Q: How many times and how frequently should I follow up with a prospect?

A: The core of this question lies in the kind of "prospect" and the value proposition you intend to present.

When reaching out to a prospect or lead for a low-engagement product or service (perhaps a magazine subscription), the line between helpful and annoying can be precariously thin. Hot leads that have expressed an interest buy fast. Cold leads that don't warm up after your first contact often benefit from changing from direct e-mail or call pitches to reminder mailings and other softer approaches. This keeps you from irritating the potential customer, and keeps your firm and offers top of mind.

For high-engagement, relationship-oriented sales situations, the "how many times" to make contact answer depends on the depth of relationship already established.

Consider your insurance agent. In the first year of the relationship after buying your first policy there may be some hand-holding. The key to those engagements centers on the reason the new agent reaches back every so often with a substantive question or offer of valuable advice. Eventually, the agent circles back once a year.

Real prospects benefit from the same approach. The difference lies in the fact that a relationship may need to precede the conversion of a prospect to a client. This demands establishing yourself and the value of products. That process may require providing some real value in terms of advice or samples.

Consider ways to make "follow-up" opportunities a natural part of that relationship development. In addition to the softer sell, reminder promotions mentioned earlier for low-engagement sales, what can you offer that brings the prospect to you for smaller rewards?

Many organizations now accomplish this through social media. Post useful information periodically, rather than drivel every day.

Further, as it relates to digital prospect engagement, make migration of the customer interaction to your owned content the goal of social media. That means providing links to your website, particularly to unique landing pages for the topic at hand.

Mike Porter is the faculty director of the MS programs in Health Care Communication and Health Care Innovation at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business.