You don’t like doing outreach because you don’t want your messages to potential clients to be like all those spammy pitches you get.
Am I right?
But here's the problem with that...
If you don’t do outreach, you won’t have your own experience of it.
So you can’t see how it really does work when the timing is right and when you do it right.
All you have is that cringe feeling that goes with your memory of spammy pitchy people.
And that feeling tends to amplify when it comes to follow-up.
In the last issue, I shared the 3 very simple qualities of “good” outreach:
- It’s human
- It’s honest
- It’s real
But even when your outreach is good and well-timed, you won’t likely hear back from more than one in 10 people. (That’s just reality!)
Which is why good follow-up is even more important than good outreach.
Yet so many creative business owners avoid follow-up even more than outreach.
I’m curious - which do you think is harder? The initial outreach or the follow-up? Leave your answer here.
So what is “good” follow-up?
Like good outreach, good follow-up is human, honest, and real.
And it states the obvious.
What I mean is, it doesn’t try to hide the real reason you’re reaching out: to start a relationship, yes, but in order to do business together.
How do you state the obvious in a human, honest, real, and non-icky way?
Try starting your message with one of these:
- I’m being persistent because I love what you’re doing… (then tell them what you love about it)...
- Yes, I’m stalking you – here’s why, here’s what I love in what you’re doing!
- At the risk of pitching right off the bat…
- I’m lightly stalking you – haha…
- I’m reaching out because I really think I can help…
Want more?
In my recent Outreach Club for Simplest Marketing Plan Plus (SMP+) members, we workshopped a swipe file of over 25 “follow-up starters” you can download for free here.
That should get you started. Now it’s up to you to keep going!
That’s all for today. Thanks for reading.