Recently, I wrote about some ways to avoid having to make those "just following up" phone calls. I heard from several readers who wanted to know what to do if a prospect misses a scheduled call—a dilemma you've no doubt faced.

Here's what I do in such a circumstance: I hang up and wait two minutes. Then I call again. More often than not, my prospect answers the call and opens with an apology: "I'm sorry, I was on another call," "My meeting ran late," "I had someone in my office," "I had a problem to deal with," etc.

However, in the event I get my prospect's voicemail again, I leave a message. "Mr. Smith, Kelley Robertson calling at 10:15 as promised (those last two words are critical). I suspect that you're dealing with an unexpected problem or that you're tied up in a meeting, so I will call you at 2:15 this afternoon."