How to Make a Follow Up Conversation Work

Show Notes:

David A. Fields talks about the purpose of outreach emails and how to ensure they are effective. The purpose of outreach is not to sell, but rather to create conversations. He talks about both  ‘cold’ outreach, which is to contacts who you don’t know and 'cool' outreach, which is sending emails to people who the sender knows, but who have not been in contact in a few years. He also covers developing a tracking system, and follow-up calls.Regardless of the type of outreach, the goal is not to sell, but rather to create conversations that may lead to relationships and opportunities.

David talks about the importance of creating meaningful conversations instead of transactional ones when reaching out to potential clients. He states that jumping right into “Do you need my help on anything?” or selling, can ruin a relationship. He suggests using the 111 Email approach which has been found to be extraordinarily effective. Instead of focusing on oneself, the email should be about the recipient and what they are interested in. This approach can get a response rate of 40-50%, which is a very high rate for cool outreach. David explains that the email should include only one line and one focus question. He  gives an example of a 111 Email and emphasizes that the focus should always be on the other person and not on trying to sell something.

David emphasizes that even if the person is not a client, it is still beneficial to talk with them as it increases the chances of business finding their firm, and that the more conversations one is a part of, the more likely it is that business will find their firm.

Emails Questions that Engage Clients 

David shares an effective approach to continuing the conversation. One tip is to give a link to schedule a time for a call, and decide that it would be better to simply ask the other person if they would like to catch up.

When asking someone for a quick catch up, conversation, or call, he suggests to not be too business-like and to keep it simple by starting with Are you up for a quick catch up? 

Follow up questions should include: “I'm gonna have my assistant scheduled something,” “What about these times?” “How's next week?” etc.,  to make it easier for the other person to respond. He also suggests not asking too many questions on the email, but to keep it simple with the goal of getting the other person on the phone or into a Zoom call.  David discusses the importance of using live conversations, as opposed to email or other messaging apps, in order to create better relationships with clients. He provides examples of how to transition from email conversations to live ones, such as asking if the client is open for a quick conversation and catch up. David also advises against using humor in emails, as it can often be misinterpreted and can put one at risk. The goal of the email is to get the client on a call.

How to Contact People for Networking Purposes

David talks about the best ways to contact people for networking purposes, including categories of emails people should use, such as job related, comments on LinkedIn, and questions that ask if an email address is still valid. He also talks about the frequency of emails and suggests sending them once every two to three months, and tracking the responses in a CRM system. He also offers tips on how to approach a person on LinkedIn who seems to be an interesting contact, but with whom you have  no prior connection and suggests a few ways to reach out in a cold contact situation such as explaining  why you are reaching out and how the contact could be beneficial to the client. Additionally, David recommends researching the person to get an understanding of their background and interests, and how the contact could be mutually beneficial. He suggests making the message personal and concise, and also including a call to action. To connect with potential clients, David suggests using personalized connections as a way to make a connection, such as referencing an affiliation they might have. He gives examples of successful email outreach and follow up messaging and timeline.

Cold Leads in the Consulting Industry

David talks about sales tactics for cold leads in the consulting industry. David recommends the Ben Franklin approach, which is asking for help with a project such as being interviewed for a podcast instead of trying to sell directly. He also suggests an aggressive reframe, where the consultant takes an opposing stance from the norm and then offers a solution. He offers examples to demonstrate how this works. He talks about how emails  help improve lead generation.  When asked if a direct approach like saying “here’s what we do” is helpful, David responds that he has not seen it work and  identifies the type of  email content and approaches that are ineffective and questions that fail to engage. He also talks about the importance of crafting a personalized subject line. David explains that his team focuses on having a clear, one-topic message and keeping it personal. He also mentions that the subject line should be short and make it clear that the message is personal.  With short, question emails,  it may not be effective due to the high volume of spam emails using this format. David closes by sharing the one line follow up message and explaining why the “turn” works.

Timestamps

04:24 How to Reach Out Without Being Transactional

06:51 Making Sense of 111 Emails

12:40 Building Relationships and Generating Business 

15:00 Exploring Conversation Strategies for Professional Networking 

16:56 Consistency and Influence in Networking 

21:45 Maintaining Relationships Through Email and Other Messaging Apps

30:04 Network Core Frequency and the 2099 List 

32:00 Creating a Personalized Connection Point for Cold Outreach

43:17 Effective Outreach Strategies 

51:25 How to Use the "Turn" Technique for Professional Networking 

Links: 

Website: https://www.davidafields.com/

CONTACT INFO:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidafields/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_davidafields?lang=en

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.