These Are The Best Times to Follow Up on Leads for Sales Lead Management

By Gwen Moran

Sometimes, sales lead management can feel like a full-time job. Gathering, organizing, and following up on leads is essential to maximizing your results and meeting your goals. But how do you ensure that you’re reaching prospects at exactly the right time?

The people who are reaching out to you — whether it’s through a direct inquiry, a visit to a sales booth, or by responding to a lead generation initiative — have a need that you can likely fill, says sales expert and trainer Chris Lytle, founder of Instant Sales Training and author of 23 Shockingly Simple Sales Ideas. “One of the things we want to do as salespeople is solve problems,” he says. So, first shift your mindset into being a solution-provider instead of a salesperson, advises Inc.com. Then, use these tips to follow-up and manage your sales leads most effectively.

Reach Out — Soon

If someone made an inquiry, they have a need. A 2017 survey by Drift Lead Response found that more than half of companies didn’t follow up within five business days. In that span of time, you’re at risk of losing the business to a competitor. You may not know their buying cycle, but reach out to your lead quickly to assess the situation and get the information into your sales lead management system. Of course, be sure you’re contacting the right person and making the right impression with your message, advises Entrepreneur magazine.

Frequency Matters

A 2017 report from InsideSales.com found that achieving the right follow-up cadence in your sales lead management can boost results by up to 110%. Respondents preferred email as a first follow-up (32%) and phoning as the next most popular follow-up method (6%). In-person contact is another method prefered by some companies and, in those situations, don’t forget that food can be a sales tool, too.

Read the rest of the best times to follow up on leads here