Comment savoir quand il est temps d’arrêter de faire un suivi avec un prospect ?

I go by the rule of x 3. If a client does not respond x 3 times (either an email or phone call) after a meeting or initial conversation then unless there is some other major external factor then it is probably time to let go.

Lack of response on the first 2-3 instances wouldn’t bother me at all because your prospect might be busy doing something else during that week. But if they don’t respond back to you for a fortnight or a month, then it’s a matter of concern and it would definitely raise a red flag whether the customer is really serious or not. It can be either of the 3 cases: - Reaching out at the wrong time where they already have so many other priorities in hand - Reaching out to the wrong person. Identify who’s the right person in the organisation then? - If their requirements don’t match what your product is offering, then you are not the right fit for them. Disqualify and move on.

Lack of response is majorly a reason to stop following up with a prospect. But one must understand why a prospect decides to go silent even after showing early commitment during the conversation. Is it because they believe that they do not have a service or contract for you at that moment and feel you should understand? Is their pitch cycle close or in the future? One must also have clarity. The irony about this sometimes is that in this line of work, I have seen a prospect come back, even after a year of being 'chased' and no communication to show if your emails or messaging are being delivered. So, the why behind the lack of response must be understood before one decides to move on.

If your follow-up attempts (emails, calls, messages) have been consistently ignored over a significant period, and the prospect has not engaged with any of your content or communications, it might be time to back off.

Some indicators could be: 1.No response after multiple attempts 2. Clear lack of interest or disinterest 3. Unresponsiveness or delays in communication 4. If we've exhausted the efforts in reaching decision-makers within the prospect's organization and have hit a dead end with no possibility of further progress.

If a prospect explicitly states they are not interested in your product or service, or they've chosen a competitor, it's a clear signal to stop following up. Continuing to pursue them can be seen as disrespectful of their decision.If a prospect responds negatively to your follow-ups, expressing annoyance or disinterest, it's a clear sign to stop. Persisting further could harm your brand's reputation.

To determine when to stop following up with a prospect: 1. No response after multiple attempts across different channels (email, phone, social media). 2. Prospect explicitly requests no further contact. 3. They confirm they've chosen another solution or are no longer in need. 4. Significant time has passed without any engagement or interest signs. 5. Internal prioritization rules suggest reallocating efforts to more promising leads. 6. Feedback from the prospect indicates a mismatch between their needs and your offering. 7. Analysis of engagement metrics suggests low likelihood of conversion. Recognizing these signs helps optimize time and resources, focusing on more promising opportunities.

Some buyers will encourage multiple vendors to pursue their business on the hopes of creating a bidding war and ultimately a champion-challenger scenario. As soon as you suspect that the prospect is losing serious interest, especially if you can ascertain multiple vendors vying for the business, inquire if there is a formal RFP pending. If not, you’re better off chasing other opportunities rather than being the third or fourth choice in a multiple vendor field.

Los clientes buscan cualquier excusa para decir qué no, lo tienen muy estudiado, siempre es culpa de presupuesto, o de cambio de estrategia, o de lineamientos de casa matriz, en ocasiones con pretextos inventados hasta de muy mal gusto. En un principio el interés está con mucho empuje pero después de saber tarifas de tu trabajo, ahí es cuando dejan de contestar, porqué hacen la relación producto-precio y no lo ven como una inversión, sino como un gasto. El trabajo no se regala.

Negative feedback isn't a reason to stop following up with a prospect (depending on how negative we're talking here). It's worth seeing how you can improve and maybe streamline for the next time around. With negative feedback, I'd say to follow up for feedback rather than following up to re-sell because if you can learn why it didn't satisfy the client/prospect then you can avoid the mistake in the future.

Sometimes, a prospect's business needs, budget, or strategic focus might change, making your solution irrelevant. If you become aware of such changes, reassess whether continuing to follow up is worthwhile. If there's been no progress in moving the prospect through the sales stages despite multiple follow-ups, it might indicate a lack of interest or fit. Continuing to invest time here might not be productive. While persistence is key in sales, there's a fine line between being persistent and being pushy. If you've exceeded your standard follow-up timeline or number of attempts without any positive signals, consider pausing your efforts.

mi sugerencia es que NUNCA es momento de dejar de hacer un seguimiento de un cliente potencial, primero es entender porque lo consideraste en su momento como potencial, que le viste? segundo es poder entender si el potencial que tu le viste si es el correcto si estas haciendo la interpretacion adecuada, debes investigar bien sobre tu cliente y si tu portafolio en caja debes hacer visitas de mantenimiento llevarles nuevas noticias y como tu si podras apoyar a su desarrollo y muy seguramente si no gue esta vez una vez ya tengas el conocimiento adecuado del cliente y te hayas ganado la confianza te pedira su apoyo en algunos temas para el presupuesto del proximo año

Esta situação pode ocorrer quando ainda não há domínio da conta. Por essa razão, eu incentivo minhas equipes a identificar o papel de cada stakeholder no cliente, assim como a situação orçamentária, para que as expectativas estejam alinhadas com a realidade. Se o interlocutor do lado do cliente não possui, de fato, autoridade, mas se houver relacionamento, pode ser a porta de entrada para mapear os papéis e as forças necessárias para identificar e apresentar o contato correto para um feedback sincero e construtivo. Em uma situação prática, a fase preliminar de avaliação e/ou aprovação de oportunidade poderia ter identificado este cenário. Enquanto houver comunicação, haverá esperança, mas não se esqueça de que tempo é dinheiro e reputação.

I've been guilty of it myself in the past of ignoring someone based on authority. However, if you're trying to bring value to your business and industry as a whole, then that prospect could be a hot lead in a year or 2. I'd always advise following up with a prospect even if they don't have authority because it's relationship-building and could turn into a golden goose in the future.

If this happens to you, you've done everything wrong. You can't waste time and from the first moment identify who makes the decisions and ratifies them. If they give you a long time, it's because things are not done well

Esto también es una práctica muy usada, siempre es decisión de alguien más, nunca de la persona con la que se trata directamente, con esto evaden su responsabilidad de tomar decisiones, y cuando preguntas con quién más se puede revisar el tema no te dan la información, y ellos mismo bloquean la comunicación, y en mi experiencia he notado que esto lo hacen para no perder autoridad o poder de elección, vaya forma tan primitiva de pensar. En muchas ocasiones los mandos bajos o medios hacen esta práctica pensando que con eso subirán de nivel o harán que les den una medalla, pierden totalmente el foco de la necesidad. Una gran, gran y obsoleta forma de trabajar.

Initially, try to confirm the prospect's decision-making authority or influence. Ask direct questions to understand their role in the purchasing process and inquire about who else is involved in the decision-making process. Make concerted efforts to engage with key stakeholders who have the authority to make purchasing decisions. If you encounter difficulties in reaching them or they show little interest in engaging with you, it may signal that the prospect isn't a viable opportunity. If it becomes evident that the prospect lacks the necessary decision-making authority or access to key stakeholders, redirect your resources and focus on more promising opportunities where you can engage with individuals who have the power to buy.

This one should be the first thing the team should investigate before spending more time, effort and budget following up on the lead. If the lead is not a good fit, it is worth looking at how many you get like those and try to understand why it happens and look at tightening your target audience further.

No fit is probably the only time I would stop indefinitely. If a prospect is really dug in, I’d multi-thread the account. If that was impossible, I’d just wait for them to leave. Turnover is it at unprecedented levels. One of the main reasons employee turnover is so high nowadays is that companies are more focused on turning a profit rather than building a relationship with their employees.

If they truly do not use what you have to offer then use that time and energy elsewhere. Having said this still keep in touch at least once a year as things always change. I believe in the never give up philosophy.

Getting involved with a client who is not fit for the solution being proffered is more of a deficit on the part of the solution provider, or in this case the agency. From experience, it is paramount to first do your brand audit to know if both parties are fit for each other, even after having a conversation with the client, as that little audit will save you a lot of time and resources that could have gone down the drain in the process of crafting the solution.

If the prospect doesn't fit your ideal customer profile or target market, continuing to pursue them may not be a wise investment of time and resources.

Businesses are in a constant state of change and this impacts on projects and priorities. The ‘contact’ for your opportunity may have had their budget pulled or simply been told NO! They may be embarrassed and frustrated, but rather than tell you, they just go silent. Truly great salespeople preempt such issues and build open and transparent relationships. In modern digital age selling, if you want to increase your chances of getting to “YES”, you must make “NO” an equally acceptable answer!

One additional thing I think is worth mentioning is if the prospect is a good fit, a decision maker, had all the information needed to go ahead, and keep hesitating. Something is off and the prospect might be still worried he might be making the wrong decision. No amount of information will help to persuade him/her. Allow him the time to make his decision without being too pushy which might put him/her off rather than help your case.

Explicit Disinterest: They say they're uninterested or ask you to stop contacting them. Repeated Delays: They postpone calls or decision timelines without clear reasons or future commitments. Budget Mismatch: Their budget can't accommodate your solution, and no compromise is possible. No Authority: You're interacting with someone without decision-making power, and they can't connect you to the right people. Change in Circumstances: Significant changes at their company (merger, layoffs) make your offering no longer relevant. And Prolonged Radio Silence. Before giving up, set a "final attempt" plan, often an email summarizing value and checking in directly. Don't burn bridges – remain professional, as their needs might change later.

Knowing when to stop following up with a prospect. Here are some indicators to determine when it's time to cease your follow-up efforts, lack of response, clear disinterest, no progress or movement, competitor engagement, and time constraints and priorities. It's important to maintain a respectful approach and redirect your efforts towards other prospects if you encounter these indicators.

Discerning when to halt pursuit hinges on active listening and strategic relationship management. The crux lies in balancing persistence with perceptive understanding of the prospect's cues, leveraging event-based buying signals, and enriching interactions beyond mere transactional follow-ups. Embracing techniques like reflective feedback, summarising, and paraphrasing enriches dialogue, while pausing for unqualified leads or diversifying touchpoints maintains rapport without pressuring the sale. Ultimately, it's about fostering trust and adding value, ensuring every interaction paves the way for potential future engagement. Don't be a Gollum with THIS deal, precious. Let's build something better, based on value, not desperation.