Following Up After Your First Meeting with a Prospective Client – What Do I Say?
First, let’s talk about why it is important to follow up after a meeting with a prospective (or newly acquired) client.
There are several reasons for doing this, including recapping topics discussed, reminding about any deadlines, and outlining next steps.
The timing of your follow-up note can be somewhat flexible depending on what was discussed during the meeting. If you set expectations for when the prospect/client should hear from you, it’s vital to adhere to that timeline.
Sometimes, you may need to gather information to answer questions or provide more details. In those cases, you should still send a brief follow-up on the same day that reviews the topics discussed and includes your commitment to provide more information by a certain date or time. If you are not sure when you will have that information, let them know you’ll keep them posted and send it as soon as possible. Remember that they will be expecting your response, so do not delay.
Here are a few tips on crafting your follow-up email.*
- Use an Engaging Subject Line: Be sure that your subject line catches the attention of your recipient(s) and clearly identifies the content of your email so it is not overlooked.
- Include All Participants: Everyone who attended the meeting should be included in the follow-up. Thank them for their time and attention.
- Summarize Key Points: Briefly review the main topics discussed during the meeting.
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- Highlight Action Items: Clearly outline any action items, deadlines, and next steps, along with who is responsible for them.
- Send Separate Emails for Specific Follow-Ups: If there are items to address with specific individuals, consider sending separate emails to them to create a focused dialogue for questions and comments. Include a reminder about any follow-up meeting that has already been scheduled.
Remember, if you commit to sending additional information, it’s crucial to follow through on that promise. How you handle the initial meeting and subsequent follow-up will set the tone for how you manage the resulting business relationship.
*See the following resources:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/meeting-follow-up-email-template-example
https://www.autoklose.com/follow-up-email-after-meeting
