Have you ever been on the receiving end of sales calls you don’t want?

For example, have you ever been contacted by a robodialer?

What about being contacted by one at 4 AM in regard to a conference you never signed up for in the first place?

Have you had the sales person lie to your gatekeeper to sneak through?

How did you feel when the sales person actually got in touch with you?

Angry? Did you even know who they were?

Salespeople try all sorts of obnoxious techniques for following up. But with these tips, you can be the one others look forward to hearing from, instead of the one they forget or avoid.

No one right way to do this exists. You can use these ideas yourself, or add them to your list to inspire your own:

1. Creatively Research Your Prospect So You Have Something to Follow Up About

Online, you only have an infinite number of ways to do this. Research their private Facebook profiles. Do the same for their professional LinkedIn Profile and company profile too. Follow them on Twitter. Set up Google Alerts for their personal and company names.

Watch press release sites like PRWeb and PR Newswire, two of the biggest press release websites, for mentions of the company. Stop by at their website too to check for new content.

When a triggering event happens in the news, you know about it fast. And now you have something to follow up with your client about.

2. Watch Your Own Content for Opportunities

You remember some of the challenges your client faces from previous conversations. Your company should have a central content bank with blog posts, white papers, case studies – all the content you create. If you have content that addresses something they specifically mentioned in the past, now you have a reason to follow up.

If you have a case study that showcases a company similar to your client, now you have an excuse to revive a stalled relationship.

3. Just Ask How Things Are Going Businesswise

If you haven’t talked to your prospect in a while, and you don’t have a great excuse for touching base, this one could be your “go-to.” Ask your prospect how things are going in relation to something you discussed in one of your prior meetings.

Then, offer a tip that will help them make progress on the problem. Or, send them a link to content (not yours) that does the same.

Don’t ask for anything at all. Simply touch base and add value.

What’s the Common Factor Among All These Techniques?

In all cases, you show the prospect they’re important first. And you ask for nothing yourself.

That tells your prospect you care more about them than yourself. Which builds the relationship. And then, when your prospect needs what you do, you’ll likely be the first name that comes to mind.

You won’t feel like a pest because you’ll be useful and helpful – anything but a pest. So get on out there, and start building relationships!

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