Your email app makes the dopamine-inducing “ding” sound, and the little red “1” appears.
Your inbox has a new email.
You got an inquiry. A new lead. An opportunity to book a new client.
You reply with excitement and anticipation. You gush about their inquiry, go on about how you can help them, ask when would be a good time for a meet-and-greet, and press the “send” button.
And then crickets.
Days – weeks, even – go by, and you forget about the inquiry.
Then one day, you remember. You think, “What happened to them?” and wish you could find out. You also know that you should have followed up, but you got busy with the day-to-day, it totally slipped your mind, and the lead got lost in the chaos.
That leads you to think, “I can’t believe I let that inquiry slip through the cracks; I’m so unprofessional,” you feel disappointed in yourself for not being more organized and reliable. Ultimately you fear that your inability to follow up consistently and be proactive with your workflow may lead to your business failure.
But not anymore. Below, you’ll get the 5 types of follow-ups, in order, that you need be sending to your leads after they inquire and ghost you.
Now, you can:
- Be more professional
- Be more proactive
- Improve your conversion and booking rates
- Enhance your efficiency
- Reduce your anxiety and doubt
- Never have to second-guess if you’re doing the right thing
Mastering the 5 types of follow-ups for booking more clients
- Follow-up: the art of reeling them in The first follow-up is a simple check-in. Acknowledge that they may be overloaded with information and offer to guide them through it with a meet-and-greet.
- Re-engage: Ignite their interest with one question Touch base to ask an intriguing question directly. The goal is to pique their interest in a new way and actively engage them in a conversation.
- Check-in: From silence to success Remind them about you and who you are, and acknowledge there’s been a lapse in communication. Ask about their level of interest or if they require further guidance, demonstrating your continued availability and dedication to an exceptional client experience. Additionally, you’ll want to foreshadow a looming “break-up” if they’re no longer interested to see if they’ll lean in when you start to lean back.
- Break up: When to say goodbye If it becomes clear that a lead may not be interested or responsive, communicate that you will end your follow-ups. Express understanding that they may no longer be interested and have chosen another photographer. Thank them for considering you.
- Feedback: Fuel your growth with honest insights After wrapping up the follow-up, seek their feedback to support your growth and improvement as a photographer. Ask for their input and to share their decision-making process and areas where you may have fallen short, along with suggestions for improvement.
Implement these follow-ups in your client journey in various channels (email, text, phone, etc.) and watch your lead engagement rate skyrocket and your bookings increase!
