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Follow Up Letter and More to Increase Sales
Written by: Patricia WeberArticle Overview: A television commercial of the last two years in the United States plays on a man’s craving for Dorito’s chips. He goes back and forth between his apartment and a neighbor’s who happens to have a bag of Doritos. He uses one lame excuse followed by another to get the resident to open the apartment door so he can grab a chip each. Finally, in a last follow-up he grabs the entire bag. How might your follow up be more attractive than this?
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Follow Up Letter and More to Increase Sales
A television commercial of the last two years in the United States plays on a man’s craving for Dorito’s chips. He goes back and forth between his apartment and a neighbor’s who happens to have a bag of Doritos. He uses one lame excuse followed by another to get the resident to open the apartment door so he can grab a chip each. Finally, in a last follow-up he grabs the entire bag.
In sales, whether short or long term, follow-up is critical for results. The preferred follow-up to a customer is the type that we call a “valid business reason.” Without a reason, the process is as lame as the chip grabber. Whether your marketing is face to face or on the internet, your follow-up can influence your customer to buy or not to buy. Here are some ideas you want to consider for increased sales results.
A thank you note. It’s professional courtesy as well as a gesture of caring. If appropriate to your context, handwritten is best. If email, at the least personalize it with a person’s name. This is particularly important today with what Tom Peters’ once name “high tech and low touch.”
Discover their interests. With your needs assessment and rapport building, it’s likely you have found a personal interest or hobby. You can send an article or refer to a book that relates to this area.
If you promised to send any literature, send it. The more timely the better the impression of your reliability. You go one step up in the building of trust.
Maybe you have a new product or service. Take time to give thought of how to position this to your customer and then give them the information about it.
Mix your follow up methods. Use telephone, mail, fax, email and if you are in direct sales, make a follow up personal visit. Consider taking advantage of voice mail and leave a simple message of your follow up call.
And remember at some point simply to call to confirm your still in consideration. While you do not want this to be your sole reason for follow-up, at some point if the customer has not made a decision, you want to be able to readjust your contact schedule. Or, maybe even save yourself the mental hook to them and move them to a longer lead time.
If you want to stand out in the crowd, put any one of these ideas into action. You’ll make your customer feel appreciated and you’ll keep them coming back once they do buy. Offer your customer good information or a timely idea and you’ll demonstrate you have their interest at the heart of your work. Leave the chips behind. Follow-up with reasons to reassure your customer and get more sales.
Take a general assessment at http://tinyurl.com/n2wea to find out how your sales skills measure up to sales results.
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About the Author: Patricia Weber RSS for Patricia's articles - Visit Patricia's website  Click here to visit Patricia's website   Sales Reluctance In Any Part of Selling Sales Training Can Salespeople Stop and Learn from Traffic Lights and Roundabouts Rewards and Recognitions to Motivate Employees Sales Big Picture Top Salespeople Combine the Art and the Skill Truths for Introverts Who Sell What We Dont Need To Learn The Extroverted Hard Way Part Three |
Related Forum Posts
Important tips for online business
- 1.Traffic. Without traffic, you have nothing. It is like having a store where nobody walks through the door. Without traffic, there is none to buy your product.
2. Your Sales Letter. This is where you sell your product. It is of vital importance that you have a sales letter that converts, and you should work on it continuously to increase conversion. Otherwise those prospects that you have got to your website will just leave and go somewhere else.
3. Your list! You should continuously be trying to build your list and your network. It is easier to convert a qualified prospect into a customer, and an existing customer in to a repeat customer.
Hope this helps guys!
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
- Hi Evan,
I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
- [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan,
I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz]
I second the request...
Re: What are your January Goals?
- Here's a quick update on mine:
Goal #1: Hire New Writer = done
- Post job description on oDesk
- Set up trial job
- Pick top candidate
Goal #2: Follow up with Clients = done
- Create and send quarterly report
- Touch base with last year's clients
- Follow up with 4 connectors
Goal #3: PERSONAL = about 70% done on the month
- Do something nice for my wife each week
- Exercise 4 times per week
- Daily stretch - want to touch my toes
Different Hats
- CEO Sales & Marketing & Leadership Development Company
Strategic Vision 10
Alliances & Growth Strategies 10
Hiring & Managing People 8
Mentoring 8-9
Strategic Planning for Clients 10
Execution of Marketing Campaigns 9-10 (i have great people who do the nitty gritty)
Financial Management 9
Bookkeeping 3 (outsourced as I really hate the fine details like GST0
Administrative Follow Up 6-7 (again have great staff)
Writing & Publishing 9 (getting better all the time!)
Speaking 10 (so I have been told)
Self Promotion 9-10
Web development & Promotion 6-7 (learning more and have brought on players who are 10+)
Babysitting Employees (1 - wont do it, that's why I work so hard to hire and motivate the people I have)
Great topic Kevin!!
Jude
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