During a sales training workshop I conducted for a client last week the biggest challenge that the group of sales reps faced was the ability to connect with people in order to schedule an appointment.
We brainstormed ideas to connect with people including; the importance of leaving high-value voice mail messages, using multiple mediums (telephone, email, direct mail, etc.), enlisting the support of an internal champion, and calling at off times (early in the morning and late in the day).
Ultimately, at the end of the day we agreed that there is only one strategy that will enable you to connect with key decision makers, prospects and contacts.
Persistence.
Here’s why…
Your prospects are dashing from meeting to meeting or dealing with an ongoing slew of problems which means they are away from their desk for a good chunk of the day.
When you’re fortunate enough to catch them at their desk, there’s a good chance they will glance at their caller ID display to see who is calling. Unless it’s a return call about an important issue they’re dealing with or an internal person (boss or direct report), it’s highly likely they will ignore the call.
A friend of mine is a middle manager in a relatively large company, and on average, he receives upwards of 150 email messages every single day plus dozens of phone calls. He confided that he seldom returns a call from a sales person unless that person has a unique product or service or he/she is exceptionally persistent.
Lots of people say you need to work smarter. Unfortunately, when it comes to connecting with busy customers you also need to work harder and longer.
Could your team benefit from a sales training program? Give me a call and we can discuss the best approach. 905-633-7750 Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca
It’s not often that the passing of a corporate executive shakes the entire world but Steve Jobs untimely death is one of the few exceptions. Just like he was.
His life was short but Steve Jobs made a tremendous impact on the world. Here are just a few lessons I believe he taught the world during his illustrious career.
Innovation is everything.
Let’s face it, Jobs was one of the most innovative people on the planet. He constantly searched for ways to take existing products and make them much better.
Do you look for new ways to do your job and make an impact on your customers?
Rabid fans still exist.
Many people think that customer loyalty is a thing of the past. But Jobs demonstrated otherwise. Mac users, iPhone, and iPod owners are tremendously loyal to the brand. They will accept the occasional shortcoming in their products because they believe in the Apple brand.
Are your customer raving fans? If not, what can you do to change that?
One person CAN make a difference.
At one point, Apple was on the verge of disappearing and joining the ranks of other companies that exceled but eventually died. His vision, drive and commitment helped him resurrect Apple and grow it into a major global brand. Sure, he had help, but it was his vision that made the difference. Jobs was the difference.
What are you doing to make your mark on the world?
Corporate culture is important.
I have never worked for Apple nor do I know anyone who has worked there but you can’t create a company that can compete internationally without having a strong corporate culture. There’s no question that Apple employees work hard and that they are under constant pressure. But, this is accepted.
What are you doing to create a culture that people talk about and want to emulate?
Persistence is critical.
Bringing Apple back from near-death required more than vision and passion. It took an incredible drive and most importantly, persistence. Facing adversity takes courage, vision and a passion to succeed. People will tell you that you can’t succeed or that you can’t compete or that you can’t beat a competitor.
Are you persistent enough to ignore these naysayers and strive to achieve your dreams and goals?
Dream and think big.
There’s no question that Jobs was a big thinker. He had big…no…HUGE dreams and he worked relentlessly to make them become reality.
Do you have big dreams? Huge goals that will push you and your business to new heights?
Don’t shy away from battles.
There is no question that Jobs faced many battles during his tenure at Apple but he tackled them head-on. He rose to the challenge. He fought for what he believed in. He seldom, if ever, backed down. .
Do you fight for your beliefs?
The world has benefited from Jobs’ short life. Apple has grown into a powerful brand that has captured significant market share.
One of the most frequently asked questions I get when discussing follow-up strategies with clients and sales people is, “How much is too much?” or “How many calls should I make?”
There is no clear or definitive answer; however, here is my guiding rule:
The larger the sales opportunity, the more you need to follow up.
Obviously, you have to determine what a high-value sales opportunity is for your particular business.
In my own sales training business, I seldom try to reconnect with a prospect more than once or twice if the value of the sale is less than $500. I will make several attempts for sales that are worth a few thousand dollars and I will be relentless in my follow up for a sales opportunity that has the potential to generate a five figure result.
Once you have determined your individual thresholds, you need to…
Develop a plan
You can’t simply keep calling a prospect and say, “Hi, it’s Kelley following up to see if you have made a decision yet.” That approach will get you nowhere…FAST!
The key is to find ways to keep your name on your prospect’s radar. Here’s why…
Many buying decisions go into a holding pattern while your contact deals with internal politics, approval processes, and other projects on their plates. Although the buying decision may be a priority today, it can be pushed the bottom of the list tomorrow when your contact has a more pressing issue to deal with.
You also need to figure out how you can…
Become a resource for that person
For example, if you know that your prospect struggles with employee turnover, look for information that addresses this issue. You don’t have to be the expert; in fact, you will earn even more credibility if you aren’t because this demonstrates that you are in touch with their business challenges.
As I mentioned in yesterdays post, you should provide this information by email, snail mail, voice mail, text, and through LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media platforms.
If you’re going to call, make sure that each message adds some type of value…avoid the approach I mentioned a few paragraphs ago.
Prospects will accept regular contact from you providing you stand out from the competition and as long as you contribute value and/or expertise. And providing you don’t come across as a pest.
Could your sales team improve their follow up? Call me and we can talk about a solution. 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca
The other day I had the privilege to be a guest speaker for a webinar Colleen Francis of Engage Selling hosted for her membership program. The topic of focus was follow-up and I thought I would share a couple of the ideas we discussed.
One of the issues many sales people face in today’s business climate is actually trying to reconnect with prospects and customers. Decision makers in business today are extremely busy so it is very difficult to connect with them even after an initial conversation or two.
Pre-arrange the Follow Up
One powerful strategy is to pre-arrange the follow-up during every conversation.
During an initial call you need to establish a day and time for a subsequent conversation. You can do this simply by saying, “It seems like we need to talk again. Does next Tuesday morning at 9:15 work for you?” Pinpointing a specific day and time is critical but most sales people say something like, “I’ll call you next Tuesday.”
This approach leaves the door open and forces the other person to actually look at their calendar and consider your request.
Once you nail down a day and time, tell them that you will send them an Outlook invite and then send it…immediately after your call.
When you call at the determined time you may get their voice mail so hang up and call back in 2-3 minutes. If you still get voice mail leave a message, “Mr. Jones, Kelley Robertson calling as promised. I suspect you got called away so I’ll give you a shout at 11:45.” In many cases, the other person will either return your call shortly or they will be at their desk the second time you call.
Consider Snail Mail
Too many people rely solely on email or telephone to connect with people when they follow up. However, regular mail works very effectively. The key is to send them something that catches their attention or adds value to their business. I have sent high-value prospects a book that is on their LinkedIn reading list or a magazine that relates to a personal interest.
For example, if a person’s profile shows that they enjoy scuba diving send them a diving magazine with a note that says, “I know you enjoys diving and thought you would enjoy this magazine.”
This approach takes time AND effort so use it only with your high-value prospects.
Use Multiple Approaches
I mentioned this concept in a previous post. Most decision makers rely on text messages or will respond to messages from their LinkedIn account or Twitter more quickly than a standard email. This has proven to be an effective way to connect with busy decision makers.
These are just a couple of ways you can improve your follow-up and increase your sales. The key to reconnecting with prospects and customers is to be persistent without being a pest.
Did you know? I deliver high-impact sales training workshops and keynote speeches. If you’re planning a conference, sales meeting, or other event call me and we can discuss a program that will help you achieve your objectives. 905-633-7750 Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca
Connecting with busy prospects is more difficult than ever. Even when you have made initial contact with someone and they express interest in your product, service or solution it doesn’t mean you will reconnect with them at a future date.
That means you need to use a variety of approaches to connect with your high-value prospect and stand out from your competition.
Here’s an example…
A friend of mine recently spoke to a prospect and submitted a proposal. She followed up via telephone at the designated day and time and got her contact’s voice mail. Big surprise, right? Anyway, she left a brief message but didn’t hear back from him.
The next day, she followed up with an email. No response.
Time for something different.
My friend knew her prospect had a Twitter account so she started following him. A few days later she responded to one of his posts (without mentioning her proposal). He replied within minutes and said he was in a meeting which indicated that he was getting Twitter alerts on his phone. My friend sent a direct message via Twitter and they set up a day and time to talk.
Woo hoo! Success!
Well, not quite…
When my friend called at the designated time her prospect was in another meeting. Grrrrr.
Since my friend had her contact’s cell number, she decided to send him a text message and suggested an alternate time to talk. A few hours later he called and they reached an agreement and firmed up the details of the purchase.
The bottom line is that you need to be more creative and use several different approaches to reach out and connect with people. The more ways you use the greater the likelihood you will eventually connect and the more likely you will stand out from your competition.
Is your team using every approach they can to connect with prospects? If not, maybe we should talk. I help sales people find creative ways to connect with prospects and customers. Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca or 905-633-7750.
