Whether it's a past client or a prospect, follow up can do wonders on your business acquisition and retention strategy. Unfortunately, follow up is something that most freelancers ignore, neglect, and forget or probably don't even know. If you're guilty of this, I don't blame you.  As Kelley Robertson, author of The Power of Follow up, points out “Many people have never received formal sales training and have not learned why they should follow-up and how to make this happen.”  

Needless to say, follow up is an essential process that every business, more importantly, freelancers should implement. If you're a novice and still finding your way on how to get more and retain more clients through follow ups, here are few things you need to know why you should follow and what tools can help you do it effectively.

Benefits of Following up

  • Follow up is a simple, easy, and effective way to keep yourself within your client's radar.
  • It's a good way of creating an impression of professionalism
  • It offers you a quick way to evaluate and reassess your client or prospect's needs
  • Your prospect will take your follow up efforts as a sign of reliability and seriousness in how you conduct business
  • Get paid faster 🙂 This is probably one of the sure reasons why you should follow up!
  • When you do a follow up, you start building trust and relationship with your customer or prospect.
  • Social Improve article writes it perfectly, “You refresh the concept of your service and the existence of your product in the minds of the customers.”

[tweetthis]If you don't hear back from a client, don't assume. Follow up.[/tweetthis]

Follow up Tools to Use

While follow ups can be done via Skype or phone conversation, I'm quite sure that majority of those who practice this, use follow up email. So here are five tools you can use to ensure that you don't forget it.

  1. Todoist 
  2. Boomerang for Gmail
  3. FollowUp.cc
  4. Right Inbox
  5. Follow Up then

Have you used any of these tools? Do you have another tool to add?

Share your experience with follow ups and let's help educate one another on how to effectively use it to acquire more business. The comment section is open to your ideas.