I’m the owner of a startup business – which is business speak for ‘tight when it comes to spending the cash’. Or as I said today to a nice (and alert) VA on twitter – ‘I’m not at the stage in my business plan that I can afford assistance’.
However, twice in two days I have given off a very clear – I mean hit you in the face kind of clear – buying signals to two companies. Neither of which have followed up the referral. Although in the early days my business may only be small – in fact I wanting to purchase a personalised badge from one company, but I have the potential to become a repeat customer over a large number of years.
I was reading on Robert Clay’s (marketing wizdom) excellent blog that it takes on average 5 follow up calls for a customer to move to buy from you. Most sales people give up on the 4th call. Which is why 8% of salesman make 80% of sales.
This is why I am mildly tiddled that these two companies are being presented with a slam dunk of a sale, and neither of them is keen enough to follow up the referral. I’m now asking myself, how keen are they for my business? Are they interested in a long-term relationship? Is my custom ever going to be seen as important to them? As you can see, I’m starting to talk myself out of buying from these two companies.
Although I am really keen to buy their products and services, I’m now starting to wonder who else in my local market offers these products and services. How much would their competitors like my business?
So the moral of today’s rant is how quickly are you following up sales leads? Which of your customers/clients are waiting for you to call? Is your delay costing you a sale?
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3 Comments
It is surprising how many businesses think it is rude and pushy to follow up sales leads after just one attempt. We hear this quite a bit when people talk to us about telemarketing as they want to get our view on what other business do.
Our view is to follow up not as a standard workflow but according to each prospects situation and what they have said to you.
Interesting that you say you talked yourself out of buying from them. I suspect lots of people share this view.
thanks
Interesting, and I agree most small business owners without a sales background tend to veer down the “if they want my product, they’ll call me” route.
However, there may be a possibility that they actually don’t want your business? Especially if, like you say, you want to place a very small order.
I probably should write a post script to this blog – both companies did make contact within 2-3 days, and I now have a very good working relationship with both of these companies, and recommend them both to my contacts.
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