5 Reasons to Make a Follow-Up Sales Call Other Than "Just Checking In"

We‘ve all been there. You had a great initial call with a prospect, sent a compelling follow-up email, and now find yourself wondering how to keep the conversation going without sounding like a broken record.

It‘s tempting to pick up the phone and say you‘re "just checking in" or "touching base." But this rarely provides any value to the buyer and can actually damage your credibility. After all, if you don‘t have anything worthwhile to say, why should they keep taking your calls?

The key is having a specific, relevant reason for each follow-up touch point. You need to give prospects a tangible reason to engage in continued discussion and view you as a trusted advisor, not a pesky salesperson.

Here are 5 compelling reasons to make a follow-up sales call that will help you provide value and move deals forward:

1. Share Relevant Industry News and Insights

One of the best ways to position yourself as a credible resource is to educate prospects about what‘s happening in their industry. Set up Google alerts for their vertical, follow trade publications, and monitor social media to stay on top of the latest news and trends.

When you find an article, report, or statistic relevant to their business, reach out to share it with a message like:

"Hi [Name],

I came across this article in [Publication] about [Topic] and thought you would find it valuable.

The author makes some interesting points about how [Industry Trend] is impacting [Job Function]. This quote stood out to me:

[Insert quote and explain why it‘s relevant to them]

I‘d love to get your take on this. Do you agree with the article‘s assessment? How is your company responding to these market shifts?

Let me know if you have a few minutes to discuss. I‘m happy to share some additional insights I‘ve gathered from working with other [Industry] companies.

Best,

[Your Name]"

Not only does this approach give you a valid reason to reach out, it sparks a discussion and shows that you‘re invested in understanding their unique needs and challenges. You move the conversation from what you‘re selling to what‘s happening in their world.

2. Inform Them About a New Customer Success Story

Prospects need more than just your word to believe your solution is the answer to their prayers. They want tangible proof that you‘ve helped companies like theirs solve similar problems and achieve measurable results.

That‘s where customer success stories come in. Reach out to prospects with a relevant case study that showcases how you‘ve delivered value for a comparable client.

For example:

"Hi [Name],

I wanted to share a recent success story that I thought might resonate with you given our previous conversations about [Pain Point].

We just wrapped up an engagement with [Client Company], a midsize [Industry] business that was struggling with [Challenge]. By implementing [Your Solution], they were able to:

• [Result 1]
• [Result 2]
• [Result 3]

I‘ve attached a PDF copy of the full case study for you to review. Let me know if any of their challenges or results sound familiar – I‘d be happy to walk you through how we might be able to achieve something similar for [Prospect Company].

Do you have 15-20 minutes to connect this week?

Regards,

[Your Name]"

The key here is drawing a clear parallel between the featured client and the prospect you‘re reaching out to. You want them to see themselves in the case study and envision achieving those same results with your help.

3. Provide New Data or Proof Points

If a prospect seems skeptical about your claims, one of the best things you can do is provide them with objective, verifiable data that supports your position.

Compile relevant statistics, research reports, or social proof related to your product‘s effectiveness and reach out to share it:

"Hi [Name],

I recall you mentioning that you‘d like to see more data around [Topic] before moving forward.

I did some digging and found a few compelling proof points I think you‘ll find valuable:

• [Statistic 1 with source]
• [Statistic 2 with source]
• [Statistic 3 with source]

I‘ve been working in the [Industry/Function] space for [X] years now and in my experience, numbers like these are a strong indication that [Your Solution] is well-positioned to drive results for companies like [Prospect Company].

Do any of these data points change your perspective on [Pain Point] or how to address it? I‘d love to get your honest take.

Let me know if you‘re open to a brief call this week to discuss further.

All the best,

[Your Name]"

In addition to external proof points, consider looping in your happiest customers to provide a testimonial or serve as a reference. A glowing review from a respected peer goes a long way in building trust and overcoming doubts.

4. Invite Them to an Upcoming Event

Hosting a webinar, conference, meetup, or other event creates a natural reason to reach out and extend an invitation to prospects. It allows you to offer something of value (knowledge and networking) while gauging their level of interest.

Even if they don‘t end up attending, it gives you a reason to follow up and share insights or recordings after the fact.

Your outreach could look something like:

"Hi [Name],

I wanted to make sure you saw the invite to our upcoming [Event Name] on [Date].

We have an exciting lineup of [speakers/sessions/topics] that I think would be highly relevant to the work you‘re doing at [Company]. In particular, I thought you might be interested in hearing from [Speaker Name] on [Topic].

Here‘s a link to the full agenda: [link]

As a valued [customer/partner/prospect] of [Your Company], I‘m able to extend you a complimentary VIP pass (normally $X). Simply click this unique registration link and enter code [Code] at checkout: [link]

Will you be able to join us? I‘d love to meet you in person and introduce you to some of the other [job title]s attending.

If you can‘t make it, no worries. I‘ll be sure to send over some key takeaways after the event.

Cheers,

[Your Name]"

The beauty of this approach is you get to strengthen the relationship whether they take you up on the offer or not. If they attend, you have an opportunity to connect face-to-face, learn more about their needs, and lay the groundwork for future conversations.

If they don‘t, you still have a natural reason to follow up, share what they missed, and check in on their current situation. It‘s a win-win.

5. Continue the Conversation Based on Content Engagement

If you‘re using marketing automation software, you likely have visibility into what content your prospects are consuming – which ebooks they download, blog posts they comment on, webpages they visit.

Use these digital breadcrumbs to your advantage. Reference the content they‘ve engaged with as a jumping off point to restart the conversation:

"Hi [Name],

I noticed that you [downloaded/read/shared] our [ebook/blog/report] on [Topic] last week. That particular piece has been getting a lot of attention from other [Job Title]s – I‘m glad to see it resonated with you as well.

[Insert your thoughts on the content and how it relates to their situation]

I‘m curious – what was your biggest takeaway? How does the advice shared compare to how you‘re currently approaching [Challenge]?

If you found the [content] valuable, I have a few other resources I can share on [Related Topic 1] and [Related Topic 2].

Let me know if you‘d like me to send those over or if you‘d prefer to hop on a quick call to discuss your thoughts.

Either way, I appreciate you taking the time to engage with our content. It‘s great to know this topic is top-of-mind for you.

Talk soon,

[Your Name]"

This approach shows prospects that you‘re paying attention, you understand what matters to them, and you‘re committed to being a helpful resource – not just a one-and-done seller.

It shifts the dynamic from interruption to assistance and keeps the conversation going in a relevant, organic way.

The Importance of Value-Added Follow Up

At the end of the day, following up with prospects is about providing value at every touch point. If you reach out without a clear purpose or meaningful insight to share, you risk annoying your buyers and eroding the trust you‘ve worked so hard to build.

But when you take the time to be thoughtful, targeted, and genuinely helpful in your outreach, you‘ll find that prospects are much more receptive to keeping the conversation going. You‘ll differentiate yourself from the countless other reps clogging their inbox and establish yourself as someone worth talking to.

So the next time you find yourself staring at a prospect‘s name in your CRM wondering what to say, resist the urge to "just check in." Think about where they are in their journey, what you know about their needs and interests, and how you can add value to their day.

Get creative, do your research, and focus on being a consultative partner, not a pestering salesperson. Your prospects (and your quota!) will thank you.

As Chris Orlob, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Gong.io, says:

"In sales, we often get so focused on our own goals that we forget to put ourselves in our buyers‘ shoes. The best reps know that every interaction should be about them, not us. When you follow up in a way that adds real value, you earn the right to ask for more."

Now that you‘re armed with five compelling reasons to pick up the phone, which one will you use first?