Mastering the Follow-Up: Building Lasting Client Connections
Jul 05, 2024
You put hard-earned money and time into your marketing efforts, bring in the leads, and get those leads to your salespeople. You have trained and invested in your sales team, and your team is knowledgeable and ready. They make the sales calls, and then...nothing.
What happened?
It Takes Extra Effort
Did you know that most buyers need to be touched anywhere from 8 to 23 times before purchasing a product or service?! Making this much contact sounds like a lot, but think about it. About half of the touches happen before sales, through your marketing efforts. These efforts include advertisements on Facebook, a commercial on the radio, a postcard mailer, and more. Then, once the salesperson gets a lead that most likely came from marketing and advertising, they contact the customer. After that, the salesperson might visit them or send more information via email or other means. These contact points are all starting to add up.
Then what?
Don't Let Your Staff Give Up
Statistics state that approximately 80% of salespeople give up after the first follow-up. Because of that, the sales team falls considerably short of even the average number of touches needed to get a sale. Most missed sales opportunities are due to a lack of or incorrect follow-up.
Follow-up is as it sounds, exactly as it sounds; First, a potential customer comes into contact with your company; Next, schedule a meeting between them and your salesperson; Then, your salesperson will provide the potential customer with a quote. Most likely, the customer will require some time to look at the bid, talk to their spouse, etc.
In the meantime, the salesperson will move on to the next lead. Ideally, the customer will come to the salesperson when ready to move forward. Wrong! Unfortunately, customers rarely make that call without prompting.
Instead, what happens to many people is they get busy; it is out of sight, out of mind. The customer is too busy, they misplace the bid, and they forget to call. Either they never purchase, or worse yet, your competitor calls them, and they get the sale.
Not Getting the Sales
So, what happens if your sales team is following up and they're still not getting the sale? Let’s look at how follow-up is happening. What methods are they using, and are they the best for the clients? Sometimes what is most convenient for the salespeople is not what is best for the client. Most salespeople prefer an easy method, like sending out stock emails or texts to follow up with clients. It is fast, easy, and trackable. Several problems exist with these easy methods. Emails can go to a spam folder, be left unread, or customers may have given out the wrong email address. Texts can go ignored, too, especially if customers do not know who is sending them.
Ask The Customer How to Communicate With Them
To ensure that your sales staff gets the best response from their follow-up, they should find out customers' preferred communication method and use it. Each customer may be different, so ask each one and be flexible. If salespeople are sending emails and not getting any response, they should try sending a text or making a phone call instead. Be willing to switch it up to see what works for your clients.
Track Communication
Another follow-up practice salespeople should use is a calendar with reminders to track communication. Even the best salespeople will not always remember every situation, so they should stay organized. If a client wants to speak about the potential sale again in a month, your salesperson should put it on the calendar to remember to follow up. If a customer looks at bids once a year, they should note that and follow up in 12 months. Being detailed with calendaring will help your sales team with close rates, ultimately benefiting them and your organization.
Embark on Your Journey to Unlimited Success
This may sound like a lot to figure out and manage. I am a certified business sales coach, with a focus on service-based industries. My program is specially designed to help boost your team fast. The right guidance can propel your business to new heights. At The Business Growing Place with Rebecca Dahlberg Unlimited, we specialize in mentoring servicepreneurs like you, guiding you toward achieving your highest potential and unlocking new levels of business success.
Our mentorship is personalized and hands-on, tailored to your unique needs and challenges. We believe in practical, actionable advice that translates into tangible results. Our goal is to empower you with the tools and strategies you need to make a significant impact in your industry.
Ready to take your business to the next level? Contact us for a free session to start your journey to unlimited success! With The Business Growing Place, your potential is limitless. Reach out to Rebecca at [email protected] or give us a call at 713.909.4282. Let's unlock the unlimited possibilities together!
We're more than just mentors; we're your partners in achieving unprecedented growth and success. Contact us today and step into a world of unlimited growth for your business.