How easy do we have to make it for some sales people to do their job? We hand them the sale on a silver platter and somehow we (the clients) still have to spoon-feed it to them. Sometimes the sales staff can be the biggest detriment to an organization.
It just so happened the other day that I was looking for a photographer—not that I had accidentally lost one behind the sofa, mind you—but more that I needed a new photographer for a project.
I did my homework, figured out exactly what services I needed, and even got referred by people who knew the photographers. Then I called them. I was ready to buy and I made that obvious, at least it would have been obvious to someone with the right sales training or intuition.
What they all did next was quite astounding—absolutely nothing!
Not one of them followed up on such an easy sales lead. Two of the three said they would get back to me the next day and I have yet to ever hear from them. One of them never responded at all. Oh! Did I mention that two of them were referred to me and I was sure to tell them that? I’m not sure how I could have made it any easier for them to have my business.
Survey: Here are some fascinating numbers according to the National Sales Executive Association:
2% of sales are made on the 1st contact
3% of sales are made on the 2nd contact
5% of sales are made on the 3rd contact
10% of sales are made on the 4th contact
80% of sales are made on the 5th-12th contact
Did you catch that? 80% of sales are made somewhere between the fifth and 12th contact with the client!
The follow-up is a critical step in making a sale. Quite often we think we’ve done our follow-up when we haven’t. And of the times we do it, most of the time we don’t do it well at all. It boggles my mind to think of how much business we lose from a lack of effective follow-up.
Making the follow-up an important part of your process is one of the easiest ways to boost your company’s sales and make the most of your team’s efforts. Now, have you ever wondered why we call it “follow up” and not “follow down”? Makes you think…
So, how do we make the sale over all the other contenders? Whether we initially approach the client or the client comes to us with checkbook in hand, it’s important to finish strong by following up. It may not happen the same day,but that sale will happen if we are willing to persevere into that 80% zone. Let the others quit after only 10%.
3 Things to keep in mind:
1. What will you do to improve your sales process?
2. Create a system to make sure that your contacts and leads don’t fall through the cracks?
3. Invest the time to keep in touch with clients and potential clients after you’ve spoken to them the first time?
Now, where did I put that photographer???
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I am so guilty of dropping the ball on the follow up. I have trouble thinking of myself as a sales person, but as an entrepreneur, I’d better get used to it. It’s my job!
But still I find myself procrastinating on making those simple phone calls that will get me the contract. All that promotion and marketing gone straight out the window for the lack of a little email or phone contact.
Thanks for the timely kick in the rear end, Fred. Ow!!!
It’s amazing how we (including myself) work so hard to come close to a sale and just prior to the last stage we back off???
Years ago I just started relating it to respect. I saw it as if I did not effectively follow up it was not me losing a sale more than me disrespecting the other persons time.
Fred
Thanks Jame
Reading your post made me laugh. How right you are about the ineffectiveness for sales people with their own products and services.
It’s a great read.
http://jameane.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/some-web-20-companies-have-10-sales-processes/
Thanks for the comments! I am amazed sometimes. I’ll be posting more follow ups on this topic in the next few days. Stay tuned.
Please kindly I would like to share ideas especially from sales and way to improve it
Wow – the power of follow up…