Are live follow-up calls still relevant in today’s tech-driven world? With the rise of automated tools like SMS, email, and even AI, many sales teams are moving away from traditional methods. But is that a good thing?
A survey of 100 SaaS companies found that 35% didn’t respond to demo requests, while another 5% took over six days to reply. That means nearly 40% of high-intent leads were left without timely follow-ups.
In this article, you will learn:
- What is a follow-up call in sales?
- Why live follow-up calls still matter today
- The limits of SMS and email
- Sales lead follow-up best practices
We’ll also introduce you to Lead Qualifier, our platform designed to save you time by handling your lead verification. This lets you focus on closing deals while we vet your leads through live verification calls.
We handle the live calls; you close the deal – create your free, usage only billing based account now.
What is a follow-up call in sales?
A follow-up call is made after an initial contact with a potential customer, typically to build on a previous conversation, answer any questions, or move the prospect further down the sales funnel. It’s a purposeful step in the sales process that keeps the lead warm, maintains interest, and helps to move towards closing a deal.
Why do salespeople make follow-up calls? Because not every lead is ready to buy immediately. A follow-up call helps nurture that lead, giving you the chance to check in, clarify any doubts, and provide more information as needed.
Why live follow-up calls still matter
For several reasons, live follow-up calls play a key role in sales. With a live verification call, you can:
Build trust
Trust is at the core of any successful sales relationship. When a potential customer hears your voice on a live call, it humanizes the interaction and starts to build trust. Emails and text messages, while efficient, lack the warmth and personal touch that a voice conversation provides.
Think about the last time you received an email from a company. Did you feel connected to that brand? Probably not. But when someone takes the time to reach out with a live call, it sends a message: I care about your specific needs.
Clarify questions in real time
When a lead has questions, time is of the essence. A follow-up email might sit unread in their inbox for hours or days. However, a salesperson can address those questions immediately during a live follow-up call.
A good salesperson can also preemptively answer questions the prospect might not even know they had. This is especially true when selling complex products or services. For instance, if you’re selling software, the lead might not understand all the technical details or how the product will fit into their existing workflow. A live call allows you to walk them through the process, explain the benefits, and show them how it will work for them.
Provide personalized attention
In sales, personalization is key. A follow-up call allows the salesperson to deliver a tailored message based on the lead’s previous interactions with the brand.
For example, a lead filled out a contact form on your website expressing interest in a specific product. When you call them, you can reference that exact product and ask more specific questions like, “I noticed you were interested in our product X—how can we help tailor that to your needs?” This instantly makes the conversation more relevant and engaging to the lead.
Handle objections
Every potential customer has objections or concerns. Maybe the price seems too high, or they’re unsure whether the product or service fits them. Objections are a natural part of the sales process, and handling them effectively can make or break a deal. Live follow-up calls offer an immediate platform to address these objections head-on.
Drive faster conversions
In sales, timing is everything. The longer it takes to follow up with a lead, the colder that lead becomes. Live follow-up calls help speed up the conversion process by keeping the momentum going. Unlike emails or texts, which can be delayed or ignored, live calls provide immediate engagement.
The limits of SMS and Email in lead follow-up
Here are the limitations of using SMS and emails in lead follow-up:
- Limited ability to handle objections
- Urgency is harder to create through text.
- Emails and texts depend on the recipient’s availability, often leading to delayed responses.
- Many emails end up in spam folders, and text messages can be ignored or deleted without being read.
- SMS and email are one-sided communication tools that don’t foster personal connections.
- Emails and texts often feel templated or automated and need more real-time customization.
Sales lead follow-up best practices
Interested in turning leads into customers? Below are the best practices for effective sales lead follow-up:
Respond quickly
Timing is everything when it comes to lead follow-up. According to a lead response management survey, you’re 21 times more likely to qualify your lead with a fast response time than waiting 30+ minutes. Ideally, you should follow up within 24 hours of receiving the lead.
Set up alerts for incoming leads so you can respond quickly. Even if you can’t provide all the information right away, a quick call or email to acknowledge their inquiry can keep them engaged.
Personalize every follow-up
Personalization is key to making your follow-up feel relevant and genuine. Leads are more likely to respond when they feel the communication is tailored specifically to them, rather than a generic message sent to everyone.
Reference the lead’s name, business, and any details they shared with you previously. For instance, if they mentioned a particular challenge, address that directly in your follow-up.
Provide value
Each follow-up should offer the lead something valuable. Instead of simply checking in, provide useful information, insights, or solutions that can help move the lead closer to a decision.
Value-driven follow-ups demonstrate your expertise and show that you’re genuinely interested in solving the prospect’s problem rather than just pushing for a sale. This keeps the conversation focused on their needs.
Be persistent but not pushy
A study by Brevet found that 80% of sales require at least five follow-ups to close the deal. However, 44% of sales reps stop after just one follow-up, and 94% have already given up by the fourth attempt. This shows a major disconnect between the effort needed and the persistence of most sales teams.
Space out your follow-ups over time, and mix up your methods (calls, emails, SMS). A simple message like, “Just checking in to see how things are going” can be less intrusive but still keeps you top of mind.
Track and optimize
It’s important to track the results of your follow-up efforts so you can optimize your approach. Use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool to monitor your interactions, note what worked, and refine your strategy over time.
Record when you contacted the lead, how you contacted them (call, email, etc.), and the result. Use this data to determine when and how to follow up next.
Follow up with your leads the right way with Lead Qualifier
Now that you’ve learned the importance of live follow-up calls and how they can improve your lead nurturing and conversion efforts, you might be thinking: But do I have the time to manually verify every single lead? The good news is—you don’t have to.
With Lead Qualifier, you don’t need to manually reach out to each lead to determine whether they’re ready to buy. We take care of that for you, using live calls to vet each lead and ensure only the most qualified prospects are passed on to your sales team.
With Lead Qualifier, you can:
- Save time by outsourcing your lead verification process.
- Increase conversion rates by focusing only on pre-qualified leads.
- Maintain real-time insights with transparent reporting.
- Ensure personalized follow-up with live call verification.
- Utilize multi-channel strategies, including SMS and email.
- Eliminate the hassle of manual lead verification.
Need sales-ready buyers? Let Lead Qualifier help you turn your leads into loyal customers, one call at a time! — create your free, usage only billing based account now.
