The Fine Line Between Persistence - and Stalking!
In sales, there's a fine line between persistence and stalking.
In my experience, with the exception of prospects who are
already in the sales cycle, that line is usually drawn at about
once every 6 weeks. So given that you only have once every 6
weeks to make a direct impression on your "B" and "C" list
prospects, how can you make sure those follow-up calls have the
greatest possible impact?
This week, let's go back to the science of sales, and dissect a
typical opening call that I hear 80% of the time when I'm
coaching sales people:
"Hi Mary, this is Colleen from Engage Selling. How are you
today? Great. I'm just calling to check in and see if anything
has changed since the last time we spoke?"
Did you spot what's wrong with this opener - and why? I see at
least three big mistakes, any one of which could cost you a
potential sale.
Mistake #1: "How are you today?" Please, please, please never
use an opening statement that starts with "how are you today!"
Why? Because all it does is remind your customers of all those
dinnertime calls they receive from telemarketers. Are you a
telemarketer? I didn't think so. So don't act like one!
Besides, do you really believe that your customers actually
think that you are even listening to the answer? Are you
listening to the answer? Of course not. So remember: your
prospects see through this opening question just as easily as
you do whenever a telemarketer (or less professional
salesperson) calls you.
Instead, try this rapport-winning phrase: "Did I catch you at a
bad time?" This works well because it points out the obvious,
and that makes the customer laugh. Of course it's a bad time!
Any non-scheduled call is an interruption, and no interruption
ever comes at a "good" time. After all, if all your customers
spent their days just waiting at their desk for you to call,
then sales would be too easy!
Mistake #2: "I'm just calling to check in and..." Are you their
mother, or their sales rep? Seriously, are you really calling
just to check in or check up? If so, either you've got a lot
more time on your hands than I do, or else it's time to
seriously consider a career change!
First, start by removing the word "just" - it makes you sound
unimportant, and your call seem like an afterthought. Instead,
replace it with something like: "The last time we spoke,
you...." By taking the customer back to the last time you spoke,
you remind them of your relationship, and prove that you are
carrying through on what you were asked or promised to do.
Nothing builds rapport better than a promise kept. And as we
know, rapport leads to trust, and trust leads to loyal customers.
Mistake #3: "...to see if anything has changed since the last
time we spoke." Don't be vague. These days, your prospects don't
have the time to try to decipher why you're calling - and
neither do you.
According to a study conducted by the American Association of
Professional Organizers, the average executive has over 52 hours
of unfinished work on their desk every day. Our experience in
today's market shows that if a prospect doesn't understand the
purpose of your call within the first 30 seconds, 99 times out
of 100, they will simply lose interest, stop listening and start
looking for a way to get you off the phone. (Does the phrase,
"Please send me some information," sound familiar?)
State up front exactly why you are calling, and your prospects
will appreciate your openness. To complete what we started in
the response to Mistake #2, try tying your opening statement
back to something specific the client requested on your last
interaction, like: "The last time we spoke, you mentioned that
you wanted me to call before we had a price increase..." or,
"The last time we spoke, you mentioned you were looking for
consultants with experience in the banking industry."
Breaking the rules By the way - there are ways you can stay in
touch with your prospects more often than once every 6 weeks,
and still not be considered a stalker. Just use a combination of
direct contacts (the phone) with indirect contacts (email or
mail).
In fact, I've found that using the phone exclusively is
generally not the best way to stay in touch with prospects.
Instead, I recommend that sales reps use a variety of means to
reach their prospects.
Mix up a phone call with an email, and then later maybe send
them an individualized hard copy mail piece - not a generic
corporate brochure, but something that's relevant to them, like
an article you clipped from a magazine with a personal note, a
celebration card recognizing their company anniversary or an
invitation to your open house. To get you started, try the
following schedule:
* Week 1: Follow-up call with action items noted for the next
direct contact. * Week 3: Company email newsletter, announcement
or article. It doesn't really matter what, provided it is
content-rich and NOT an advertisement. After all, this contact
is intended to increase your credibility, not weaken it. * Week
4-5: Another indirect contact such as a birthday or anniversary
card, a note in the mail with a newspaper clipping they might be
interested in, or an email with a newsworthy article about their
industry. This contact is designed to strengthen your personal
relationship, and help you build rapport. * Week 6-7: Follow up
again with another direct phone call.
Finally, a last piece of advice: when making a follow-up call,
make sure you're never in a position where you're still thinking
about what you're going to say while the phone is ringing. Even
if you're a veteran salesperson, pick up a pen and script the
first 45-second "opener" of your next call right now. Then, look
in a mirror and say it out loud.
Would you listen to you? If not, hang up, and try something
else!