Follow-Up Strategies for Consulting

Follow-Up Strategies for Consulting: The Complete Playbook

Consulting follow-up strategies is all about credibility. Before they buy, they need to trust you're the expert. Here's how to demonstrate expertise at scale.

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Why Consulting Follow-Up Strategies is Different

Stop using generic sales playbooks. Consulting buyers don't respond to the same tactics as other industries.

The Consulting Reality

• Trust takes months to build
• Proposals are free consulting for competitors
• 'We'll think about it' means no
• Price objections are actually value objections

Why Generic Templates Fail

• Wrong timing - Consulting sales cycles are 4-12 weeks, not 2 weeks
• Wrong people - You're pitching middle managers without budget instead of actual decision makers
• Wrong problems - Generic templates miss Consulting-specific pain points
• Wrong channels - Content + referrals outperforms cold email for consulting

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Step 1: Define Who You're Targeting

Most consulting outreach fails before it starts because the target account list is garbage.

Your Consulting ICP

Company Profile:

• Company size: 50-500 employees
• Revenue: $2M-$50M revenue
• Growth stage: Building practice area (specializing)

Decision Makers:

• Economic buyer: CEO, CFO
• Problem owner: VP, Director feeling the pain
• Evaluator: Usually the same as problem owner
• Legal: Reviews contracts, can slow things down

Red Flags (accounts to skip):

• Solopreneur with no leverage
• Hourly billing only
• No clear methodology or process
• Dependent on one founder's relationships

Build Your List

Start with 50-150 accounts. Use:

• LinkedIn (company page followers, recent posts)
• Owler (company news, competitors)
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator (decision makers)

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Step 2: Research That Actually Matters

Stop researching everything. Research what consulting buyers care about.

What to Research in 5 Minutes

1. Recent funding - Growth-stage shows confidence in growth
2. Tech stack - Modern stack = forward-thinking, willing to invest
3. Team changes - New role created = new budget to deploy
4. Content strategy - LinkedIn presence = building authority

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Step 3: Messages That Get Replies

Consulting sales are about demonstrating expertise, not listing services.

What works:

• Share a relevant insight or framework
• Reference a similar client challenge
• Show you understand their specific problem
• Low-friction next steps (content, not calls)

What fails:

• Long list of services
• "We can help with anything"
• Asking for hours of their time

Template: First Touch (Cold)

Subject: {{prospectName}}

Hi {{firstName}},

Saw that {{company}} just {{triggerEvent}}.

Most consulting companies at this stage hit a wall with {{specificPain}}—{{consequence}}.

We helped {{similarCompany}} cut {{painMetric}} by {{improvement}} in {{timeframe}}.

Open to seeing how this would look for {{company}}?

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{{signature}}

Template: Value Add (No Ask)

Subject: {{company}} + {{relevantTopic}}

Hi {{firstName}},

Came across this {{resourceType}} on {{topic}} and thought of your team at {{company}} given your recent {{context}}.

No ask—just thought it might be useful.

{{link}}

{{signature}}

Template: Breakup (Series Closer)

Subject: Should I close your file?

Hi {{firstName}},

Haven't heard back, so I assume follow-up strategies isn't a priority right now.

I'm going to close your file and reallocate resources to clients who are moving forward.

If things change, reach out.

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{{signature}}

Why this works: Demonstrates confidence. Consultants who chase don't close.

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Step 4: Execute Consistently

Leverage content. Write once, distribute many times. Every piece of content should become 5-10 touchpoints across channels.

Daily Routine (90 minutes max)

Time	Activity	Target
30 min	Research new prospects	10-15 accounts
45 min	Send first-touch outreach	20-30 personalized messages
15 min	Follow-ups	15-20 accounts

Cadence That Works

Touch	Channel	Timing
1	Email	Day 1
2	Phone call	Day 3
3	Email	Day 7
4	LinkedIn	Day 14
5	Breakup	Day 21

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Metrics That Actually Matter

Stop tracking vanity metrics. Track these:

Leading Indicators

• Content engagement (shares, comments)
• Inbound inquiries from content
• Proposal acceptance rate (>30%)

Lagging Indicators

• Engagements started
• Average project size

Consulting Benchmarks (Top 20%)

Metric	Baseline	Target	Top Quartile
Open Rate	25-40%	40-55%	60+%
Response Rate	5-10%	12-18%	20+%
Meeting Rate	1-3%	3-5%	6+%

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Tools & Stack

Minimum viable stack for Consulting follow-up strategies:

1. Email deliverability - Firstsales.io (Consultants can't afford to look spammy. We protect your reputation.)
2. Data enrichment - LinkedIn Sales Navigator (decision maker data)
3. Sequences - FirstSales (simple, effective)
4. Analytics - Simple spreadsheet (KISS principle)

Consulting-specific tools:

• Harvard Business Review (frameworks)
• McKinsey insights (research)
• Consulting success (community)

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Common Consulting Mistakes

Mistake #1: Selling methodology instead of outcome

The problem: Clients don't care about your proprietary framework. They care about their business outcome. Sell the result, not the process.

The fix: Lead with the outcome you achieve, not how you do it. Save the methodology for after they're interested.

Mistake #2: Proposing too early

The problem: Proposing before understanding the problem commoditizes you. Anyone can send a proposal.

The fix: Diagnose before prescribing. Use the first call to understand, not pitch.

Mistake #3: Letting scope creep unchecked

The problem: Scope creep destroys margins. Set boundaries upfront or pay the price.

The fix: Define scope clearly. Charge for scope changes. Teach clients to respect boundaries.

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30-Day Quick Start

Week 1: Foundation

• [ ] Define your consulting ICP
• [ ] Build initial account list (50-150 accounts)
• [ ] Set up tracking & analytics
• [ ] Create 3 message variations

Week 2: Launch

• [ ] Send first 150-200 emails
• [ ] Document what works
• [ ] Iterate on messaging

Week 3: Optimize

• [ ] Kill what doesn't work
• [ ] Double down on what does
• [ ] Add Phone call to your cadence

Week 4: Scale

• [ ] Increase volume to 400-500 weekly touches
• [ ] Add automation where it makes sense
• [ ] Hire or expand if needed

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long before consulting companies respond?

7-30 days. Consulting purchases involve more consideration. Nurture the relationship.

What's the best time to send LinkedIn?

Tuesday-Wednesday mid-morning. Avoid start and end of week.

Should I use automation or manual sending?

Minimal automation. Consulting sales are relationship-driven. Automate reminders, not outreach.

How do I handle "We'll handle it internally / Your fees are high / We need to think about it"?

Dig deeper. 'Internal' means 'we tried and failed' or 'we haven't prioritized.' Different responses require different approaches.

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Ready to Scale?

You've got the playbook. Now you need the infrastructure.

FirstSales gives you:

• Warm introductions to companies actively looking for help
• Content amplification to attract inbound leads
• ROI tracking to prove consulting value

Get your free sales audit → See exactly how your consulting outbound compares to top performers.

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