Online Negotiation Follow-Up Strategies

Years ago, I watched one of the best enterprise salespeople I've ever known lose a million-dollar deal simply because "𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝘆". This brilliant, capable professional was letting million-dollar opportunities slip away because she was afraid of seeming aggressive. Sound familiar? Here's the reality I've found after analyzing thousands of sales interactions: The average B2B purchase requires 8+ touches before a response, but most salespeople give up after 2-3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽𝘀—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀. Working with clients across industries, I've developed what some have called the "Goldilocks Sequence" – not too aggressive, not too passive, but just right for maximizing response rates without alienating prospects. It starts with how we view follow-ups. Stop thinking of them as "checking in" and start seeing them as opportunities to deliver additional value. For each client, we build what I call a "Follow-Up Content Library" with 5-10 genuinely valuable resources for each buyer persona – a mix of their content and third-party research addressing likely challenges. Having this ready means follow-ups can pull the most relevant resource based on the specific situation. The sequence itself has a rhythm designed to respect the prospect's time while staying on their radar: 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭 is the initial value-focused outreach with a specific insight (never generic "I'd like to connect" language). Around 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟯, we send a gentle bump, forwarding the original email with: "I wanted to make sure this reached you. Any thoughts on the [specific insight]?" It's brief and assumes positive intent. By 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟱, we shift to an alternative channel like LinkedIn, with a personalized note referencing the insight, but still no meeting request. Around 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟴 comes the pure value-add – sharing a relevant resource with no ask attached: "Came across this [article/case study] that addresses the [challenge] we discussed. Thought you might find it valuable regardless of our conversation." 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟮 brings what I call the "pattern interrupt" – a brief email with an unexpected subject line and single-question format that's easy to respond to. Then, around Day 18, we send the "permission to close" message: "I'm sensing this might not be a priority right now. If that's the case, could you let me know if I should check back in the future? Happy to remove you from my follow-up list otherwise." This sequence generated a 34% response rate for an enterprise software client compared to their previous 11% using traditional methods. The key difference? Every touch adds legitimate value rather than just asking for time. And because it's systematic, it removes the emotional weight of deciding when and how to follow up. What's your most effective follow-up technique? I'm always collecting new approaches to share with clients. #SalesFollowUp #OutreachStrategy #PipelineGeneration

Here's exactly how I structure my follow-ups to stop deals from slipping or ghosting at the last minute. Buyers ask themselves 5 crucial questions before they spend money. So we match our follow ups to each different question of the buying journey. The questions: 1/ "Do we Have a Problem or Goal that we Urgently need help with?" Follow up examples: Thought Leadership emphasizing the size / importance of the problem. Things like articles from Forbes, McKinsey, HBR or an industry specific publication. Screenshots, summations or info-graphics. NOT LINKS. No one reads them. 2/ "What's out there to Solve the Problem? How do Vendors differ?" Follow up examples: Sample RFP templates with pre-filled criteria. Easy to read buying guides. Especially if written by a 3rd party. 3/ "What Exactly do we need this Solution to do? Who do we feel good about?" Follow up examples: 3 bullets of criteria your Buyers commonly use during evaluations (especially differentiators.) Here's example wording I've used at UserGems 💎: "Thought you might find it helpful to see how other companies have evaluated tools to track their past champions. Their criteria are usually: *Data quality & ROI potential *Security (SOC2 type 2 and GDPR) *How easy or hard is it to take action: set up/training, automation, playbooks Cheers!" 4/ "Is the Juice worth the Squeeze - both $$$ & Time?" Follow up examples: Screenshots of emails, texts or DMs from customers talking about easy set up. Love using ones like the Slack pictured here. Feels more organic and authentic than a marketing case study. 5/ "What's next? How will this get done?" Follow up examples: Visual timelines Introductions to the CSM/onboard team Custom/short videos from CSM leadership When we tailor our follow ups to answer the questions our Buyers are asking themselves - Even (especially!) the subconscious ones Our sales cycles can be smoother, faster and easier to forecast. Buyer Experience > Sales Stages What's your best advice for how to follow up? ps - If you liked this breakdown, join 6,000+ other sellers getting value from my newsletter. Details on my website!

Most seller-experts freeze up at follow-up. Not because they don’t know what to do. Because they're afraid.. "What if I'm bothering them?" That fear has quietly killed more deals than bad pricing ever could. Here’s what I’ve learned after 20+ years: Silence doesn’t feel respectful. It feels like abandonment. When you go quiet, clients often assume: ❌ You found something better ❌ You weren’t that interested ❌ You’ve already moved on Meanwhile, the data reminds us: ➟ 80% of sales need five or more follow-ups ➟ 44% of professionals stop after just one Your competitor? Still showing up. The truth is, being strategically helpful is never annoying. But going dark usually is. Here are 7 follow-up moves that add value instead of noise: 1/ Share a Fresh Insight “Saw how [competitor] tackled [specific challenge]. Three smart ideas you could borrow...” 2/ Ask a Sharp Question “How’s [initiative] progressing since we last spoke?” 3/ Highlight a Win “Just helped [company] cut [metric] by 30%. The surprising unlock? [insightful tactic].” 4/ Offer a No-Pressure Give “I’ve got 15 mins Thursday. Want to see what worked for [peer org]?” 5/ Reconnect Through a Connector “[Mutual contact] mentioned you’re focused on X. I know someone who cracked that. Want an intro?” 6/ Use a Trigger Event “Saw the [trigger] news. 3 competitors noticed too. Here’s what they might miss.” 7/ Close with Clarity and Warmth “Sounds like Q4 is tight. I’ll check back Jan 15 when you’re planning next year. Sound good?” Every follow-up is a choice. Be forgotten. Or be invaluable. Your prospects are juggling more than ever. They need what you have. But they won’t chase you for it. So pick one stalled opportunity. Make one thoughtful move. Today. Because while others are hesitating, you’re building trust. It’s always your move. Share this to help someone in your network.

Business Development has its own Breaking Bad moment. Remember how Walt and Jesse would cook, then wait? That anxious period between production and distribution... BD deals have the same chemistry. Hot activity up front. Explosive results at the end. But that middle stretch? Pure tension and uncertainty. I call this "The Heisenberg Phase" where you're not sure if the deal is cooking or contaminated. And it's where most partnerships are actually won or lost. Nobody prepares you for this part of BD. You nail the intro call. You send the follow-up. Then... silence. Is the partner still interested? Did they find someone else? Should you follow up again or give them space? The discomfort of this uncertainty pushes most BD people into one of two mistakes: 1️⃣ Over-communicating: Bombarding the prospect with "just checking in" messages that reek of desperation 2️⃣ Under-communicating: Waiting so long that momentum dies and the opportunity goes cold Both kill deals. I've learned this the hard way after watching countless partnerships slip away during this silent phase. Here's what I've found actually works: 🔹 Set clear next steps at the end of EVERY interaction Don't end any call without clarity on who does what next. "I'll send over that one-pager and then follow up next Thursday" is more powerful than any sales technique. 🔹 Use the silent period to strengthen your position While waiting, do the internal work. Align your teams. Clarify your value proposition. Understand their business better. When communication resumes, you'll be in a stronger position. 🔹 Follow the 3-7-7 rule for follow-ups Wait 3 days after your initial meeting, then 7 days for your second follow-up and then 7 days for your final attempt. Each follow-up should add new value, an insight, relevant news, or useful resource. 🔹 Read between the lines "We're still discussing internally" usually means they have objections they're not sharing. Instead of just waiting, try: "I understand internal discussions take time. What specific concerns are coming up that I might be able to address?" Stalled deals aren't necessarily dead deals. They're just in the Heisenberg Phase. And just like with Walt and Jesse, how you handle this phase determines if you're building an empire or just another cook. #businessdevelopment #partnerships #strategy #sales

AE: I've sent 5 follow-up emails and nothing. Me: When did you last pick up the phone? AE: Two weeks ago. Me: There's your problem. Phone follow-ups close 3x faster than email-only sequences. AE: That feels desperate when they're not responding. Me: You've got it backwards. Professional buyers expect follow-up calls after missed commitments. Not calling signals you don't believe in your own deal. Here's what actually happens with persistence: First call - 11% callback rate. Second call - 22% callback rate. Third call - 33% callback rate. Your callback odds literally triple, but most reps quit after attempt one. AE: So I should call three times? Me: Within specific windows. Call within 24 hours of their missed date. Script: "We had [decision] targeted for Friday. Confirming whether we're moving ahead, adjusting scope, or closing this out for now." Not asking for favors. Asking for clarity on their commitment. AE: What if there’s no answer? Me: 80% won't pick up. Leave a 12-second voicemail with the same message. Then email three sentences: their stated goal, the specific outcome you deliver, two time slots. Second attempt 48 hours later with new info - a metric, case study, or insight. Third attempt in a different time window. Then pause for two weeks. AE: Why does email fail where calling works? Me: Email lets them hide. The phone forces resolution. When someone commits to a date then misses it, they're either struggling with internal alignment, got blindsided by another priority, or lost conviction. Email lets them avoid the awkwardness. Calling surfaces which one. You either unlock the real blocker or kill a dead deal. Both are wins. AE: This contradicts everything I've been taught about being respectful… Me: One AE I know avoided calls completely. Started dialing daily using this exact system. Closed 5 deals from follow-ups alone… two on the last day of the month. It takes an average of 8 touches to book a meeting, but most reps treat touch 2 like it's touch 20. The math is simple: triple your callback rate or keep wondering why deals die. AE: When do I stop? Me: After three calls with no response, pause two weeks unless you see a trigger event. But most will respond by call two because you're calling about their timeline, not yours.

🚫 Stop wasting your time on ineffective sales strategies. ✅ Start doing this instead: Compassionate follow-ups. Let’s look at the numbers 👇 📉 Industry standard conversion rate: 10% That means only 1 out of 10 qualified calls convert on the first try. But here’s what most people miss: 📈 74% of service-based sales happen during follow-ups. That’s 7.4 out of 10 calls turning into clients, just by following up the right way. Can you see how much you're leaving on the table? Now here’s why follow-ups work so well: We’re raised to seek validation before making decisions. We constantly want to be sure we’re making the right choice. Your leads are no different. Yet, most follow-ups sound like: 👉 “Have you decided?” 👉 “Did you make the payment?” That’s not validation, that’s pressure. And pressure kills trust. Instead, create a space for clarity, reflection, and emotional safety. That’s where real conversion happens. Here’s the 3-step follow-up system I teach my clients 👇 💬 Step 1 – Revisit the last conversation Ask: What was the best part of our chat that stayed with you? This activates memory and emotional recall. 🎯 Step 2 – Reinforce their vision Ask: If you had support like this, what could change for you in 6 months? This brings their desire to the surface. 🧠 Step 3 – Co-create the offer Ask: What would make this offer a no-brainer for you? This gives them agency and reduces resistance. Sales isn’t about convincing. It’s about building clarity and confidence. Master your follow-ups, And you’ll stop chasing. They’ll start choosing.

I just reviewed a follow up email that made me want to delete my LinkedIn account. After an incredible discovery call where the rep: → Uncovered $500K in annual losses → Identified specific pain points → Built genuine rapport with the prospect He sent this follow up: "Hi John, following up on our conversation. Any thoughts on next steps?" I'm not joking. That was the entire email. This rep went from trusted advisor to desperate vendor in one sentence. Here's what he should have sent instead: "John, Based on our conversation about the $500K you're losing annually due to deployment delays, I've put together a brief overview of how we've helped similar companies reduce this impact by 80%. Given the scope of this challenge, when can we get your CFO involved to discuss the business case? Best regards, [Rep name]" The difference is night and day: ❌ Weak follow up: "Any thoughts on next steps?" ✅ Strong follow up: References specific problem + demonstrates value + advances the sale Your follow up emails should sell, not beg. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to: → Reinforce the problems you uncovered → Show how you solve them → Move the deal forward Stop wasting these golden opportunities with generic, desperate sounding messages. Use what you learned in discovery to craft follow-ups that advance the sale. Your prospects are drowning in "just checking in" emails. Be the one who stands out by referencing real business impact. — Reps! Here’s 5 simple follow up strategies to close seals faster and to minimize ghosting: https://lnkd.in/gJRJwzsN

✨The Power of the Follow-Up: Where Deals Are Won (or Lost)✨ In medical sales, the initial conversation is just the beginning, but the real magic happens in the follow-up. How many times have you had a great meeting, only to let the opportunity slip because you didn’t follow up effectively? Here’s what I’ve learned: It’s not about being pushy, it’s about being present. Here’s how I approach follow-ups to add value and keep the conversation going: - Recap and reinforce: After a meeting, I send a quick recap of the discussion, highlighting the key points we covered and emphasizing how my solution can help. - Provide something extra: Every follow-up includes something valuable, an article, case study, or even a simple insight related to their challenges. This keeps me top of mind while building trust. - Stay consistent: I schedule follow-ups like any other meeting. Whether it’s a week later or a month, I stay committed without letting leads go cold. The best follow-ups aren’t just reminders, they’re opportunities to deepen the relationship and show you’re invested in solving their problems. Sales isn’t about the one big pitch; it’s about creating multiple touchpoints that deliver value every step of the way. What are your strategies for effective follow-ups? Share your tips below. I’d love to learn from you!