If I had a penny for everytime a sales representative has either complained that people don’t call them back, or asks for tips on how to get prospects and even customers to call back – I could retire early! Although tempting, let’s address these “call back secrets”.
Today’s buyer not only busy, they are exceptionally educated about all of the prospects and services that they buy.
They’ve researched their resources long before they reached out to a sales person.
And unless they are a new business, they already have a solution to whatever you’re selling – even if yours is better, faster, less expensive or does more.
No wonder they don’t call sales people back.
Yet new business development is every seller’s job and they are challenged with how to get to the busy, well educated and already satisfied buyer.
It can be done and it’s easier than you think with these top producer sales tips.
Tip 1: Do your homework.
Homework – meaning do your research about their business.
Learn about their organization, mission, upcoming projects or ventures and the person you’re contacting.
Start with their website, key word searches, and LinkedIn.
You’ll be better prepared to have a strategic business conversation rather then the more typical vendor conversation.
Today’s buyers don’t need another vendor – they have one.
Today’s selling requires sales people to approach as a strategic business partner exploring the buyer’s short term and long term business goals, current status towards the goals, any upsides and downsides of reaching those goals and then collaborating on how your product and/or service is a viable solution.
Tip 2. What’s in it for them?
Since your prospect got everything they thought they needed off of the internet, they also don’t feel they need a sales representative for anything more than taking an order.
By keeping the focus of every conversation on ‘what’s in it for them’ you are:
• Differentiating yourself from all the other sales people
• Operating from the strategic business partner position
• Capturing their attention because it’s all about their favorite subject – them and their company
• More likely not wasting their time
Plan your opening sales conversation, voice mails and emails with the ‘what’s in it for them.”
Tip 3. Recap the conversation
Assuming you have gotten a telephone or face to face meeting and rather than talking about you and your product, you diligently asked about their business, business strategy, goals, upsides, and downsides, take the time to recap the conversation.
Summarize what you have discussed.
A summary means a brief description of the entire conversation in a few points.
Make these points the important ones, gain confirmation you heard them right and ask if you left anything out or if there is anything else you should know.
Tip 4: Set up the next meeting before you end the conversation
How do you currently end each conversation?
Does it sound like this: “I’ll call you next week,” or “I’ll be back in touch”?
These are too broad and non-specific. Instead use phrases that are call to action oriented.
Therefore, be specific with a date, time and stick to it!
Sometimes it can be a challenge to get the customer to narrow down a time frame.
Instead, call the shots yourself.
Let them know that you have 2 availabilities and then ask which one would be most suitable for them.
In fact, ask them to calendar while you are doing the same.
Once it’s on the calendar they are more committed and are more likely to take your call and that eliminates the no call back situation.
Tip 5: Following up
After the connection: The benefit of following up is that it allows you to nurture the sale and your relationship. Keep the ‘what’s in it for them theme with any email or snail mail follow-up correspondence.
Most importantly, include any useful links that may give them some further food for thought. Links to social media accounts, about pages, and free downloads can be a great way of providing them with added value.
Prior to next planned conversation: Using follow up emails a few days before you’re about to call back, is useful because it gives them a prompt!
Following up means that you are serious, confident, reliable and are willing to make the extra effort: That is a good message to send out.
The magic in getting prospects and customers to return your calls is in what you are doing at each customer point of contact.
These five tips help you customize and adapt each touch point to the what’s in it for them philosophy.
It can be easy to eliminate no call backs and break through the challenge with an improved strategic planned approach.
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