Various businesses lose tons of money annually in sales by failing to follow up with prospective customers.
Capture the addresses and names of prospective customers and put the data into a computer database. On a monthly basis, print out the names and addresses in the database and send out information about new products or services to everyone. A powerful lesson that small business owners should understand is that some potential customers will buy immediately with others not being willing to buy at a given time. Some people just need to be reminded a couple of times in order to feel comfortable enough to buy your products or services.
Let me give you an example – We have a conservatory with a sofa and two chairs. We also have 4 grandchildren and sofa and chairs are starting to look grubby – as you can imagine.
For months now I have been receiving marketing material from Plumbs ( they provide covers for furniture) I get at least one flyer from them per month. Every time I get one I think I must get in touch with them and get my new covers sorted. But haven’t got around to it.
Last Sunday I was at my mothers and she gave me a magazine that she thought I would like and I flicked through and there was an ad from Plumbs with a form to fill in. I filled in the form and I’am waiting for a call from the measuring up expert.
If they hadn’t kept in touch with me I would either have not got around to doing anything or gone elsewhere because I wouldn’t have remembered that particular company.
So, What can you do to make sure that you’re not losing sales because you are not following up with prospects?
Create a multiple contact strategy, i.e.How are you going to contact and how many times are you going to make contact?
- Direct mail, either letters or postcards
- Telephone calls
- Ads/flyers
By varying your methods of follow-up and highlighting different benefits and giving some added value in the way of;
Insights or beneficial information, – you will position yourself as the expert and you will create “Top of the Mind” thinking.
In other words they will remember you when they think of your product or service.
You may have contacted a prospective client who says “No not at the moment” So ask if they are happy for you to keep in touch and send them information or web-links that may be of interest, keep in touch.
Remember 80% of sales are make between the 5th and 12th contact. Have a look at these statistics http://dylisguyan.com/dont-give-up-too-soon/
So never assume the answer is “No” until the prospect tells you “No”
Until you actually know what your prospective client is thinking, then you’ll need to follow up. Often what you perceive as a no is really “Not Right Now”
Not only are you losing the value of primary sales but it also the combined value of future sales, as well. Do not ever throw away potential customers names or addresses. Just because, potential customers have not purchased anything, does not mean that they are not thinking about it.
Brian Tracey Says “Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to to stay with it longer than anyone else”.
Please leave a comment and let me know how keeping in touch with your prospects has paid off.
“Find a way and be the best you can be”
Best regards
Dylis
Email: dylis@dylisguyan.com
