Client Proposals: Scripts for All Your Follow Up Emails
For a lot of online entrepreneurs we aren’t always closing a deal on the discovery call. Sometimes we send a recap email with details from the call, and other times, it’s a proposal. Usually these are sent within 24 to 48 hours after a call, and sometimes they are time-bound. Especially if a proposal or an offer has a deadline.
So what happens when you send it and the potential client hasn’t responded in a few days? Do you:
Completely forget because you’re so overworked anyway?
Assume they hated you and have zero intention of speaking to you again?
Remain neutral and go through your follow-up plan?
If you’re wondering, “Ummmm what’s a follow-up plan? Is this something I should have in place?!” You aren’t alone.
Even though there’s that common saying, “The fortune’s in the follow-up,” this is one of the easiest things to overlook in business.
First off, here’s why you shouldn’t stress so much about annoying them with follow-up: People are BUSY!
Think for a moment about a person you keep meaning to reach back out to, even if it’s just for something in your personal life. You aren’t thinking about how awful they are or anything negative at all, it’s just that you’re juggling a million other things and it’s easy for certain tasks to fall to the bottom of our growing to-do lists.
By following up with them, you’re taking something off their plate! And you don’t have to do it in a way that feels pushy either.
Here are a few proposal follow up emails I like to send:
Hey Sandra,
It was great talking to you on Monday. After we spoke, I went to your website and looked more at your product line. I can tell you’ve spent a lot of time and energy creating them. No wonder you have so many repeat clients!
Have you had a chance to look over the proposal I sent Tuesday morning? I’m sure you’re busy, but I wanted to follow up in case you had any questions, or to start the on-boarding process so we can get your new website up and running sooner than later.
The proposal is valid through next Tuesday, so let me know how you’d like to proceed when you have a moment.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Erika
Hey Amanda,
I’m really glad I was able to give you a quick “win” on our call. How did it go with that new networking event?
I sent the recap of our call on Friday and wanted to see if you were ready to get started on the Strategic Growth plan we spoke about.
I only have room for 2 more clients right now and I’d love to support you and help you get to your goal of creating your course this year.
Please let me know as soon as possible if you have questions that came up after the call. If you’re ready to get started, simply tell me if you prefer the month-to-month or pay-in-full plan and I’ll get everything set up on my end.
Hope you’re having a great day and I can’t wait to hear how that event went!
Talk soon,
Erika
The key things you want to briefly include are when you spoke, what you spoke about, how they can proceed with you, and remind them you are available if they have questions. We all have those moments where as soon as a conversation ends we have a new question pop into our head! Let them know you’re open to answering those and also excited to get started.
One final point I’d like to mention about sending a follow up email after sending a proposal...make sure they got it if you haven’t heard back!
I’ve had it happen where I’ve originally connected with someone elsewhere, like Instagram, and then we have a great conversation on Zoom, I send the proposal email, and then I haven’t heard a thing. When I mention a few days later in their DMs that I’m happy to answer questions they tell me they never got the email!
GAAAAAH! This is so frustrating but it happens. Maybe it went to spam or to their “promotions” folder. Either way they didn’t see it.
Recently a client of mine told me sometimes when she sends follow up emails to prospective clients through her CRM they never show up either. So now if we’ve connected somewhere else I like to send a quick message through the other platform to let them know the proposal email is there.
Depending on how you have your business set up, your follow-up timeline might look a little different. A good place to start is:
24-48 hours
One week
One-three months
Three-six months
Six months-year
Caveat: If something comes up that puts time or financial pressure on, reach back out. If you are about to raise your prices, reach back out so that you can bring that person on at your current rate. Or if you have limited availability left, I’d reach back out as well so they don’t miss out.
