Follow Up
With so many existing customers, it is important to make sure that you are following up. This will improve customer retention rates, get quality feedback, and increase the number of customer referrals.
Selling Mindset
The most important part of being in sales, is the attitude that you bring about the work you are doing. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, neither will your customers.
Why This Model? Continuing to have the attitude even when following up.
Building Good Customer Relationships
People buy from people they like, plain and simple. If your customer doesn’t like you, they won’t buy. There are some simple things you can do to help make a good impression and build a solid relationship with your customers.
Why This Model? The relationship never stops and following up starts the next sales cycle.
Time Management
Time management is extremely important for sales people as they have to prioritize their sales prospects, their existing customers, administration, and often the many other things on their plates.
Why This Model? Knowing that your existing customers are where you should be spending your time.
The Buying Group
In a complicated sale, there is often more than just one person involved. This group of individuals is called “the buying group”. Knowing who they key players are and what matters to each of them, will help you customize your sales approach.
Why This Model? When following up, you need to follow up with the entire buying group.
The Sales’ Funnel
The purpose of the sales funnel is to drive sales through it. By understanding your sales funnel and analyzing it, you are able to refine your sales strategy.
Why This Model? The sales’ funnel includes the stage of following up.
Whales Vs. Minnows
Every sales person wants to track down a whale of a customer as it is assumed that this is where all of the money is made. However, there are different reasons and different ways to sell to big companies versus small businesses.
Why This Model? Different follow ups and the amount are needed based on type of customer.
Setting Expectations
The customer has made the decision to move forward, so you have to prove to them that it’s the right decision. They will be judging.
Why This Model? Follow up helps to deliver on expectations or pivot when you are missing the mark.
Retention: The Importance of Delivery
Acquiring a new customer is seven times more expensive than retaining an existing customer. But that isn’t the only reason why retention is important!
Why This Model? Follow up is staying top of mind with customers you wish to retain.
Former Customers
Former customers already know about your company. Following up with your past customers is a good opportunity for them to consider using you again. Plus, do you know why your customers left you?
Why This Model? Following up with your past customers can create new business opportunities.
Referrals
Friends, relatives and current customers refer business to you, not to help you, but to help the prospective customer! It’s important to realize this?your goal is not to ask for referrals, but to explain why a referral would help a prospective customer.
Why This Model? Following up may cause new referrals.
Channel Partners
Why sell when you can get other people to do it for you? “Channel partnering” is the process of setting up other people or businesses to sell on your behalf, enabling you to focus on your core competency.
Why This Model? Your channel partners also need follow up to remain top of mind.
CRM IT Tools
There are a lot of customer pieces to keep track of?how do you do it? You could start with an Excel spreadsheet, but when dealing with multiple locations and people, a centralized Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is sometimes even more important.
Why This Model? The CRM will help you organize your follow ups.
Upselling
If you have many products available to sell to customers, how do you persuade them to try out something different, maybe a more expensive model or an additional complementary product? This is upselling.
Why This Model? Follow ups will help you upsell.
Mirroring
Mirroring is when you perform similar behaviours to those of your counterpart. It’s scientifically proven to build an unspoken connection between two parties.
Why This Model? Focus on relationship building during follow ups.
Gender Selling
If women are from Venus and men are from Mars, why would we sell to them the same way? We shouldn’t!
Why This Model? Continue to focus on building the relationship and improving your gender communications.
Cultural Selling
What you should absolutely know when selling to customers in other countries? Here is an overview of some major business hubs.
Why This Model? Continue to focus on building the relationship and commonalities.
