Sales follow-up phrases like "just checking in" and "circling back" trigger defensive reactions. Instead, reference the specific conversation and ask what actually happened, like asking about a missed appointment on a downtown NYC insurance property rather than using generic language.
I was once guilty of this myself until I learned that these are trigger words. Anytime that you're following up with a prospect, when you get them on the phone or you email them or text them, what are some predictable words that most prospects are used to? Hey, just following up, just checking in, or just circling back. Now think about every time you got an email from somebody that tried to sell you something or a text message, something they said, hey, John, I'm just checking in. Or, hey, John, I'm just circling back. What was triggered in your mind? Salesperson trying to sell me something. So instead of saying following up or just checking in or circling back, I can change it around a little bit. So if I emailed them, I might say, hey, John, just had, you know, a few minutes to get back to you. We talked 3, 4 months ago about you guys looking at getting more coverage for your building in downtown New York City. And for some reason, we missed an appointment or lost the schedule or whatever happened. Did you guys give up on blank or what actually happened. Okay, just a way to get that engagement back. So all I'm doing there is I'm breaking the pattern.
