I must admit to a certain degree of pleasure I receive from people when they are amazed that I remembered them as well as details about their personal lives, months after we initially speak.
I think people are genuinely flattered at the personal attention while also being amazed at the professionalism associated to such thorough and timely follow up.
When a prospect tells me that they aren't planning on doing anything for six months...that's fine! I'll simply make notes on their situation and personal objectives and put a tickler in my filing system to call them in six months. I'll also set an alarm in my Microsoft Outlook calendar program to remind me electronically to follow up with them.
I've got a prospect from last year who was forced to lease for a year and is expecting me to call on them this Fall to begin a home search for them. Not a problem!
It's not a difficult thing to do, but it is something that not everyone does! So many of us are focused on short term business we can close now, that we forget how to plant seeds and nurture the process into a blooming relationship later on, at the appropriate time.
Think of it like this...these prospects are simply post-dated commission checks that you can't deposit and cash yet. Would you throw them in the garbage? Or, would you take care of them and follow up with them and eventually cash the check?
Good, thorough follow up with longer term clients is critical to maintaining the lucrative business opportunities that lie ahead!
Keep an annual or a "12 month forecast" mindset about your business and any such follow up with a prospect is just a simple step in the process of you meeting and exceeding your annual goals!
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Follow up is very important. People like to feel remembered. Makes them feel like they matter and are not just another commission.