A sales follow-up is a crucial part of any marketing strategy. Finding new customers is just as crucial for the success and growth of any business, both big and small. However, entrepreneurs shouldn’t forget there is an even bigger potential for revenue in their list of existing customers.
According to the Harvard Business Review, selling to a new potential client cost between five up to 25 times more than selling to an existing client. While closing a sale is great, after-sales follow-ups are just as important in showing commitment to customer care and experience.
For any business aiming to boost their revenues and building customer rapport, a sound sales follow-up strategy is a great way in achieving this. Not only will you be able to sell more to existing customers and increase your chance of repeat business, you’d also be able to get referrals from them to acquire new customers.
In sales, there is a phase called “the honeymoon phase.” At this phase, there is a level of excitement for both buyer and seller. Your client has just fulfilled their need or solved their problem. Your company, on the other hand, provided the solution and was able to close the deal.
However, “the honeymoon phase” is also a most vulnerable time. Your next plan of action and attitude can make or break your future relationship with your customer/s.
What is a Sales Follow-Up?
The sales follow-up process is what you do after you have made your initial pitch to get your prospective customer to act. You might think that the term “follow-up” only relates to sales. However, the truth is, the act of following-up is in important activity in all areas of any business.
The best way to describe follow-up is the process of completing any activity. But, since we are talking of “sales,” the activity here is to turn prospects into customers.
What this means for your prospect, it would be near impossible to overcome their problems if you don’t make any effort to follow-up with them, deliver your solution, and ultimately close the deal.
What this means for you, your marketers, and your salespeople is that you would need to follow up to win them over. You would also need to follow up on all areas of delivery, including your team, and you must be persistent with your follow-up until the client’s difficulty is solved.
As a business owner, you must sit down and to strategically map out your follow-up process. What that means is, you would need to have a look at your marketing, your sales, and your delivery process, and then slot in your follow-up process within all that.
Why Sales Follow-Ups are Important
There are various reasons why any business should have a follow-up system that you and your team will be able to use on a consistent basis. Apart from warming up and moving leads, guide your customers through their customer’s journey, and provide value all the way through.
At its core, a sales follow-up is vital since without one, you risk having hot leads turn cold when they are about ready to engage or buy. Not only that, but the lead might also feel neglected and left to fend for themselves in the dust.
By implementing a lead nurturing campaign, you impart a top-of-mind-awareness in your clients and prospects and potentially convert sales leads into full-blown closed deals.
Take the story of a person who followed up on his prospect 125 times for a period of nine years. Talk about persistence, and eventually paying off. This makes one think what this guy know about follow-ups that others don’t.
Most of us would give up on a lead, maybe after a year, others even shorter. The main point we are driving at is, persistence got him the client. Never neglect the power of a follow-up.
The After Sales Breakdown.
Follow-ups add value to the product or service the customer purchased from you. It also provides your business the opportunity to get a relationship with the client going. This can lead to additional sales from that customer and possible referrals to more potential clients.
Here are important reasons why follow-ups are important:
1. Build Trust – Once engaged in the initial phase of the selling process, you should be enthusiastic in supporting your client/customer and letting them know how and why their purchase and/or engagement is in their best interest.
Ensure that you are not providing only lip service, and instead continue supporting their decision and strengthen their resolve that they made or making the right decision. Do note that the customer is putting their complete trust in you at this point when you are encouraged/encouraging the sale.
2. Head Problems Off – For salespeople, returns, or termination of engagement is a nightmare. Therefore, following up with the customer after a sale is vital. Be available in answering whatever questions they may have, also help them figure out how to properly use the products you sold to them.
Ensure that delivery went smoothly, and the items are working well. Ensure that they have full support when it comes to technical issues or further questions. You have to be a resource for your customers. This falls not only when they encounter problems, but also when they need additional products, or when they refer a friend who needs a trustworthy and hands-on company.
3. Create Goodwill – Even before asking for a review or referrals, show your customers that you appreciate having their business. This will create a positive impression not only for them as well as for your company. Take and use every opportunity to build goodwill with your clients for the benefit of your business.
4. Sell more – It is but natural to gravitate towards generating more sales during follow-ups. Businesses who already have their clients’ full confidence are far more likely to acquire more business from that client. Additionally, it would be easier to ask them for referrals, and you may even sweeten the deal by offering incentives for their referrals.
Devise a schedule to regularly get in touch with former clients to keep your brand in front of them and continue building on that goodwill.
If you are a business that depends heavily on new customers, repeat customers and referrals, or if you seem to observe that you have a longer than usual sales process. We would like to invite you to book in a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session to find out how we, at The Growth Manager, can provide help.
Let’s talk about your business, your marketing, your sales, and your team. What problems or difficulties would you want solved, and then put together a creative follow-up system that you can use to acquire more customers, get more referral, and ultimately, grow!
