Turn One-Off Gigs into Repeatable Work with this Simple Follow-Up Framework - Roby Roste

Website: https://robynroste.com/

Instgram: https://www.instagram.com/arbyn

00:00 Turn one off gigs into repeatable work. Use this simple follow up framework to build trust and stay top of mind.  

00:11 My name is Robyn Roste, I'm a freelance writer, marketing strategist and funnel builder. I'm also the author of Marketing for Freelance Writers that released this past October through Panda Moon Publishing. So today we're going to talk about your problem. You're great at what you do, but you're a service provider you have happy clients you're you're pretty good with your rate. Your projects go fairly well. So what's the problem? Well, after the project drops up, the client disappears. I mean, they paid you, it's all good, but they're gone.  

00:50 No follow up equals no repeat work. That is the norm for most service providers the truth is most of us don't have a follow up system. It's not really something we think about. We wrap up a project and then we go looking for the next one. Maybe we have a couple lined up, but we're always looking prospecting, marketing. I posit following up will actually get you more work because if you're not following up and you don't have clients coming back to you, it means you're leaving money, momentum and even relationships on the table. So let's fix that. The follow up framework is a simple and repeatable way to stay top of mind, to build trust over time, and to book more ongoing work.  

01:46 Here's why following up works most of the time. Clients aren't ignoring you or I guess in this case, past clients aren't ignoring you. They're busy like they hair on fire, busy million miles an hour, have lots going on. They're not like, hey, I worked with that contractor that one time, that freelancer that one time, and they were awesome what was their number again what was their name again? Can we get them back in to do this thing? Like they're just not thinking like that they're running full speed ahead and they're not they're not even thinking about it. They're just busy Dane and touch helps them or remember your value right when they need you like Oh yeah, such and so you were so great at that project we worked on that one time.  

02:39 Hey, what are you doing next month?  

02:45 Introducing the follow up framework. For the sake of this presentation, we're going to do 5 TS. I don't normally talk about it in the simplistic of a of a of a five step process, but it actually is this simple. Track trigger timing template tone. Ok, five steps and two of them are fake. Step one track. This one's not fake. At this most basic, you're going to use a Google Sheet, you're going to use an Excel form, you're going to use a notepad, you're going to keep notes from past projects. This happened i worked just such and so they paid me this much we did this this went awesome, this didn't go great, etcetera.  

03:34 You're going to mark the last time that you were in contact, and you're going to also mark the next time you're going to follow up. That's what this tracking sheets for.  

03:45 Step 2 trigger what's going to trigger your follow up Why are you following up right now Why now.  

03:55 Here are some reasons that I would reach out to past client because I've had a win that is totally relevant hey, we were working on this email project and we are struggling to get our, our open rates past 35 % well, I had some great success with this other project we got it to 50 %. I just wanted to tell you what we did different and see, see what you think about that number two would be like offering a seasonal service hey, Black Friday's coming up and I have this special for Black Friday or hey, it's my birthday and I'm doing this special for this reason.  

04:36 That's a great reason to to reach out or number three you're checking in on results hey, so we were preparing all these emails for a launch you're doing you did the launch, how did it go?  

04:51 Step 3 is timing. So one of the reasons you might follow up is because it's time you'll decide on a cadence for when you want to follow up so how often is appropriate to follow up with previous clients so you can do 30 days, 60 days, 90 days after lunch, orderly like you get to pick what makes sense to you, what feels right.  

05:17 Step 4 template. Ok, this is one of the fake ones, but I think it's super helpful. You can save time by drafting your messages you can have prompts, You can have like Mad Libs that you fill in you can have a draft saved in your google.  

05:35 I thought of you when I saw this. I'm wondering how blank went or is going. Yeah, this idea for your next blank i wanted to share. That kind of thing doesn't have to be deep you're they're busy remember, they're busy you don't have to write an A poem with deep, meaningful double messages just hey, how's it going i thought of you. Here's a reason. Step 5 tone, also fake, but super important. I mean, it's not a step this is just something that you want to embody. You're staying in touch you're not pitching, even if you're having like a birthday sale, you're not pitching.  

06:15 You're staying in touch hey, I thought of you because, hey, I'm just wondering how this went hey, I just wanted to let you know, Blank, your tone is going to be helpful, warm and friendly. Ok? You've worked together before. You like them. You would like to stay in touch you would like to know what they're working on because you're genuinely interested.  

06:40 Relationship building is the goal. So yes, this tactic will get you more work, but your goal is to build your relationships.  

06:53 Most repeat work comes from staying visible and valuable. You can do that on social media. You can do that by blogging. You can do that through your mass email newsletter. However you do it, make sure you're visible and valuable. I find the one to one method just a little bit stronger.  

07:19 So let's say you believe me. Let's say you're like, OK, I'll give it a try. Let's do it let's set up a simple system. You don't need ACRM. One day you will want ACRM, but right now you are just looking to set up a repeatable routine that functions. So try this. This is for my people who like don't have anything happening right now if you already have a system and you already have tools like just tailor it for your needs.  

07:51 Tailor it for where you're at. If you're starting from scratch, you'll need a Google Sheet if you want to take it to the next level, let's do Zapier and a GPT In this example, Zapier can check dates and then trigger an AI generated follow up message or suggestion or prompt or draft based on your follow up framework. So you'll have to know what you want to say and set that up.  

08:18 That would then like put itself in the Google Sheet or your air table base or your Excel sheet i don't know if we could do this. You know what I'm getting at. And then also calendar reminders because you need to remember to follow up so it goes in your calendar or it goes in your To Do List, or it goes in your project management software. It goes somewhere to remind you to follow up. You know, Zapier could even draft an email in your email software. It could do that. Here's a recent example of how this system can work. And this is honestly super recent, so why not share it right now so I was waiting for feedback on a proposal so we're going back and forth a little bit we have this project that we're talking about it seemed like a really good fit, but they were waiting for some details to fall into place on their side and they wanted to see a little bit of the quality of my work or the style of my work.  

09:18 And so like I said before, I was, I'm a copywriter, I'm a funnel builder and that's a project we were working on so I sent them some samples of my copywriting of how I write emails and I'll walkthrough of how I build a funnel in this specific software and that they are migrating to. And I, so I sent them, it had been like a couple weeks since I sent it to them and I was like, oh, this has been a while.  

09:45 They had posit like acknowledged receipt of the, of the assets to review and like, great, I'll be in touch, that kind of thing and so it was positive. But then, you know, I just hadn't heard anything and I was thinking through like, do I just follow up and be like, hey, did you get the, did you have a chance to look through the proposal just wondering what you think? No pressure. And I thought, you know what, let's, let's put this fault framework into action even before they're a client i think it's going to, I think it will help here.  

10:14 I thought about what can I share with them that's valuable and not super pushy, but like a prompt that will be like, Oh yeah, we're going to get back to her because like, what's the urgency for them they have this project going on, but they're busy. You know, they're busy. They might have been ghosting me they might have decided it was a no, but they might just be busy. So in the acknowledgement email that this potential client had sent me, they dropped a little bit more information about their project, information that I didn't have beforehand.  

10:46 And I thought about that and like, you know what, I have a tip for them based on this little info drop. So I said, hey, I was thinking about what you said about the project you're working on and I just wanted to make sure that you are thinking about this because it will potentially save you time and stress down the road if you do it now and not later. So I just gave them a quick tip.  

11:09 They could Google it themselves, but you know, maybe they didn't think of it. Oh, and by the way, I look forward to your feedback when you get a chance. Left it there, kid you not three days later I heard back. Hey, thanks so much. You know, we've been slim busy this thing came up, this thing came up and the project is pushed forward a month and we want to work with you. We're going to do it let's do it let's hire you right now but we'll you know, we'll talk to you in a month like, oh, you're going to hire me in a month.  

11:39 So then like all right, I guess that's positive but you know, like it's, you know, a month is a month that's a ways away. So I thought, OK, totally fine and I dropped one more piece of like, OK, well, why are you doing this just remember, you know, do this now and I'm happy to, I'm happy to advise you if you need, if you need any help along the way as you work on this project, the thing that's delaying you. And you know what, a couple days later, they reached out and said, yeah, let's start now. And we started working together the next week. So just saying keeping in touch, keeping it friendly, keeping it light can work in your favor because people don't understand what you bring to the table you have to tell them you have to share it and you have to do it in a way that's like, you know, nice.  

12:28 Small actions can make big impact. It's totally possible that this, the client wouldn't have worked out for me. It's totally possible they would have put it off for a month and then realized you know what, I don't think we're going to move forward with this. It's totally possible that they would have decided to go with someone else. All of that could have happened, but if I didn't follow up, I may not ever have known.  

12:51 All right, I want you to get my framework. As a thank you for watching this presentation, please take my framework. I'm going to give you the tracking sheet that I use for in my business too it's just a simple Google sheet, but you know, it's all set up. It's called the follow up framework and it's available as a freebie as part of the What's Hot Right Now Summit and it's normally 27$ I want you to have it there's a little workshop that walks you through how to use it, how to use the framework, how to use the sheet.  

13:23 I think it's really helpful, so please take advantage of it, but make sure to grab it right away because it's not always free it's normally 27$ I'd also like to stay in touch. Please, let's stay in touch. I'll make it easy too. You have a passive option or an active option, go to Robyn Roste.com that's my website. Robyn Roste dot com slash keep dash in dash touch it's just there on the screen keep in touch. When you're there, you'll have a chance to sign up for my mailing list where then I'll send you newsletters, tips, updates, all of it is related to being a service provider, a freelancer.  

14:04 So if that is what you're doing, if that's where you're at, then we'll, we'll make we'll be a good fit. And also if you want to book a 30 minute strategy call, I would be happy to chat with you about your own follow up framework and help you get it going. Thank you very much.