When you’re getting started in business, it’s exciting to get those first few customers, those people who you feel are supporting your dream! It’s a high if you’re in the business/sales world.
If you work for yourself, which 95% of our readers do. It’s up to YOU to sell your product, to share the value with others. Usually, your product doesn’t go viral like an “as seen on TV” Snuggie. Remember those?
You have to get out there and share your business, promote your business and yourself. Sitting at home and waiting for people to call you up and ask about your product when you’re a new business is like planting a money tree in your backyard and waiting for hundreds to grow. It’s not going to happen.
You can tell close family and friends, but if you want to increase sales and get the product in as many hands as you can, you have to reach out past your warm market. You can do this through Facebook, Instagram, vendor events, business meet-ups, commercials, radio, ads, etc. Let’s say you’ve done all of this, a hundred people say, “ahh I need what you’re offering!” then nothing happens.
Here is when the power of the follow up can completely change the game.
You need to be following up with everyone. Current customers, past customers, future customers, ALL customers! If someone mentioned one time they may possibly be interested in something. Take note! Write it down and follow up with them in a few days. We’ve all been bombarded with sales pitches, join me’s and downright aggressive salesman. Think car dealerships circa 1990’s. It gives me the jeebies. So how can you follow up, but also keep your dignity? It’s possible, trust me!
Here is a simple method I use to follow up with my prospective customers.
Lets say, they ask about my product or say, “Goodness! I could really use that in my life.” I reach out to them the day after or two days after. “Hey, I know you mentioned you were interested in ___________. If you’d like to know more, I’d love to meet up or chat with ya.”
Crickets.
I then reach out a week after that. “Hey _______, I just wanted to make sure you got my last message/text/voicemail. I’d love to chat if you have any time today, let me know. Have a great one.”
Crickets. Crickets don’t necessarily mean no, just keep doing your thing. Share your product on social media still. Reach out to new people, your cold market. Continue on, there are PLENTY of fish in the sea, don’t focus all of your efforts on this one follow up.
Three weeks later (a month from when they first mentioned they'd be interested). “I don’t want to keep bothering you, so I’ll just let you reach out if you’d like to hear more about {whatever you’re offereing}. Hope you’re enjoying your week!”
So they’re basically on your immediate radar for a month. If you don’t hear anything after that, you don’t need to reach out anymore. Keep doing what your doing. If they NEED/WANT what you’re offering they WILL reach out and you did your part to include them in what you’re doing.
There is so much power in the follow up. Most of the time I don’t get to the third response. But if you do, remember that it’s not a reflection if you. Taking it personally in business can crush your efforts and make it really hard to continue on in the path of success.
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