Keep in Touch and Follow Up to Easily Close Sales

Keep in Touch and Follow Up to Easily Close Sales
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.

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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