How To Re-engage Prospective Clients That Have Gone Slightly Cold?

(For context, this question came up during the last week of August — right before Labor Day Weekend.)

Perhaps you’ve encountered this scenario.

You’ve been working to develop a new client engagement for several weeks or months. You’ve had a series of conversations with a prospective client. You’ve sent in a proposal. Now a few weeks have gone by and nothing is moving. So what to do?

Here’s what not to do. Not the typical sales behavior — as in, any voice mail or email with the subject or words:

I’m following up…

I’m checking in…

I’m going to put you in the microwave so I can warm you up like yesterday’s leftovers…

Because everyone loves to be warmed up….

All of this is about you. Not them.

You are following up to see if they have a check or purchase order for you. That is not a priority for them.

The first step is to shift your internal posture.

All of your communication must be value creating.

And value creation is always in the context of the client’s world.

One way to create value is to help your client clarify their commitments. And you can use the client’s calendar to help.

Here’s one way to do it. Verbally is best if possible.

Hi, Sara. I’ve been thinking about your goals that we talked about a few weeks ago — to get X accomplished so you can achieve Y business outcome.  (Notice that we are always communicating in terms of the client’s outcomes and objectives).

I was looking at the calendar and reflecting on the rhythm of the business calendar for most organizations. Between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, there are 12 weeks. And between Thanksgiving and Christmas there are a ton of competing priorities and distractions. That means there are about 60 business days to actually accomplish something that will move the needle. And out of those sixty days, probably fifty are just focused on running the business.

Which means you and your team might have ten days to really focus on getting X accomplished.

Based on everything going on for you, is X really the highest priority? If not, what is?

Where does the project we’ve been discussing fit? Or does it?

It’s totally fine if it is not. If not, then let’s agree to table these discussions until January.

If so, how can I help you create the internal commitment to move forward?

What do you want to do here?

Note that you are creating value here by helping the client clarify their priorities and commitment.

Internal posture is key. You must be coming from a perspective of true service to help the client achieve their goals — not manipulating them by invoking their calendar.  The same words will have a different energetic quality if you are coming from the latter posture and clients will pick up on it immediately. It’s the difference between being a typical salesperson and a trusted advisor.

The person who asked this question took this approach, adapted it to the unique situation of her client, and then re-engaged with this client immediately.

As a result, her pipeline is moving forward.  How about yours?