Did you know 80 percent of sales occur between the fifth and twelfth follow-up?

Get this, though — only 10 percent of people in sales ever follow up with a lead more than three times! That means that you can be a top 10 percent performer just by being persistent!

You don’t have to be good. You don’t have to be skilled. You don’t have to be talented. All you need to do is be intentional about following up with leads.

First, build a routine by time-blocking for your follow-ups. Your routine will always equal the result you get, which is why you need to prioritize follow-ups on your calendar. Make and keep follow-up appointments with your leads.

After carving out the time to connect, nurture the relationships. Here are five effective ways.

Five Effective Ways to Nurture Leads

1. Know the prospect’s motivation.

When you know what someone needs or wants long-term, you can be a problem-solving resource.

Early in your relationship, ask questions and make notes about what motivates them. What needs to happen before they’re ready to buy?

You want to be the first person in your industry who can solve their problem when they’re ready to act.

2. Be the expert.

Educate prospects about your industry to establish yourself as “the” person who will shoot straight with them. Selling isn’t always asking for the sale. Be a reliable and knowledgeable expert.

3. Be a friend.

Keeping current with your prospects helps you add value to the relationship. It shows that you care about them and what’s going on in their lives and businesses.

For instance, if you discover one of your leads needs a plumber, recommend someone. Being a resource and a problem-solver keeps you in “give mode,” which is how you approach your friendships, right?

4. Digitize for intentionality.

You need to track your follow-ups and information about prospects.

Make sure you know how many times you’ve checked in with them, what you talked about, and what their current needs may be. If you know their reluctance to buy, you can remove the obstacle.

When you’re starting out, you can keep this information in your head or on sticky notes. As your prospect list grows, you will need to utilize technology to keep track of everyone in your pipeline. It will help you know what to do and when.

5. Provide long-term value.

Being a resource about your industry is only part of the process. You will want to know about what’s happening in their lives, what they do for fun, and what their struggles might be.

If they love chihuahuas, when you see an article about chihuahuas, send it! For a prospect with a junior or senior in high school, send an article about navigating the college recruitment process.

Set your default to “Give Mode.”

Following up is as simple as being intentional with your relationships.

The “leads” and “follow-ups” you’re tracking are less about your business and more about setting your default to “give mode.”

Show up when it comes to following up. Give more. It may take time, but you will look back and see the benefits of providing value to your relationships—your family, your tribe, and your clients.

Your accumulated fortune will show up in your bank account and your life.

Let’s go build a big business—and a bigger life— by prioritizing follow-ups.

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