Sales Follow Up: Are You In The Top 6%?
June 14th, 2010 | 
Author:
Studies show that over 80% of sales take place after seven contacts. So my question for you is how is your sales follow up system? In relationship selling, keeping in touch marketing is a process which you need to incorporate into your business to stay in front of your prospects or customers. You need to develop a system to follow up with every prospect, every time. Do Not rely on your memory! A contact management system can automate this process for you. In fact it will tell you what to do next.
Effective marketing means that you need to plan on having at least 7 contacts with your prospects. The majority give up with prospects too soon. Now these do not all need to be phone calls. Get potential customers onto your newsletter list. Send emails using an auto-responder drip series. Send them business thank you cards with your picture and your desire to help them when ready. It’s proven that people keep cards that they get in the mailbox. They display them or pin them on a bulletin board. When they are ready to purchase you will immediately come to mind.
Be respectful that timing may not be right for your customer. Remember that you offer a quality product that they may need at some point to solve their problem. Gently persist with regular calls to check back with them. This is not a pestering sales pitch.
Remember, “Not right now” does not mean “no.” “We’re working with another company” does not mean “no.” Until you hear the word “No,” it’s not a “No.” These calls are part of the relationship selling process. It’s about building relationships with a person who might also refer business to you.
Often when we have a goal of making a sale, we try just once or twice and then give up. We say, “Well, I guess it’s just not going to happen.” This is not effective sales follow up. To be truly successful, keep at it! Successful business owners are not at the top of their game because they are “naturals.” They are at the top of their industry because they don’t give up. They take seriously the old adage if at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again.
Herbert True, a marketing specialist at Notre Dame University, did some amazing research on sales follow up and found the following:
- 44% of all salespeople quit trying after the first call
- 24% quit after the second call
- 14% quit after the third call
- 12% quit trying to sell their prospect after the fourth call
This means that 94% of all salespeople quit after the fourth call. But 60% of all sales are made after the fourth call. This revealing statistic shows that 94% of all salespeople don’t give themselves a chance at 60% of the prospective buyers. (from The Success Principles by Jack Canfield)
So, are you in the top 6%? How are you currently keeping in touch with your prospects and customers on a regular and consistent basis? You must create an ongoing sales follow-up program to keep in touch with your prospects and customers so you stay on the top of their minds. To be effective, you must get in front of your prospects and referrers preferably once a week and at least once every month.
Posted in Sales Follow Up | 
Tags: consultative selling, Creating Customer Value, Relationship Selling, Sales Follow Up
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