sales successes follow up and follow up

When I first started in sales one of my greatest fears was picking up the telephone and following up a customer. My sales managers mantra was, "Follow up, and keep following up as flawlessly as possible" at every sales meeting he would ask all the sale team how our customers were and how often we had followed up and the result.Follow up is an area where sales people fail dismally and those that give a token effort do so half heartedly and with out any conviction so it is easy for the customer to say no. Why is following up a customer that you have spent time and built rapport with such a difficult task? Why sales people are so afraid to do this task and will make all forms of excuses to aoid making the call?The why is FEAR.. You as a sales person are afraid of rejection that is the customer saying no. I know that fear first hand and this fear of rejection held me back from making a large pay check!It was only after a customer called me back inquiring as to why I had not called, and asked me directly as to what was I afraid of/ Only then did the penny drop, there was nothing to be afraid of in fact the customer is more afraid than you and is actually looking forward to the follow up call, to help them overcome the fear of committing, it is the follow up call that puts oil on the surface of the fear calming and neutralizing it.Tip: The easiest way to over come this fear if you do suffer from it is by picking up the phone taking a few deep breaths and making the call.Rise above the average sales person (who at best is pathetic at following up) and set your self apart by being great at following up your customers both pre and post sales. Following up gives you the sales person a point of difference where you can differentiate your self from the other sales people and be in total control. I have found that the sales person that follows up consistently builds credibility easily, the customer grows to trust them even more, as if you have told the customer that you will call them and actually do so is a promise made and is a promise kept. The customer will be confident in referring friends and family to you who will grow your sales and your pay check.
Tip: Follow up is consistent and must be made during the sale, after the sale, and even when the sale has crashed.Here is an excellent example of the power of following up. "A customer that I was dealing with in 2008 on a property transaction, did not proceed, rather than discarding the customers details (LIKE MOST SALES PERSONS WOULD HAVE DONE) I put this customer on my email list, and followed them up both by email and on the phone, these follow up calls were general, and we just chit chatted, about the property market and how the market was unsustainable. Two years latter I was still communicating with them and offered them a property that had come onto the market, they asked me my opinion(This displayed great trust that had now developed) and bought the property sight unseen. That is the power of flawless follow up. Now if I had just discarded them or given up at any time over the two tear period I would have missed out on the commission and the fourteen great referrals that this customer gave me.Now put your self into customer's shoes and see how you react when a sales person promises to call you back and then fails to do so. How do you feel? Would you feel confident dealing with or referring any of your colleagues or family to this sales person? The answer would be a resounding NO. Right?Don't be an average sales person, work on being a superb sales person, by doing what you promise, and keeping your promises. I know you are about to make an excuse, "Hey I am really busy and plain for got, I will get around to it." Whoa that will not work your credibility has been damaged, to prevent this from happening make a to do list, and ensure you set time aside in your busy day to do all the tasks on your to do list no matter what.Tip: Be fanatical about following up your clients and completing each days to do list.If you have promised to call a client on the 14th of September and today is the 4th of august ensure that this is put into your to do list for the 14th of September with a reminder a day before so that you can get the info that may be required, prior to making the call. In this day and age of hi tech systems are available that will ensure that you do not for get so make use of them and watch your sales and pay check grow.Tip: Nothing annoys a customer more than a sales person not returning a call.When you receive a call from a customer and you could not take the call at that time ensure you call the customer or colleague back immediately you get a chance, in any event no latter than three hours after the call was made. Leave it any longer and your customer starts losing faith in you and as a result in your product - after sales service.I have often heard sales persons refer to a customer that has not committed immediately as a "Waste of time." I sincerely hope you are not that kind of sales person as no customer is a waste of time. Remember they have taken the time out of their busy day to visit your shop or dealership, and they do not do that lightly.In summary: Follow up when promised; Keep the customer informed as to what is happening ahead of time. If there is going to be a delay, or a problem let them no immediately and apologize for the delay and let them know specifically what you will be doing to resolve the issue and any next steps that the customer would need to take. Show genuine concern and a sense of urgency. Better than that just make sure you are never late.Ban the following from your vocabulary "Let me know.." and "Call me."Important Tip: It is up to you to call and follow up your customer, setting the specific steps that will be followed.

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