Keep in Touch and Follow Up to Easily Close Sales

Published Date: 2008-06-15 18:09:34 WorkOnInternet.com

Keep-in-touch marketing is a process that you incorporate into your business to stay in front of your prospects and customers. Develop a system to follow up with every prospect, every time. Be respectful that the time may not be right, but remember, you offer a quality product your prospect may eventually need to solve his or her problem. Gently persist with your prospects with regular calls to check back in with them.

Studies show that over 80% of sales take place after seven contacts. To be absolutely effective in your marketing, you need to plan on having at least seven contacts with your prospects. Too many people give up with prospects too early. And this is one of the reasons they have trouble keeping their pipeline full.

Remember, "Not right now" does not mean "no." "We're working with another company" does not mean "no." Until you hear the word "No," it's not a "No." In addition, these calls are building relationships with a person who might also be a referrer or COI (Center of Influence).

Remember the Dr. Seuss book, "Green Eggs and Ham"? Super salesman Sam-I-Am works on persuading his friend to try the not-so-appetizing meal of green eggs and ham. He is relentless regardless of his friend's objections. He asks questions about various scenarios. Would you try them with a fox? Wearing socks? In a moat or a boat? Finally, the friend decides to taste the stuff only to discover he LOVES it! A prospect converted into a raving fan. I think Sam-I-Am would have made a lot of money as a sales training consultant, don't you? Even though he is a cartoon character, Sam is still a great model for the power of persistence.

Often when we have a goal of making a sale, we try just once or twice and then give up. We say, "Well, I guess it's just not going to happen." To be truly successful, keep at it! Successful business owners are not at the top of their game because they are "naturals." It's because they don't give up. When at first they don't succeed, they try again and again and again until at last...they realize their goal.

Herbert True, a marketing specialist at Notre Dame University, did some amazing research on sales follow up and found the following:

• 44% of all salespeople quit trying after the first call


• 24% quit after the second call


• 14% quit after the third call


• 12% quit trying to sell their prospect after the fourth call

This means that 94% of all salespeople quit after the fourth call. But 60% of all sales are made after the fourth call. This revealing statistic shows that 94% of all salespeople don't give themselves a chance at 60% of the prospective buyers. (from The Success Principles by Jack Canfield)

So, how are you currently keeping in touch with your prospects and customers on a regular and consistent basis? You must create an ongoing follow-up program to keep in touch with your prospects and customers so you stay on the top of their minds. To be effective, you must get in front of your prospects and referrers at least once a week and not less frequently than once every month.

------------------------------

Learn marketing techniques to attract new customers quickly in Author Wendy Maynard's free report: "Marketing Strategies to Fill Your Pipeline" at http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/free_report.html

This article was published on WorkOnInternet.comThe URL for this article is : http://www.workoninternet.com/article_23624.html

MOTIVATION vs INSPIRATION

Today I answered a question on LinkedIn.com of a person who asked, "What do you do to recharge your battery and remotivate yourself when experiencing sales activity burnout?"

I was inspired to write the following:

First of all . . . forget about motivation. Motivation is an external stimulus that I liken to taking a bath. One needs to do bathe often and sometime more than once a day. Without bathing, one begins to stink and without motivation, one’s life begins to stink.

If we experience “sales activity burnout,” it’s time to look inward and ask, “What are my feelings about what I am selling?” This question points to our internal compass that directs our thoughts about what we do in life. I call this inspiration rather than motivation.

Inspiration is an internal process that we can tap into at any time with a simple question, “How am I feeling?” If we are feeling good or positive (I call this place “love”) are thoughts are going to be good. If we are not having positive or good thoughts, our feeling are not good or negative (I call the place “fear”).

These two places or feelings, “love” and “fear”, are absolute opposites (negative and positive) and each leads directly to thoughts. Scientifically speaking, it has been proven that our feelings occur 40,000 times faster than do our thoughts. If our feelings our negative, our thoughts will be negative, our words will be negative and our actions will follow suit.

So, if you’re thinkin is stinkin, ask yourself, “How am I feeling and what are those positive feelings I have when I’m really pumped about what I am selling.” Also, ask yourself, “What is causing me to fear.” When you identify the fear, change the way you think about it and your words and actions will follow.

I call this process thinking with your heart (the source of your feelings) and not your mind. One might also refer to one’s heart as one’s soul and/or spirit. I believe that one’s soul and/or spirit can only want what is best for one’s life. Our egos, as a function of our minds, will often trick us into using words and acting in ways that are not in keeping with our souls and can only come from a place of fear. This is an instinctive act of self-preservation because only our souls know what potential wants to have happen in our lives.

So next time you feel “burnt out on the sales process,” get out of your head and ask your heart, “what potential do you want to have happen today?” Then stop, and listen for an answer. Your soul, your spirit will give you the answer. That’s when you are thinking from the heart . . . when you are thinking “in spirit” which is what inspiration is all about according to Dr. Wayne W. Dyer in his book, Inspiration; Your Ultimate Calling. Another outstanding book to read that addresses this topic is Steve Chandler’s book, Fearless; Creating the Courage to Change the Things You Can.

You Made Your Bed . . .

Neale Donald Walsch recently sent me an email that said,

"You actually don't have to lie in it just because you made your bed.

Somebody told you a falsehood if they told you that you have to live with your past decisions, choices, and actions. The past is past and has nothing to do with you. It has nothing to do with Right Now.

Do not let anything from your past inhibit you in this Present Moment. Start over. Start Fresh. Each day. Each hour, if it serves you. Heck, each minute. Just get going. Just do it. Just say it. With love. All else will take care of itself."

Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn Guy Kawasaki
Mario Sundar July 25th, 2007

When Guy Kawasaki blogged about the Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn, LinkedIn had 8.5 million users in 130 industries. Since then we’ve grown to over 12 million users covering 147 industries, but many of Guy’s suggestions on using LinkedIn (see below), still remain a great way for professionals to strengthen their online brand reputation and leverage their professional network. Happy Reading!

1. Increase your visibility.
   By adding connections, you increase the likelihood that people will see your profile first when they’re searching for someone to hire or do business with. In addition to appearing at the top of search results (which is a major plus if you’re one of the 52,000 product managers on LinkedIn), people would much rather work with people who their friends know and trust.
   
2. Improve your connectability.
   Most new users put only their current company in their profile. By doing so, they severely limit their ability to connect with people. You should fill out your profile like it’s an executive bio, so include: past companies, education, affiliations, and activities. You can also include a link to your profile as part of an email signature. The added benefit is that the link enables people to see all your credentials, which would be awkward if not downright strange, as an attachment.


3. Improve your Google PageRank.
   LinkedIn allows you to make your profile information available for search engines to index. Since LinkedIn profiles receive a fairly high PageRank in Google, this is a good way to influence what people see when they search for you. To do this, create a public profile and select “Full View.” Also, instead of using the default URL, customize your public profile’s URL to be your actual name. To strengthen the visibility of this page insearch engines, use this link in various places on the web> For example, when you comment in a blog, include a link to your profile in your signature.


4. Enhance your search engine results.
   In addition to your name, you can also promote your blog or website to search engines like Google and Yahoo! Your LinkedIn profile allows you to publicize websites. There are a few pre-selected categories like “My Website,” “My Company,” etc. If you select “Other” you can modify the name of the link. If you’re linking to your personal blog, include your name or descriptive terms in the link, and voila! instant search-engine optimization for your site. To make this work, be sure your public profile setting is set to “Full View.”


5. Perform blind, “reverse,” and company reference checks.
   LinkedIn’s reference check tool to input a company name and the years the person worked at the company to search for references. Your search will find the people who worked at the company during the same time period. Since references provided by a candidate will generally be glowing, this is a good way to get more balanced data. Companies will typically check your references before hiring you, but have you ever thought of checking your prospective manager’s references? Most interviewees don’t have the audacity to ask apotential boss for references, but with LinkedIn you have a way to scope her out. You can also check up on the company itself by finding the person who used to have the job that you’re interviewing for. Do this by searching for job title and company, but be sure to uncheck “Current titles only.” By contacting people who used to hold the position, you can get the inside scoop on the job, manager and growth potential. By the way, if using LinkedIn in these ways becomes a common practice, we’re apt to see more truthful resumes. There’s nothing more amusing than to find out that the candidate who claims to have caused some huge success was a total bozo who was just along for the ride.


6. Increase the relevancy of your job search.
   Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to find people with educational and work experience like yours to see where they work. For example, a programmer would use search keywords such as “Ruby on Rails,” “C++,” “Python,” “Java,” and “evangelist” to find out where other programmers with these skills work.


7. Make your interview go smoother.
   You can use LinkedIn to find the people that you’re meeting. Knowing that you went to the same school, plays hockey, or shares acquaintances is a lot better than an awkward silence after, “I’m doing fine, thank you.”


8. Gauge the health of a company.
   Perform an advanced search for company name and uncheck the “Current Companies Only” box. This will enable you to scrutinize the rate of turnover and whether key people are abandoning ship. Former employees usually give more candid opinions about a company’s prospects than someone who’s still on board.


9. Gauge the health of an industry.
   If you’re thinking of investing or working in a sector, use LinkedIn to find people who worked for competitors—or even better, companies who failed. For example, suppose you wanted to build a next generation online pet store, you’d probably learn a lot from speaking with former Pets.com or WebVan employees.


10. Track startups.
    You can see people in your network who are initiating new startups by doing an advanced search for a range of keywords such as “stealth” or “new startup.” Apply the “Sort By” filter to “Degrees away from you” in order to see the people closest to you first. [Republished from: Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn via "How to Change the World" -- Guy Kawasaki's blog]

Guy is known for bringing the concept of technology evangelism to the masses through his pioneering work at Apple’s Macintosh group. In addition to blogging the above post earlier this year, he has also blogged on topics ranging from LinkedIn Profile Extreme Makeover to LinkedIn and the Art of avoiding an Asshole Boss. [Source: Guy Kawasaki's weblog -- How to Change the World]

In an email I received from Neale Donald Walsch, Neale stated:

"If you think you have nothing to lose, you win. If you think you have something to win, you lose.
It all drives to motivation. Why are you doing what you are doing right now? To avoid loss? To achieve gain? Wrong reason both times. Life is not about win-and-lose. Life is about being or not being, expressing or not expressing, who you are.

Don't do things for personal benefit. And don't do things to avoid personal damage. Do things to feel personal authenticity. Then your life will make sense, no matter what is going on around you.

Prospecting is Like Exercise...
by Keith F. Luscher
Author, Prospect & Flourish

The more I learn about the challenges people face when it comes to prospecting, the more I am convinced that it is so much like exercise. Consider these similarities:

Everybody has to do it. As I find myself repeating, “Whether building a business or building a career, everybody prospects.” Well, everybody in business has to. The same is true for exercise—everybody has to do it. Those who don’t exercise pay a price. And I can’t tell you how many people have admitted to me, “I don’t do enough of it.” Are they talking about prospecting or exercise? Take your pick.

It only takes a little bit of time every week. You don’t have to spend all your waking hours prospecting, nor do you need to do it exercising. Yet both are important, healthy activities that should be scheduled into your week, preferably in time blocks. Consider how much time you want to invest in each, and budget that time accordingly.

We join clubs to do it. Well, we don’t always, nor do we have to join a club, but we do often make that investment, don’t we? How many of us have bought a membership somewhere and never used it? Okay, put your hands down…

There are countless ways to get it done. How many ways are there to exercise? There are hundreds! Any kind of vigorous activity can be categorized as exercise—and you get automatic “credit” for doing so! Now consider this: how many ways are there to interact with and meet other people? Just as many. Think of prospecting as “social exercise.” You’re building and strengthening your skills, and your relationships. The benefits are exponential.

So, how does this information help you? Look at it this way: What is one of the most important pieces of advice you hear when it comes to exercise?

“Pick an activity you love, and just do it,” is what you will hear. Whether it is walking 30 minutes several times per week (if not daily) while listening to your iPod or swimming 30 laps every morning at the gym, either is fine—providing you enjoy doing it.

Why are enjoyable activities important to tasks that you might otherwise avoid? You know the answer—it keeps you from procrastination! I’ll be the first person to admit this: I am not crazy about exercising. There, I said it. Anyone else?

But I do enjoy going out and getting a good walk in, preferably in the middle of the day. It helps clear my head, it gets my thoughts focused (great for us ADD types!) and it helps me relax. If the weather is nice, I appreciate that as well. Or, I can listen to a business podcast or audiobook that furthers my personal growth as well. Not a bad way to invest 30 minutes.

So, what do you enjoy doing when it comes to prospecting? Are you passionate about what you do and how it positively impacts peoples’ lives? Do you get a rush when you share someone else’s success story, or introduce one person to another at a social gathering? If so, these are prospecting activities, just a few of countless others that can be fun, rewarding and even healthy.
And if you need a professional trainer, you know who to call.

http://www.prospectingweekly.com/PW28_prospecting_is_like_exercise.htm?goback=%2Ehom

"Nitty-Gritty" Reasons
by Jim Rohn

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be motivated to achievement by such a lofty goal as benevolence? I must confess, however, that in the early years of my struggle to succeed, my motivation was a lot more down-to-earth. My reason for succeeding was more basic. In fact, it fell into the category of what I like to call "nitty-gritty reasons." A nitty-gritty reason is the kind that any one of us can have -- at any time, on any day -- and it can cause our lives to change. Let me tell you what happened to me.

Shortly before I met Mr. Shoaff, I was lounging at home one day when I heard a knock at the door. It was a timid, hesitant knock. When I opened the door I looked down to see a pair of big brown eyes staring up at me. There stood a frail little girl of about ten. She told me, with all the courage and determination her little heart could muster, that she was selling Girl Scout cookies. It was a masterful presentation -- several flavors, a special deal, and only two dollars per box. How could anyone refuse? Finally, with a big smile and ever-so politely, she asked me to buy. And I wanted to. Oh, how I wanted to!

Except for one thing. I didn't have two dollars! Boy, was I embarrassed! Here I was -- a father, had been to college, was gainfully employed -- and yet I didn't have two dollars to my name.

Naturally I couldn't tell this to the little girl with the big brown eyes. So I did the next best thing. I lied to her. I said, "Thanks, but I've already bought Girl Scout cookies this year. And I've still got plenty stacked in the house."

Now that simply wasn't true. But it was the only thing I could think of to get me off the hook. And it did. The little girl said, "That's okay, sir. Thank you very much." And with that she turned around and went on her way.

I stared after her for what seemed like a very long time. Finally, I closed the door behind me and, leaning my back to it, cried out, "I don't want to live like this anymore. I've had it with being broke, and I've had it with lying. I'll never be embarrassed again by not having any money in my pocket." That day I promised myself to earn enough to always have several hundred dollars in my pocket at all times.

This is what I mean by a nitty-gritty reason. It may not win me any prize for greatness, but it was enough to have a permanent effect on the rest of my life. My Girl-Scout-cookie story does have a happy ending.

Several years later, as I was walking out of my bank where I had just made a hefty deposit and was crossing the street to get into my car, I saw two little girls who were selling candy for some girls' organization. One of them approached me, saying, "Mister, would you like to buy some candy?" "I probably would," I said playfully. "What kind of candy do you have?" "It's almond roca." "Almond roca. That's my favorite. How much is it?" "It's only two dollars."

Two dollars. It couldn't be! I was excited. "How many boxes of candy have you got?" "I've got five." Looking at her friend, I said, "And how many boxes do you have left?" "I've got four." "That's nine. Okay, I'll take them all."

At this, both girls' mouths fell open as they exclaimed in unison, "Really?" "Sure," I said. "I've got some friends that I'll pass some around to." Excitedly, they scurried to stack all the boxes together. I reached into my pocket and gave them eighteen dollars.

As I was about to leave, the boxes tucked under my arm, one of the girls looked up and said, "Mister, you're really something!" How about that! Can you imagine spending only eighteen dollars and having someone look you in the face and say, "You're really something!"

Now you know why I always carry a few hundred dollars on me. I'm not about to miss chances like that ever again. And to think it all resulted from my own embarrassment, that when properly channeled, acted as a powerful motivator to help me achieve.

How about you? What nitty-gritty reasons do you have waiting to challenging and provoke you into change for the better? Look for them, they are there. Sometimes it can be as simple as a brown eyed girl selling Girl Scott cookies.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn