Last week we talked about follow-up, but what happens when your initial attempts at follow-up are not successful? Often in sales and marketing, the sale is not made on the first attempt so this is pretty normal (in fact, research shows us that it typically takes about 5-12 “touches” to close a sale).

There are many reasons people don’t make a purchase immediately or even after a few follow-up attempts. But generally the desire to fix the original problem still exists (person wants a new car, wants to lose weight, wants to earn more money, etc.)

It is likely that the offer you made to fix their problem isn’t exactly the right solution for them. It is also possible it IS the right solution but they aren’t ready. Sometimes, all it takes is time for them to see that you have the solution for them.

Here are 4 strategies you can use to follow up with a prospect after your initial offer gets rejected:

1. Re-sell the same offer

If it is merely a case of cold feet, a simple re-sell of the same offer can close the deal. Try a message of “here’s the X # of reasons that most people don’t buy” and address each of these hesitations. Present all the reasons why they should still buy and how your offer can solve the problem they came to you for.

2. “I’m Confused…”

This is a great way to start the conversation again. Send them an email that starts with “I’m confused” and then state that you don’t understand why someone in their position who needs help with this problem wouldn’t take action to fix it. Of course, you want to do it in a friendly and empathetic way but this will often give them enough of a nudge to rethink your offer.

3. “Final Notice”

Take advantage of the scarcity mentality and apply some limit to the situation. Let them know that the offer will be off the table in X days/hours. You want to be sure that you follow through so that you’re presenting yourself with integrity, so make sure that limit is reasonable.

4. Tweak the offer.

Sometimes a small tweak like offering an extended payment plan or adding extra bonuses can be enough to tip the scale from prospect to customer. Test different scenarios like pricing structures, bonus offers, extra personal support, etc. to see if you can get a response. Or take some time and think about your initial conversation with them, was there anything you haven’t addressed with your offer? That’s where you should focus your attention if you decide to tweak the offer.

So remember, even if you’ve followed-up and gotten no response you still have the opportunity to give it one more try. Comment below with your favorite conversion-bumping tactics!