Watch this week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip here.
Good morning!
See if this doesn't sound familiar…
You meet with the prospective client. It goes well. Very well. You come up with a great idea to help them meet a business need. You are asked to create a proposal and provide pricing on your solution.
So, you do.
Then….
Crickets.
You call to follow up. Voicemail. You call again the next day. Voicemail. Now, you are confused and frustrated. Should you call again? Will that be annoying? What if you don't call and they give the order away to somebody who did?
Being ghosted remains at the top of the list of sales challenges reps throughout the graphic arts face. The client that was so welcoming and anxious to work with you has completely disappeared without a trace, leaving you to wonder what to do next. Don't you wish you had a time machine to go back and ask the questions flying through your head?
Try this…
When you are having that final conversation with the client regarding the job, make sure you ask these 5 questions:
- When do you expect the purchase decision to be made? This gives you their time frame.
- Who has the final say? This uncovers the buying authority of your contact.
- When should I follow up? This sets expectations.
- How best to follow up? This uncovers their preferred communication method.And then, the most important question of all:
- What should I do if I don’t connect with you? This gives you permission to nag them.
There are no guarantees, of course. But armed with this information, you have the best chance to have that precious follow up conversation and hopefully close the deal.
Otherwise…
Crickets.
Learn what other sales reps are doing. Find out what works and what doesn’t. Join The Sales Vault and unlock sales best practices. Go to SalesVault.pro or call Bill Farquharson at 781-934-7036
Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.