I like to say, “The fortune is in the follow-up.” Follow-up takes a little time, and a little extra effort, but it pays big dividends. After an inquiry or an on- site visit, good follow-up can make the difference between a prospect buying from you or from a competitor.
Set up a follow-up schedule. Use a tickler system or contact management software program, to help you schedule timely follow-up.
Immediately after an inquiry, send information to prospects who called about your products or services. Include a personal message that states that you will initiate a follow-up call to answer questions and set up or confirm a future visit.
Be timely. Send the information right away. Then call when you said you would. It’s a little thing, but it instills the trust and credibility that helps prospects make a buying decision in your favor.
Send a handwritten thank you note to prospects who come for a visit. Within a few days, place a follow-up call to those prospects to answer additional questions and help them move closer to a decision. Then follow a “Mail-Mail-Call” system every few weeks to let your prospects know you are there as a helpful professional knowledgeable resource. Continue to send information of value to them, such as invitations to special events, articles of interest, or your newsletter.
Persevere until they are no longer prospects. There’s an old adage in sales and marketing that says 10% of the people make 80% of the sales because that 10% were willing to make at least five contacts with each prospect. Are you in that 10%?
–Julie Wassom
https://juliewassom.com
