1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to make a plan to follow up. 4 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: So often people take an initial silence or noncommittal answer 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: as a no, and sometimes it is a no, but 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: sometimes it isn't, which is why it pays to follow up. 7 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,480 Speaker 1: Let's picture this scenario. You are reaching out to someone 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: that a friend suggested you meet. Maybe this person works 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: at a company you've long been intrigued by, where you 10 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: might like to work some day too. You write a 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: note introducing yourself and asked to talk. The person replies 12 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: that she is slammed right now, but can we follow 13 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: up next month? What do you do with this? A 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: great many people simply interpreted as no. Another rather high 15 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: proportion of people decide that this means what it means 16 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: this month is really busy, but they don't make a 17 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: plan to do anything with that information. Time passes and 18 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: they move on to other things. Somewhere in the back 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: of their minds, they remember that this was a potential contact, 20 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: but even that gets mushy after the weeks go by, 21 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: so nothing happens. Then there are some folks who write 22 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: back with sounds good, I will follow up next month. 23 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Then they put it on their calendars on a specific 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: date early in the next month to reach out again. 25 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 1: On that date, they write a follow up note, revisiting 26 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: the initial request. Which approach do you think is more effective? 27 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: Following up doesn't always yield results, but it's far more 28 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: likely to yield results than doing nothing. I mean, let's 29 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: face it, someone you reached out to is probably not 30 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: going to remember to follow up with you. It's up 31 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: to you to make it happen. So it's up to 32 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: you to have a system to make it happen. This 33 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: really doesn't need to be that complicated. If you ask 34 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: and someone suggests a better time for following up, take 35 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: them at their word. Next week means sending a follow 36 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: up note next Monday. Next month means sending a follow 37 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: up note on the first work day of the following month. 38 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: Next year means the first work day of the new year. Now, 39 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: I will admit that anyone punting you off to the 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: next year might not be a completely great prospect, But 41 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: you never know. Maybe they had tons of business last 42 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: year and none this year. Maybe this person is now 43 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: in need of help themselves help you might be able 44 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: to offer in addition to whatever you are asking from them. 45 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: There is no harm done by sending a follow up note. 46 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: Sending a dozen notes to a person can bend into 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: the realm of being uncomfortable for everyone, but two or 48 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: three doesn't cross into that category at all, And often 49 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: people do just get busy. We all go through times 50 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: when we are overcommitted or our work cycles are at 51 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: their peak. An accountant might want to talk with you 52 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 1: about the neighborhood committee, but not on March. Follow up 53 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: in late April, when she tells you she is emerging 54 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: from busy season and you are far more likely to 55 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: get a yes. Do you have any great stories from 56 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: having a system for following up? If so, I'd love 57 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: to hear about them. You can reach me at Laura 58 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: at Laura Vanderkamp dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. 59 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and here's to making the most of 60 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 61 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 62 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 63 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four then 64 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: breakfast p O d. You can also shoot me an 65 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: email at before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that 66 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks 67 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: so much, I look forward to staying in touch. Before 68 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 1: Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. 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