There are few things more disappointing in business than to have a promising exchange with a prospect, and no response to your follow-up call or email. Use the following tips to make prospects eager to get back to you and finalize the deal.
1. Make your value clear. When a prospect gets your proposal, they need to know why they should respond. Every communication with prospects must make the economic scale or value of a partnership clear. A strong follow-up will include specific details about how your company can best serve the client. This means taking the time to making your call or e-mail very personalized and speak to the details that most concern them.
2. Ask for the close. When crafting your follow-up make sure that you not only ask for confirmation on the deal, but also point out how to finalize the sale. In your follow-up, clearly list the next steps needed to get the sales process moving. Don’t forget to ask if there is anything you can do to make the deal move forward and get commitment. Make this process as easy as possible for your client to take the next step finalizing the deal.
3. Follow-up fast. Don't wait a week after your sent proposal to call back, because they won't be waiting for you. In an age of rapid communication, the first to make contact are more likely to win the sale. Pro-tip: Call or email your prospect the same day as you send them the proposal. This way, you'll be sure to get their attention and you are communicating that you view their business as a priority.
4. Be persistent, but not desperate. Most experts agree that it takes at least 4 attempts to reach your prospect. While persistence also pays off, if it's not done well things can take a turn for the worse. Don't harass the client or beg for their business, instead be consistent with your calls or try a new contact medium such as sms. When you leave a message, be sure to state precisely when you plan to contact them next. For example, you can say:
"If I don't hear from you by April 20th, I'll call you back on the 21st."
This will help you get return calls more often, because prospects understand that you will be reaching out to them if they don't call you first.
5. Let prospects know it's ok to say “no.” Communicate to prospects that you understand that they might not be interested in your service anymore, and that's ok. An example of this might be:
“If you've chosen to go with a different company, I completely understand. Please let me know at your convenience, so that I don't bother you with my emails.”
Most of the time this is very effective, because the clients often get back to you quickly either saying yes, they have found a better fit or they haven't made a decision yet and will apologize for the delayed response.
The biggest takeaway from these tips is to always think of the customer first. Be sure that you tailor your pitch exactly to their needs, take the lead in closing the deal and be persistent, but not forceful.
To learn more about how to turn your proposals into finalized sales, be sure to visit the GetAccept website.
