Stand Up – and Stand Out: Get Your Prospects to Call You Back
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Create a DeadlineAfter every conversation, you should gain agreement from the prospect as to next steps, and the date they will be accomplished. That way, when the time for the follow-up call comes around and the prospect doesn't show up, you can leave a message like: "I'm calling because the last time we spoke, we agreed to chat today about…"
Reminding them of your agreement will help move them to call you back. If they don't return your call in a couple of days, keep calling, and gently remind them of your mutual agreement.
Keep Track of Who Hasn't Answered
Document each call or email in your CRM, so you can remember when you last spoke with, left a message for or sent an email to a client. You can then bring up those dates in a subsequent message, such as: "When we last emailed on Feb 1st, we agreed that I would…"
Separate the Facts From Your Imagination
Try to find out what's really going on, rather than what you simply think or assume is happening. The following 3-step voice mail strategy works because it increases your chances of getting a return call, and it always gets you to the truth:
Voice Mail #1: "Mr. X, this is John Doe from ABC Company. Paul Smith suggested I call you because… Sorry I missed you today, but I'll try to reach you again on DATE and TIME."
Make sure your tone is soft, non-threatening and friendly. You don't want to sound like a radio ad for a furniture liquidator. Plus, it's critical that you do call back on the date and time that you say.
Voice Mail #2: "Hi Mr. X, this is John Doe from ABC Company calling because I promised to reach you today at TIME. Sorry I missed you. Paul Smith suggested I call you because… I'll try you again on DATE and TIME."
Again, it's critical that you call back exactly when you said you would. Anything else would result in your being less than honest, and risk losing your contact's confidence.
Voice Mail #3: "Hi Mr. X, this is John Doe at ABC Company calling, because I promised to reach you today at TIME. Sorry I missed you. I notice that you've been difficult to reach and I'm wondering if that's because you're swamped at work, you aren't interested in doing business with my company or I've been wrong at guessing the times you might be at your desk. Any of these is okay, but if you wouldn't mind letting me know how to proceed, that would be great. I promised Paul Smith I would be in touch with you, and that I would get back to him about our conversation. My number is 613 730-7700, extension 111."
The last reason for not reaching the prospect - that you've been wrong at guessing the times he or she might be at his or her desk - is important because it lets you take ownership of the reason you can't reach the customer. You can change the other two reasons based on your specific sales situation - for example, if this was a follow-up call after sending a proposal, you might say: "I'm wondering if that's because you didn't have a chance to see the proposal, you were unhappy with the pricing I sent or I've been wrong at guessing the times you might be at your desk."
Call Early or Late in the Day
One of the ways I follow up with senior-level decision makers is to call either quite early in the morning (say around 7:30 am) or late in the day (after 5:00 pm), without leaving a message if I don't get a person. I've found that, by calling at these times, the decision makers are often alone in the office without a gatekeeper, and therefore more likely to pick up calls themselves.
Change Your Media
If a prospect hasn't responded to an email you sent within 5 business days, call to ask them if they received it. Likewise, if they haven't responded to a phone call, send them an email.
Everyone has their own preferred way to communicate. Your job is to find out which communication tool is easier for the prospect. One client specifically tells customers on her voice mail messages that she'll be sending them an email as well in case that is better for them, and in her emails, she lets them know that she'll be calling in case that works better. This not only increases your chances of reaching the prospect, but also shows them that you're putting their interests first.
Prepare for the "Final Approach"
Whether in voice or email, when you're ready to permanently write an uncommunicative prospect off, let the customer know that this will be the final attempt you'll be making to reach them. Try something like:
"I notice that it's been X weeks since we last spoke, and I'm assuming that's because you are no longer interested in our product. That's OK, I understand that we are not a fit for everyone. The last thing I want is to become a follow-up pest! If you're still interested, you can reach me at 111-1111. If I don't hear from you, then I'll assume that you are moving ahead in a different direction, and I won't call again to interrupt. I wish you all the best on your project, and thank you for considering us."
Have Some Fun - and Take a Risk!
One of our clients Greg Higgins uses this approach with great results:
"Hi Bob, this is Greg from ABC Corporation. I'm beginning to feel that we have a love-hate relationship with your answering machine - I love to leave messages, you hate to return them. Maybe we can talk soon. Thanks."
Yes, it's sassy. But Greg reports that 99% of the time he uses this, he gets a call back. And of course, he only uses this approach on the most desperate cases.
Here's your challenge: try something new this week! After all, what you've been doing so far hasn't been working, so what have you got to lose - especially with those prospects who've been silent for a while anyway?
Colleen Francis is driven by a passion for people—motivating them to reach for the highest standards of success. As founder and president of Engage Selling Solutions—Colleen trains sales and marketing professionals who want to strive to get to the top…and stay there. Her innovative, no–nonsense approach is based on applying what she has observed in her fifteen–plus years in sales—revealing the common business habits of the top 20% of sales performers in all organizations. Colleen's approach works …that's why New York–based Sales and Marketing Magazine has rated Engage Selling Solutions as one of the top–five most effective sales–training organizations in the market today. Distinguished by the Canadian Professional Sales Association as a Certified Sales Professional (C.S.P.). Check out Engage Selling at www.engageselling.com and reach Colleen at colleen@engageselling.com
