Follow through means follow up

A small-business owner was in trouble with her sales, so she decided to call in an expert to give her an outsider's viewpoint. After she had gone over her plans and problems, the business owner took the sales expert to a map on the wall and showed him brightly colored pins stuck wherever she had a salesperson.

"Now," she asked the expert, "for a starter, what is the first thing we should do?"

"Well," replied the expert, "the first thing is to take those pins out of the map and stick them in the salespeople."

In other words, get them off their duffs and out there selling! 

I recently saw a statistic that said:

Two percent of all sales are made on the first contact.

Three percent of all sales are made on the second contact.

Five percent of all sales are made on the third contact.

Ten percent of all sales are made on the fourth contact.

Eighty percent of all sales are made on the fifth-12th contact.

Lesson: It pays to stay in touch with your customers.

A florist celebrating the 100th anniversary of his business was asked why his company was so successful. He responded: "I have one employee responsible for sending out reminders about who-sent-what-to-whom last year at this time, and many repeat orders are generated by this simple call."

Calling on customers multiple times is crucial for many reasons. First, it builds a relationship. The more you interact with customers, the more likely they are to think of you when they need a product or service you offer. Regular contact keeps you at the forefront of the customer's mind.

Each call can provide more insight into the customer's needs and challenges. This information allows you to tailor your offerings and demonstrate how your product or service can solve their specific problems.

Multiple calls give customers a chance to provide feedback on previous interactions, products or services. This can guide your approach and improve customer satisfaction. Not every call will result in a sale, but persistence is a key in sales. It often takes several touchpoints before a customer is ready to buy.

Timing is everything in life. Customers buy on their schedule, not on yours. Frequent calls increase the chance that you will reach them at the right time — when they are ready to make a decision. Even if a customer isn't ready to buy, they might know someone who is. Regular calls can prompt them to refer you to others.

In addition, repeated calls help you develop resilience to rejection. The more you call, the better you become at handling objections and learning from each interaction. Ten setbacks are the going price for any worthwhile win. Analyze every failure, but never wallow in one. 

Remember, the key is not just to call often, but to make each call meaningful and respectful of the customer's time. It is about finding the balance between being persistent and being a nuisance. 

One example that comes to mind is the story of a car salesperson who understood the value of building a long-term relationship with his customers. After selling a car, he didn't just consider the transaction complete; instead, he followed up with a phone call to ensure the customer was satisfied with their purchase. This is a critical step because it shows the customer that their satisfaction is important, even after the sale is done.

But he didn't stop there. He also made it a point to ask the customer about their usual car ownership cycle and promised to reach out again in the future when it was time for a replacement. This approach not only sets the stage for a future sale but also keeps the door open for ongoing communication and potential referrals.

Moreover, he offered an incentive for referrals that resulted in sales, promising to donate to the customer's favorite charity. This not only encourages the customer to refer others but also aligns the salesperson's interests with a cause important to the customer, further strengthening the relationship.

This salesperson's strategy of multiple calls and thoughtful follow-up is a prime example of how persistence and genuine customer care can lead to repeat business and referrals, which are gold in the sales industry.

As sales strategist Rob Liano advises, "People don't want to be sold, they want to be served." 

Mackay's Moral: The fortune is in the follow-up.

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Harvey Mackay is the author of the New York Times bestseller "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive." He can be reached through his website, www.harveymackay.com, by emailing harvey@mackay.com or by writing him at MackayMitchell Envelope Co., 2100 Elm St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.