We’ve all heard that “The fortune is in the follow up”, right?
That’s where the gold is in any business relationship.
But that doesn’t mean you having to beat someone over the head with a shovel to get their attention. It’s not about how many times you ask them to buy your stuff.
It’s about staying top of mind and showing value. You want people you meet to remember you in a good way. Not as “that guy”.
Want to follow up so people remember you and WANT to refer business with you?
Then keep reading and avoid these three mistakes I see all the time…
Being “That Pushy Guy”
Obviously, we all have a mental picture of “That Sales Guy”. You know the one who calls every other week to see if you’re ready to buy yet. It’s the same conversation week after week… “Ready to buy yet? Wanna buy now? I’ve got a great deal today only!”
When I do talks for groups, I ask how many people in the room love marketing. Usually I only get 1-2 hands to go up with that one. So, naturally I ask why they don’t like marketing. The responses range from “I don’t want to be pushy” to “marketing is scary like Voodoo” (Yes that happened!)
Just because you’re in business doesn’t mean you have to be that pushy sales guy who is always talking about how great their products are and that they want to give you deal (for today only!)
🙂
It’s about letting people know what you can do to help them and then… helping them.
Try sending someone you meet an email with a link to a great book you just finished that will help their business. I do that all the time and get a ton of amazing responses from it.
No pitch, just a useful resource.
Not Following Up Enough
“But I don’t want to drive them away!”
Yup, I hear that one ALL the time. People using the excuse of not wanting to follow up too much because they are afraid that their prospects will run away and think they are bugging them.
Guess what… They don’t think about you that much!
It’s true. They have more important things to think about than how often you’re calling them. AS LONG… as you aren’t just that annoying guy/girl who only calls them to try to pitch them to buy your stuff.
Add other value to them and they will appreciate it. They may not read every email you send or have time to chat all the time but by adding value first you will make an impression they will not forget.
Try calling to invite them to an event you think they might find value from.
Email them a link to a great article you read on Entrepreneur.com.
Just stay in touch with them. It’s not about pitching your product every time. It’s about building the relationship and showing that you care about them.
If you’re contacting your prospects and customers less than once a month you’re just asking for them to go some place else. You just need to make sure you’re adding value when you do and they will appreciate you for it.
Not Asking The Right Questions
Most of the time, following up is more about asking questions than making an offer. What are they up to? What projects are they working on right now?
and most importantly…
How can you help them?
These simple questions swing the doors open to add a ton of value to someone and they will remember it for life.
Remember, it’s not about just getting them to buy your stuff but to help them any way you can. If that’s in your products or services GREAT! If it’s not, you’ll make a friend who will come back to you when they DO need your stuff. In the mean time, they will become raving fans who will want to refer anyone they meet that needs what you’ve got to offer.
See, it’s not that you shouldn’t be following up with your prospects & clients. You NEED to if you want them to remember you’re there for them. It’s all about HOW you do it.
Simply touching base and reminding them you care about their success is a huge factor in their deciding if you’re the right person to help them or not.
People buy when they are ready to buy, not when we want them to be.
Our job is to be there when they need us and make sure they know we’re the best person for the job.
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Photo By: Patrice Audet