How to Write a Follow-Up That Keeps Negotiation Open

Most seller-experts freeze up at follow-up. Not because they don’t know what to do. Because they're afraid.. "What if I'm bothering them?" That fear has quietly killed more deals than bad pricing ever could. Here’s what I’ve learned after 20+ years: Silence doesn’t feel respectful. It feels like abandonment. When you go quiet, clients often assume: ❌ You found something better ❌ You weren’t that interested ❌ You’ve already moved on Meanwhile, the data reminds us: ➟ 80% of sales need five or more follow-ups ➟ 44% of professionals stop after just one Your competitor? Still showing up. The truth is, being strategically helpful is never annoying. But going dark usually is. Here are 7 follow-up moves that add value instead of noise: 1/ Share a Fresh Insight “Saw how [competitor] tackled [specific challenge]. Three smart ideas you could borrow...” 2/ Ask a Sharp Question “How’s [initiative] progressing since we last spoke?” 3/ Highlight a Win “Just helped [company] cut [metric] by 30%. The surprising unlock? [insightful tactic].” 4/ Offer a No-Pressure Give “I’ve got 15 mins Thursday. Want to see what worked for [peer org]?” 5/ Reconnect Through a Connector “[Mutual contact] mentioned you’re focused on X. I know someone who cracked that. Want an intro?” 6/ Use a Trigger Event “Saw the [trigger] news. 3 competitors noticed too. Here’s what they might miss.” 7/ Close with Clarity and Warmth “Sounds like Q4 is tight. I’ll check back Jan 15 when you’re planning next year. Sound good?” Every follow-up is a choice. Be forgotten. Or be invaluable. Your prospects are juggling more than ever. They need what you have. But they won’t chase you for it. So pick one stalled opportunity. Make one thoughtful move. Today. Because while others are hesitating, you’re building trust. It’s always your move. Share this to help someone in your network.

I just reviewed a follow up email that made me want to delete my LinkedIn account. After an incredible discovery call where the rep: → Uncovered $500K in annual losses → Identified specific pain points → Built genuine rapport with the prospect He sent this follow up: "Hi John, following up on our conversation. Any thoughts on next steps?" I'm not joking. That was the entire email. This rep went from trusted advisor to desperate vendor in one sentence. Here's what he should have sent instead: "John, Based on our conversation about the $500K you're losing annually due to deployment delays, I've put together a brief overview of how we've helped similar companies reduce this impact by 80%. Given the scope of this challenge, when can we get your CFO involved to discuss the business case? Best regards, [Rep name]" The difference is night and day: ❌ Weak follow up: "Any thoughts on next steps?" ✅ Strong follow up: References specific problem + demonstrates value + advances the sale Your follow up emails should sell, not beg. Every touchpoint is an opportunity to: → Reinforce the problems you uncovered → Show how you solve them → Move the deal forward Stop wasting these golden opportunities with generic, desperate sounding messages. Use what you learned in discovery to craft follow-ups that advance the sale. Your prospects are drowning in "just checking in" emails. Be the one who stands out by referencing real business impact. — Reps! Here’s 5 simple follow up strategies to close seals faster and to minimize ghosting: https://lnkd.in/gJRJwzsN

“Just following up…” isn’t a strategy. It’s a stall. And I get it...follow-up can feel awkward. You don’t want to be annoying. You don’t want to seem desperate. You just want to re-open the convo without sounding like a robot. So let me show you 3 better ways to follow up...and when to use them: 🔹 1. The Callback This one’s personal. You reference something they said on the call. “You mentioned wanting to raise your rates without losing clients...still thinking about that? I am here to dig deeper when you’re ready.” ✅ Use it when: They were warm, the convo was real, and you just need a re-entry point. 🔹 2. The Disruptor Humor. A GIF. A voice note. Something unexpected. This one’s a pattern interrupt. I've sent a GIF of a guy standing in the rain...soaked, waiting. No words. No pressure. Just a quiet nudge. The person replied within minutes. ✅ Use it when: You’ve been ghosted or left on read and want to show up without pushing. 🔹 3. The Shift Sometimes the original thread is dead. So… pivot. Change the energy. Bring something new to the table. “Just saw this article and thought of our convo. Curious if you’ve been seeing this trend too?” ✅ Use it when: The trail is cold, but the relationship is worth keeping warm. Bottom line? 📌 People don’t ignore you because you followed up. They ignore you because you didn’t give them a reason to care. So stop “checking in.” Start reconnecting...with strategy, creativity, and a little heart. 💬 Curious: Which one do you tend to use? And which one do you want to try next? Yaacov 🎙🙏🏻 --- 👉 Struggling to sell your creative work? Hi, I’m Yaacov 👋🏻—I help agency owners & solopreneurs land more clients without feeling like a salesperson. 💡 My clients have hit 200% growth in 60 days and closed $50K in 3 weeks. Let’s fix your sales process.