4 Effective Follow-Up Strategies After The Sales Presentation | Sales Skills | Selling Skills

Customers and prospects have a great deal on their plates today. They have the demands of customers, bosses, fellow staff members, suppliers, and a variety of organizational, departmental, and industrial issues that take a great deal of time and energy. When salespeople call on these busy prospects or clients, they must realize that what they are selling is not the most important thing in that prospect’s life. Although the product or service might be of interest and value to the clients, salespeople must also do their essential follow- up. Why don’t salespeople follow up? Or when they do follow up, why do they say dumb things like, “Did you get the literature I sent?” Here’s why:

1. They fear a “no” or a rejection.

2. They know the prospect is not going to buy.

3. They believe the prospect is too busy to talk with or see them.

4. They believe their competitors are going to get the business anyway.

5. They don’t have an effective follow-up strategy.

6. They have nothing else to say.

7. They knew they had a poor prospect anyway, so they figure, “Why bother?”

Are you guilty of any of these? It is easy to fall into the no-follow-up trap. Here are a few ideas to consider when you next follow up a sales call:

1. Don’t begin with a closed-ended question like, “Have you made a decision yet?” Instead ask, “Where are you in the decision process?”

2. Don’t ask, “Did you get the information that I sent?” Instead ask, “What is your impression of the information that I sent?”

3. Don’t ask, “When can we get together to discuss our next step?” Instead say, “Let’s get together next Monday to…”

4. Don’t ask, “Do you have any question about the proposal?” Instead ask, “Is there anything in the proposal that would prevent us from getting this order started?”

Turn It Around

Develop an effective follow-up strategy and use it.