Netiquette IQ - The "Just Following Up" Email Cliche

The article below really turned my head. I have been guilty of sending many emails with the words "following up". Great advice and thoughts!
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Avoid the “Just Following Up” Email

Linkedin July 03, 2014 Hendrik de Vries

Sending the "Just Following Up" email without any sort of value or call-to-action is not good. When you send an email, you should ask yourself, "How much value did it provide?" Or "Did I have a call-to-action?"

I hate to admit it, but I still send emails like that every now and then. So why do we still use it when we’re following up with prospects?

Emails like that are annoying and disruptive to the recipient. And in todays world of constant interruptions, you can't afford to interrupt a prospect without providing some value or at least including a call-to-action.

Recently, the team over at Signals by HubSpot launched an entire SlideShare on the topic of avoiding the “just following up” email. You can view it below:

The concept of sending multiple “checking-in” emails is quite interesting. In fact, data from Referral Squirrel shows that:

• 2% of sales are made on the First contact.
• 3% of sales are made on the Second contact.
• 5% of sales are made on the Third contact.
• 10% of sales are made on the Fourth contact.
• 80% of sales are made on the Fifth to Twelfth contact.

However …

• 48% of salespeople never follow up with a prospect.
• 25% of salespeople make a second contact and stop.
• 12% of salespeople make three contacts and stop.
• Only 10% of sales people make it more than Three contacts with a prospect.

The trick here is making repeat contact with your prospects in a way that adds value. Nobody – you or your prospect – gets any value from an email that just says “just checking in.” It’s a wasted use of your time, and wasted space in your prospect’s inbox

But what if you followed up with something of value? Perhaps a trigger event from a custom Google Alert you have set up for your prospect’s company? Or a blog post you found that could help them with their latest goals? The original Signals SlideShare provides a few templates and strategies for following up with value.

For more follow up ideas, go to my next blog: How to Write the "Following Through" Email.

Again, you can’t afford not to provide value nowadays in this modern world of constant interruption (how many emails, texts, phone calls, snapchats, etc. did you get while reading this 400 word Blog?)

Make sure your clients and prospects know that you are THE thought leader in your space.
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In addition to this blog, I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, "Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:

 www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki

 If you would like to listen to experts in all aspects of Netiquette and communication, try my radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ Rider University and  PSG of Mercer County New Jersey.
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