Tracking is difficult. It sounds like a simple and easy thing to do, but there are all kinds of things that make it more difficult. It takes time. You have to remember to do it. You don't want to seem aggressive. An answer seems unlikely.
But tracking is key in many situations. From following up on a job interview to reminding someone who asked you for a little mentorship 4 Tips for Reaching Out to Anyone and Asking Them to Be Your Career Mentor 4 Tips for Reaching Out to Anyone and Asking Them to Be Your Career Mentor For those looking to develop in a field, mentors are essential. Unfortunately, you can't pick up a mentor from the shelves at Walmart. Here are some tips when seeking career guidance. Read More
In short, because people forget. They will read your email and forget to reply. Or forget they promised to call you back. They might forget that they were going to meet you for coffee. With great information overload Managing digital information overload:is technology the cause and the cure? [Opinion] Managing Digital Information Overload:Is Technology the Cause and the Cure? [Opinion] 'Drinking from the fire hose' is a turn of phrase you may not be familiar with. But trust me, if you're reading this blog and many others like it, it's exactly what you're doing... Read More
People handle too many stimuli in any given day, and even with a great task management system How to Create the Last Perfect Time Management System You'll Ever Use How to Create the Last Perfect Time Management System You'll Ever Use Productivity is A constant search for more organization with less work. A way to achieve everything you dream of achieving, without losing sleep. Can This Automated Time Management System Do It All? Read More And some of those things will probably be your emails and your calls. That's just life.
But that doesn't mean you have to accept it. Tracking your emails, calls, discussions, connections, and actions sets you apart from the hundreds of other people vying for attention. Steli Efti, for example, followed up with an investor 48 times before arriving at a meeting. It works.
At the very least, many follow-ups will give you a “No,” which is better than no response at all because it can move your efforts elsewhere.
It doesn't matter if you're trying to get a job, ask for advice, offer a freelance service, build a relationship, or just get a question answered, follow-up is crucial. And improving it will not only make your life easier, but also help you increase your rate of successful communication.
Here are five things you can do to improve tracking.
This is possibly the single most important thing you can do to improve your tracking skills. You have to understand that if you don't get a response from someone, you'll be following up. If the stakes are extremely low and you're not too concerned about the answer, you can skip it. But most of your communications are going to require follow-ups.
Knowing that ahead of time is key. You won't have to debate whether or not to send a follow-up because you're already fully committed to doing so.
The systematization of your follow-ups will be of great help. It's not just other people who forget things:you do too. Which means if you don't have a system with good reminders, you'll forget to follow up and start over.
There are many ways to do this. The easiest is with a spreadsheet. Here is an example of an email tracking spreadsheet:
Each row contains the date I emailed someone, who they are, their email address, and scheduled follow-ups. If I sent a follow-up email, I highlight the green cell. If the follow-up got a response, it is marked in purple.
This is just an example. You could use a wide variety of organizational methods for your spreadsheet. Or specify the contact method so you can track your follow-up emails to your calls (or vice versa). You can include the time of day, so you can vary your contact hours.
There are also many other ways to set up a system. You could create a Wunderlist that reminds you when to follow up. You could use Evernote to track your contacts.
If you have an iPhone, there's a cool trick you can use for call reminders:Tell Siri to remind you Master List of Every Siri Command and Question Master List of Every Siri Command and Question Siri can do a lot for you, but do you know she could do this a lot? Here's an exhaustive list of commands Siri will take. Read More The Android Call Reminder app provides similar functionality.
And there are plenty of email apps and extensions to help you if you need to stick with email. Airmail, my favorite email app for macOS The search for the perfect Gmail client for the Mac desktop The search for the perfect Gmail client for the Mac desktop Need a desktop client for Gmail on your Mac? Here are the best we could find. Read More Just choose a date when you send an outgoing message.
Boomerang is a popular Gmail extension that can return emails to your inbox and even allows you to schedule automatic follow-ups. Rebump and LeadCooker are two other Gmail extensions that give you similar functionality.
With all of these options, you're sure to find (or create) something that works for you. Just make sure you have something That will work. Trying to remember everything just isn't going to cut it.
This is going to vary greatly depending on the industry, goals, people you're communicating with, and other factors. But having an idea of when to follow up can increase your efforts.
Following up on an email about a freelancing opportunity or blogger outreach is best done by sending an email the next day, just to keep it in mind. Some people recommend following up the next day, then two days after that, then every five days after that until you get a response.
You may not want to call a lot, but it may depend on why you're calling. Waiting until a week after a job interview is probably a good idea. But you can call every few days after that if you haven't heard back.
Different companies have come up with different things when researching the best time to send an email. This is usually for company newsletters, but 10:00 AM seems like a good time, as is late at night. When you follow up with email, it's a good idea to try sending your email at a different time. You may just send the first one at a time when the recipient is not likely to open new messages.
When you call, there are a few other things to consider. For example, if you call someone at their work number, you'll want to call during business hours. And probably not at lunchtime. You'll also want to take their time zone into account.
In the end, it's best to experiment with a few different times for your follow-ups. My best advice is to reflect before you start dismissing emails and calls. Ask yourself if the current day and time is a good idea. If it is, go for it. If not, wait a bit. As long as you try, you'll be fine..
The Importance of Concise Communication How to Write the Perfect Business Email (Backed by Data) How to Write the Perfect Business Email (Backed by Data) Email is still the number one form of communication in business. To be successful in that environment, you need to learn how to write effective professional emails. We show you 9 simple tricks that have been proven to work. Read More This applies to virtually any type of communication, but it's especially important when you're following up. There's a good chance that whoever you contact already knows who you are and what you want because you've already told them that. It just keeps asking for an answer.
It could be as simple as “Hey, I just wanted to check in with you about [whatever you're emailing]. I know you're very busy, so I thought I'd keep going. Waiting to hear from you!”
You can also paste the content of your previous email below your message to be reminded of what you emailed first.
Calls are very similar:just let them know who you are, who you called before, and what you want.
“What do you want” is also important. If you don't tell the other person what you'd like them to do next, there's a chance they won't do anything. Let me know if it's okay.,” and “Is it okay if I call you next week??” These are all great indications of your desires.
If you tend to ramble or stray from your emails, try using an email writing tool. 5 Tools That Can Help You Write Better Emails. 5 Tools That Can Help You Write Better Emails. Everyone is still trying to solve the email problem. So let's talk about the most basic habit of all:the art of writing better emails. With the help of some great tools. Read more.
When you're having trouble getting in touch with someone, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking negatively. Keep in mind that, at least most of the time, it has nothing to do with you or your application. It probably has everything to do with the fact that everyone is so busy.
In fact, many people will appreciate the fact that you followed up. Few people have the time to keep up with all your emails and voicemails, but that doesn't mean they don't want to talk to you. In most cases, they just forgot.
So keep following up. No need to call every day or hassle someone on Twitter until they answer. But keep checking until you get an answer, even if it's a “No.”
Communication tracking methods are quite personal. The way I track my emails could be very different from how you do it. They may not follow up on calls or may only send emails after the first two calls. Your circumstances, industry, and goals affect your follow-ups. We want to hear your experiences.!
What do you find helpful in tracking? Do you stay in touch until you receive a response? Wait a long time before resending a message? Share your best tips in the comments below!
