Ever wondered if there’s a magic formula in terms of number and frequency of follow up when it comes to signing a prospect? Already been surprised to get a call back from a prospect that you believed to be a dead lead? How is it that certain targets will call you three years down the road, while today it’s a firm and definitive no? Here are the 3 pillars of an effective sales follow up strategy.
1. MAKE YOUR PROSPECTS COME TO YOU
You don’t own your prospects - quite the contrary - so give them a good reason to return your call! Thinking of your prospect as a person with tastes and preferences and not simply as a representative of their company is a much better overall strategy. The same person who turns you down today, on the phone or by email, might ask a few weeks later for you to get them a place in a conference, or for another perk that only you can provide. In doing so, they’ll put themselves in a position of entreaty.The mistake for most salespeople lies in the use of “pushy” techniques. They push the product when they should be attracting the client and allowing them to become the requester. Your prospects are human beings like all others. Give them the impression that they’re being invited to access to a privileged circle and they’ll only want one thing: to work with you. Give them what they’ve never had before. Create unique and special moments that will prove to them that you’re not one of the storytellers but one of the doers. Pass to action and surprise them! Let them in on a world they’re not used to entering. A good strategy consists also of moving people around. Organise exclusive conferences. Gather prestigious headliners that will fill waiting lists at the door rather than let unoptimised prospects pile up on your desk. A prospect that takes the time to relocate for any reason is a client of value. You’ll never have to seek out prospects when you run this type of high-end event; people will want to be part of your inner circle all on their own. They’re the ones who will take down your number and call back to find out when the next exclusive gathering is happening.
2. DON’T FORGET YOUR “DEAD” LEADS
Think that a refusal means a lead is definitely dead? On the contrary, they remain a qualified client to be! The initial response was certainly negative, but with the target is identified, things will very often turn around in your favour. Indeed, this refusal is perhaps due to a missing feature that your prospect requires, or a service needing to be developed. If in compliance with your game plan, a few more months will allow you to update your offer and meet the expectations of “dead” leads. Give them the opportunity to recontact you, even if your prospect didn’t buy from you upon first contact. Having opted for a competing provider, the reality of your prospect’s changing needs can work in your favour. “Dead” leads will come back to you if you’re able to demonstrate that you’ve made progress. Maintain a blog and press relations with sufficient follow-up so that information is distributed in a timely manner. This way you won’t need to call them back: they’ll be the ones making the effort to call your direct line! Have the most sensible effect possible problems they face on a daily basis so that they can achieve their goals.Your lead mustn’t view you simply as a sales representative but as an expert in your field, to whom they can turn with questions. It’s no accident that we at RingOver.com take special care with writing these articles. We understand the importance of presenting content that pushes our clients and prospects forward in their strategic process. This is also how they approach their long-term goals.
3. FORGET REVIVAL!
Yes, you read that correctly. You must never revive your prospects. If you do, you’ll only be repeating a strategy that doesn’t work. A provider-prospect relationship should constantly renew itself and bring newness. A lead is not obligated to respond to you - which is why they often do not. When they do, they hang you out to dry, and with good reason: you’re wasting their time! A truly qualified lead returns to you because you gave them a reason to. If you successfully establish yourself as a giver of good advice, your lead won’t need to be revived and will know what to do after your exchange. If there’s reason to do more on your part, it’s because the initial presentation needs improvement. Prospects will turn to you if they feel that you’re meeting their needs. They may even consider you as their advisor, coming back just to help their current understanding of their situation and the extent of assistance your solution provides.*******Ban the term "revival" from your sales philosophy. If you’re still filling in your CRM with such reminders, you’ve missed the point. These only fill your agenda with constraints that will get you nowhere: your worst enemy. You’re forced to revive leads in the worst way. Remember that people will be happy to talk to you again, once when you’ve found your way into their favour. Opt for a double or triple-sting strategy, which will be the subject of another article here on the blog.
