Great follow‑ups start hours before the phone rings. Preparation signals respect and uncovers hooks that move deals forward.

Let’s break down how to turn a quick intel dive into a powerful advantage that moves deals faster—without sounding like you're just reading from a script.

Revisit CRM Notes First—They’re Gold

Before Googling anything, start with what you already know. Your CRM isn’t just a place for contact info—it’s a time machine. It holds the story of your last conversation, including pain points, buying objections, and even small personal nuggets.

Why it matters: When you bring up a prospect’s goals or challenges verbatim, it tells them two things:

1. You were really listening.
   
   
2. You actually care.
   
   

This builds instant trust. According to Salesforce, 84% of customers say being treated like a person—not a number—is very important to winning their business. That starts with remembering what they told you last time.

Don’t just skim for the last activity—dig for emotional language. If they said something like, “Our team’s drowning in admin work,” that’s your cue. Use their own words to frame your solution, and you’ll sound relevant from the first sentence.

Check Company News and Industry Shifts

Next stop: what’s happening in their world right now?

A leadership change, funding round, acquisition, or even a product launch can totally reshuffle priorities. These updates are your opportunity to position yourself as not just relevant—but essential.

Here’s what to scan:

• Google News for recent headlines tied to the company
  
  
• LinkedIn posts from the company and key execs
  
  
• Press release sites like PR Newswire or Business Wire
  
  

Look for trigger phrases: “We’re growing the team,” “Just raised a Series B,” or “Expanding into EMEA.” These aren’t just announcements—they’re buying signals.

Let’s say your prospect just hired a new CRO. That person will want to shake things up, likely fast. Mention it in your follow-up: “Saw you’ve brought in a new CRO—often that means a fresh look at tools and processes. Curious if that’s the case here?”

When you connect your pitch to their latest priorities, you don’t sound like just another vendor. You sound like someone who gets it.

Decode Their Digital Body Language

Now it’s time to go stealth mode.

Modern sales tools let you track what content your prospect interacts with—emails opened, links clicked, videos watched, or case studies downloaded. It’s like having a window into what they care about right now.

Let’s say a prospect watched your product demo twice and viewed your case study on Salesforce integration. That’s not a coincidence.

Here’s how to act on it:

• Start your follow-up with what they consumed: “I noticed you checked out our Salesforce integration story—how did that resonate with your setup?”
  
  
• Frame your message around their interest: Don’t pitch everything. Pitch what they just showed intent around.
  
  

This type of behavior-based follow-up can boost response rates significantly. In fact, research from Salesloft shows that emails referencing recent activity get up to 3x more replies.

Digital body language helps you prioritize accounts, personalize outreach, and keep conversations focused. It’s like showing up to a call with X-ray vision.

Wrap-Up: How 10 Minutes of Prep Can Unlock Weeks of Progress

Sales isn’t just about what you say—it’s about how prepared you sound. And that prep doesn’t have to take all day.

✅ Start with CRM notes to recall past conversations

✅ Layer in company and industry news to show you’re current

✅ Use digital signals to align with what they care about right now

These three moves turn you from a stranger with a script into a partner with insight.

The payoff? Shorter cycles, faster decisions, and follow-ups that actually feel valuable.

So before your next call, block out ten minutes. Do the homework. It’s the easiest way to sound like a pro—and close like one too.