales only happen between the 5th and 12th contact with your potential client. 

So, the key to successfully closing clients is a well-planned strategic lead follow up. 

And this blog will help you win potential clients through these nine proven lead follow up strategies for consultants. 

But, before that, let’s dive into the basics, common follow-up challenges for consultants, and the initial preparation for an effective lead follow up. 

What is lead follow up? 

Lead follow up refers to the process of reaching out to and engaging with leads (potential clients) to convert them into paying customers. 

Basically, a follow up is a step made after you’ve made prior contact with your potential client.  

Don’t get confused between a casual conversation and a lead follow up.  

Moreover, following up with leads is a strategy to nurture relationships, address concerns, and provide valuable insights for sales conversions. 

Consultants often struggle to convert prospects into clients due to poor lead follow up strategies. 

Consultants face various common challenges during lead follow-ups. Let’s discuss them all. 

4 Most common lead follow up challenges for consultants 

During conversations with top consultants from various industries, we identified four challenges they face during lead follow up.  

Let’s discuss the lead follow up challenges with the best solution to address them. 

1. Maintaining communication throughout the consulting sales process 

Consultants often struggle to maintain communication with clients after the first interaction, leading to missed opportunities for collaboration and a strong relationship. 

Building a follow-up strategy can help consultants maintain good communication with prospects throughout the consulting sales process. 

2. Lack of time 

When managing multiple projects, finding time to follow up on leads can be challenging.  

To overcome this, consider hiring a dedicated sales team or utilizing sales software like CRM to schedule and automate your follow-ups. 

3. Difficulty prioritizing follow-ups 

With a large number of potential clients/prospects to follow up with, determining which ones to follow up on can be challenging. 

Implement tailored lead scoring models within your consulting sales pipeline to prioritize hot leads with good scores and to close more deals. 

Moreover, with a powerful sales pipeline, you can visualize your sales process and identify opportunities.   

4. Unclear goals or expectations 

If a consultant is unsure of the purpose or goals of a follow-up, they may struggle to craft a compelling message or determine the appropriate timing. 

It is crucial to determine a goal before a follow-up email or call. Without it, you may struggle to craft an effective message.

How to follow up on leads: The right approach for consultants 

Determining the answers to these will help you conduct an effective follow-up to move leads one step closer to deal closing. 

What is the objective for your lead follow up? 

Whether to send a proposal or close a deal, defining clear objectives for your follow-up gives you direction to drive the conversation better. 

What channels to leverage to follow up leads?

Novice consultants may struggle to determine the appropriate communication channel for follow-up – email, text, or call. 

Well, it depends on the prospects’ preferences and behaviors. Do the research, identify the most effective channels, and tailor your approach accordingly. 

How frequently should you conduct a lead follow up? 

Frequency of follow-up plays a vital role in winning or losing an opportunity. 

Sending too many follow-ups every day will annoy your prospects. On the contrary, not showing up at the right time might result in losing the opportunity. 

So, keep track of your past communication and prospect’s interest to conduct, meaning follow-ups timely. 

For instance, if you’ve shared your consulting service proposals, wait 2-3 days before following up so your client can review them thoroughly. 

Next, we’ve the most effective lead follow up strategies that can improve communication and increase sales conversions.  

9 Effective follow up strategies for consultants 

Trust is vital in consulting. In fact, as per a survey, 87% of clients consider trust a key factor when purchasing consulting services after COVID-19. 

1. Drive the conversation 

This strategy works great when you’ve had a productive initial meeting and want to demonstrate your proactive nature. 

By initiating the follow-up with a concise summary of the discussion, you establish yourself as a consultant who takes the lead in driving the project forward. 

Sales reps often follow up without providing a specific action for the prospect to take, and that’s where most of the sales reps go wrong.  

Asking a question like, “Let me know when you’re available,” gives the prospect a lot to think about, thus delaying the possibilities for the next steps of the consulting sales process. 

You have to drive the conversation and give him ready options to choose from. This shows you have taken the initiative to move the project forward. 

Here’s an instance: 

“Hey, Joe! 

I hope you found our meeting insightful and were able to get answers to all your queries. 

So, I was wondering if you were available this Thursday or on Monday to discuss how you want to move the project further. 

Let me know when you’re available, and we can set up a meeting. 

Kudos!  

Bob” 

This approach makes it easier for the prospects to decide on a suitable date and shows that you genuinely care about their time.

2. Tailored lead follow up messages 

Generic lead follow up might feel impersonal and hence leave no noticeable impact on prospects.  

On the contrary, personalized follow-ups addressing prospects’ pain points, unique needs, or preferences can drive their attention, leading them to convert.  

Here are examples of generic and tailored lead follow up templates to better understand: 

A more personalized approach can help showcase your attentiveness towards helping your prospects; thus, they will likely convert. 

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3. Value, value, and value  

In the magic book of sales, ‘value’ always comes before ‘money.’

The goal of follow-ups should not be to sell but rather to offer value to the client that persuades them to become your clients. 

Sales follow-up conversations are about your client, not about you! 

How will his business benefit from hiring your consulting firm?

Think about this aspect. That’s how you provide value. 

For example, if your follow-up looks like this, you definitely need to make some changes: 

“Hey, Joe! I hope you’re doing well. 

Just wanted to follow up with you regarding our meeting yesterday. 

I’d like to know if you’re interested in taking it further. 

As I mentioned, I have X years of experience and am the right person to contact to solve your problem. 

When are you free? Please let me know.” 

If the prospect reads this, they’re for sure done! 

So, the next time you follow up, display the value they can get from having a conversation with you.   

Here’s the lead follow up email template for you. Let’s see how to make it valuable for your prospect: 

“Hey, Joe! 

I had a great time talking with you on Tuesday. And as per our discussion, I believe these can be the best three ways we can help your company: 

• Value 1 
• Value 2 
• Value 3  

My team and I have come up with some execution plans for these problems. Are you free next week, say on Wednesday, to discuss more on this matter? 

Let me know!  

Thanks,  

Bob”  

Want to drive more sales conversions with email templates? Explore the tips that actually work in our blog post on the best sales email templates!

Focusing on the value tells potential clients that you understand their needs and are truly interested in helping them overcome challenges and achieve goals.

It helps to equip yourself with premade email templates that can be customized further based on your prospects’ needs and interests.

4. Implement a triple-touch strategy to follow up 

Taking a diverse approach to follow up on leads as a consultant can be beneficial for you to close your clients faster. 

The triple touch strategy involves reaching out to potential clients through three distinct communication channels. The purpose is/are to… 

• Establish a strong client relationship 
• Gain prospect’s attention 
• Guide prospects toward making a purchase 

You can implement this strategy for consulting lead follow up, for example.

Imagine you’re a sales consultant discussing growth strategies with a prospective client. 

To strengthen your connection and guide them to consider your services, here’s how you can implement the triple touch approach for follow up on leads: 

Touch 1: Email follow up 

Send an email after your talk, thanking them and sharing an industry article tied to their needs. Mention your interest in helping them succeed.

Touch 2: Informative call 

Follow up with a call, highlighting your solutions and past successes. Keep it concise and engaging.

Touch 3: Personalized proposal sent via direct mail 

Create a thoughtful package with a printed proposal tailored to their needs, a handwritten note emphasizing your dedication, and a relevant resource.

This strategy works extensively for B2B businesses like consulting to nurture the relationship and show your value, increasing the chance of collaboration. 

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5. Share relevant success stories when conducting follow up with leads 

The problem with a lead follow up for B2B sales is that the sales cycle is longer in comparison to B2C sales cycles. 

The average B2B cycle is between 1-6 months. This is because more than one stakeholder makes the purchase decisions. 

As a consultant, you should keep this in mind. Following up with generic messages won’t cut it.  

You need to convince each stakeholder that you genuinely care about them and will go the extra mile to win your prospect’s confidence.

Ensure you send everything that can help your client out. It can be any resource, from industry tips to news, examples to case studies, and reports to webinars. 

Did you find interesting news that resonates with your client’s goals? Or will his business benefit from that insightful piece of news? If it is, kindly send that. 

Do you have a successful case study? You must send that too! 

Send the relevant resource to your potential clients during every follow up to avoid being ignored or marked as spam. 

For example, after you’ve met with a prospect from the technology industry, you can send case studies related to the tech sector. 

6. Establish a lead follow up email triggers 

If email or text is a promising channel to follow up, set follow-up email sequences or cues triggered at various stages of the lead nurturing process. 

You can set automated emails for the below scenario to win your potential client: 

• After the initial sales conversations, express gratitude via email, meeting minutes, and action points. 
• Dispatch a follow-up email 24 hours before the deadline for the upcoming action item, requesting acknowledgment. 
• Send an email with a tailored solution after they share their desired goals and pain points. Also, provide a roadmap of how you can help them to achieve their goal. 
• When acknowledgment is absent from the prospect, initiate an SMS or call to confirm based on the prospect’s indicated preference. 
• When prospects doubt how you can help, email a case study to establish trust among them. 

So, for each situation, you can set triggers for consuming meaningful follow-ups.

Simply automate your follow-ups with email sequences. Here’s an idea of follow-up email triggers you can set using a CRM: 

Remember, you can always adjust the frequency of emails according to the time spans between distinct milestones or action items. 

Drive more deals with sales sequences!

Increase your sales revenue by automating follow-ups and improving engagement with Salesmate CRM.

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7. Offer Limited-time value adds 

Creating a sense of urgency can prompt action during a lead follow up. This works great when your clients are convinced by the solutions you offer and are highly likely to convert. 

You can send text and email campaigns with time-limited value additions, such as additional free services or a good percentage of discount, encouraging them to close the deal. 

This will encourage your clients to engage with you immediately, knowing a unique benefit awaits them. 

8. Schedule follow-up meetings 

After the initial discussions, it’s important to propose and schedule follow-up meetings in order to track progress and discuss further steps. 

Moreover, it may happen that in the chaos of your busy schedule, you might forget or miss following up at the right moment.

So, schedule your follow-up meetings to never miss an opportunity. You can use a Meeting Scheduler to ease your appointment booking and speed up communication. 

9. Be persistent, not pushy 

The best way to follow up with leads is by being mindful of how often you should conduct follow up. 

Whether it’s emails or calls, a good mix of follow-ups is to keep an interval of two days between recent and future interactions. 

Otherwise, you may come across as pushy. Clients don’t like to see the same person in their inbox for two consecutive days. 

You want to stay on top of their mind, but don’t overdo it, as this could annoy them. Finding the right balance between persistence and being professional is the key. 

The above trick is the answer to – ‘how to follow up with a client without being pushy?” 

Use Salesmate CRM to automate your follow-ups and set Sales Sequences to ensure you follow up leads promptly and consistently without being pushy. 

These were the best strategies to follow up with leads. 

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How to follow up with clients: 5 Best leads follow up templates! 

Consultants can leverage these follow up lead email templates during their sales conversations. 

Let’s study each scenario of the lead follow up templates. 

Scenario 1: Template for follow up email after meeting client

Hi [First Name], 

I wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me earlier today.  

I really enjoyed learning more about your [prospect’s company]. I’ve worked with companies facing similar [a specific challenge faced].  

Here’s a similar story of how our previous client solved the issue. I believe this story can help you decide what you should do further. 

Based on our discussion, I wanted to clarify a few points from our meeting.  

• You were facing [mentioned issues]. 
• You have implemented [mentioned steps] towards solving that issue. 
• We discussed [common solutions] to solve your [key pain points].

Let me know if I missed out on anything.  

We discussed we’d meet up on a video call. I’d love to set up a call.  

How does your schedule look next week? 

• Would [Day/Time] work for you? 

If not, here are a few dates that work for me. 

• [Date option 1] 
• [Date option 2] 
• [Date option 3]  

Again, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. 

Hope to hear from you! I can’t wait to tell you what I’ve got in store for you!

Have a great day ahead! 

Best regards, 

[Your Name] 

Scenario 2: Lead follow-up after sending a proposal 

This template is helpful if you are looking for an answer to the question – “How to ask a client if they are still interested after receiving your proposal?” 

Hi [First Name], 

I hope you’re doing well. I am writing to check in on the proposal I sent you last week.  

Have you reviewed it? I would like to know your thoughts or any other concerns or questions you may have.

I understand that it can be time-consuming; needless to say, I am here to assist you in any way possible.

If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. I eagerly look forward to hearing back from you. 

Best regards, 

[Your Name]

Scenario 3: Follow up lead email template to get the revert of your previous email

Sometimes, the client tells you he needs more time to review it and will get back to you on a particular date. 

If the client still hasn’t gotten back to you, here’s a template you can use. 

Hi [First Name],  

I hope you are having a good week. I am following up with you regarding the proposal I sent last week.  

I understand that you had intended to respond by a specific date, but there seems to be a slight delay. 

I was wondering if you could provide me with an updated timeline of when I might expect to hear back from you, as it would be helpful for me to plan accordingly. 

Additionally, I am available to address any further questions or concerns you may have in the meantime. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Best regards,  

[Your Name]  

Scenario 4: Following up after a networking event or conference 

There can be two situations: you might have met the prospect at an offline event or an online event. We’ve given the template for both.

Type 1: Offline event follow up mail 

Dear [First Name], 

On behalf of the entire team at [Company Name/Event Organizer], I want to express our sincerest gratitude for your attendance at [Event Title]. 

We truly hope that you found the event to be valuable.  

In return, I wanted to provide you with some additional resources and recaps of the event. You can access photos from the day and the recorded speeches by visiting [Website Link]. 

If you have any questions about [Company Name/Event Organizer] or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to assist you in any way possible. 

Thanks again for your valuable presence at [Event Title]. 

Best regards, 

[Your name] 

Type 2: Online event follow-up mail 

Hello [First Name], 

I wanted to thank you for joining us at [Event Title].  

We are thrilled that you attended, and we hope you found the event informative and valuable. 

In case you want to recap, we have made the recordings available here.  

Please feel free to share these with anybody who may have missed or would benefit from the event.  

We value your participation and look forward to seeing you at our next event. If you have any further questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you again for your time and support!  

Best regards, 

[Your name]

Scenario 5: Consultant follow up after no answer response email

Hey [Client’s Name],

Hope you’re in high spirits! I wanted to reignite our conversation about [mention the topic or project you were discussing] that we kicked off earlier.

I’m guessing life’s been busy – emails can sometimes play hide and seek! 😉 So, I’m here to make sure my last message didn’t do a vanishing act.

Quick recap: We were diving into [briefly mention the key points of the discussion or proposal].

I was genuinely stoked about the possibilities to [highlight the exciting outcomes your proposal could bring].

I’m genuinely interested in your thoughts. Feel free to share if you’ve had a chance to consider or have any questions.

Looking forward to picking up where we left off!

[Your Name]

[Your Contact Information]

Automate your follow-ups with Salesmate!  

Follow-ups are crucial for consultants to secure new clients and build everlasting relationships with existing ones.

However, it can be a time-consuming process to follow up with multiple clients. 

Conducting timely follow-ups is crucial to turn opportunities into sales. 

That’s where Salesmate comes in. It is a CRM and automation platform facilitating sales, marketing, and customer support tasks. 

Salesmate lets you automate your lead’s follow-up process using Sales Sequences. You can schedule timely follow-ups and ensure you never miss out on an important opportunity. 

Also, with a structured follow-up schedule, you can boost leads’ engagement and conversions.

Salesmate allows you to track your email sequences’ metrics, like open rates and click-through rates, etc., to adjust your email strategy accordingly.

You can craft and send personalized email campaigns to nurture prospects with Automation Journeys. 

Also, you can visualize your sales process with sales pipeline management to identify the opportunities and loopholes. 

Salesmate is a centralized system to manage and facilitate business communication. Moreover, you can run your business anytime, anywhere with Mobile CRM. 

Witness your consulting business revenue growing with Salesmate. Take a 15 day FREE trial. 

Conclusion  

Generic messages won’t be effective, so send follow up messages with relevant resources such as case studies, news, and reports to establish trust.

Drive the conversation forward by offering specific options during follow up on leads. Persistence is key, but balance is essential to avoid being pushy. 

Make your consulting follow-up emails’ subject lines meaningful and cater to your prospect’s attention. 

Also, to optimize lead follow-up, align touchpoints with the sales funnel for seamless conversion. 

Lastly, invest in the best consulting CRM software to scale your consulting business and boost your revenue. 

Frequently asked questions