Articles About Tele

Hate Follow-Up Phone Calls To Hot Prospects Who Won't Call You Back? Stop Calling!

We all learned in Sales 101 we must follow up with our prospects until they buy. Unfortunately, while we're busy trying to make all these follow-ups, some very fine prospects who are ready to buy now are flying under our radar.

The trick in sales is to talk to buyers. Rather than responding, "Duh!", professional sales people find this the hardest discipline to execute. But like most successful strategies, it requires a tactical plan. If you've been relying solely on follow-up phone calls to close sales, why not try this plan for 30 days?

1. Create a follow-up activity series. If you use ACT! or another contact manager, assign the series after you send your proposal. If you close the sale, you can always end the series early. Your series could look like this:

0 Day—Proposal Sent

2 Days—Follow-up Phone Call

4 Days—Follow-up Email

7 Days—Follow-up Voice Mail

10 Days—Follow-up Email

14 Days—Follow-Up Voice Mail

30 Days—Follow-Up Email

2. Write a compelling voice mail script. Limit it to 10-15 seconds. (Time it!) Start with your name, company and phone number (which gives the recipient an opportunity to retrieve your number without having to wait for the entire message to play). Next, say your compelling message; then, a declaration about what you want them to do. Finally repeat your phone number at the end. I often give my email address as an alternative way to "return the call."

My voice mail sales follow-up call goes something like this: "Hi, ___, this is Lori Feldman with Aviva, 800/264-5478. I just completed a project for another client who was as concerned as you are about ___. Listen to what happened when they bought my services: (Recap story). I have some additional ideas for (Company's project for which I sent you my proposal. When are you available to discuss it? Here's my phone number again and my email address, if that's an easier way for you to contact me: (Phone and email address.)

3. Send a Fax. Once I get 30 days out from a sent proposal, with no feedback from a prospect, I figure it's time to put him back in the prospect bucket where he'll receive the regular direct marketing I send to all customers and prospects (ACT! Tips, User Group invitations, newsletters, etc.) However, because he was interested in my services—enough to ask for a proposal—and he hasn't said "no" yet, I still want to give him his own follow up.

Based on the value of the proposal, I may put in a recall date every 30 days, or start emailing again, but first I'll try my "last ditch effort," a fax that says, "It looks like your needs may have changed since we last talked. Please check the appropriate box and fax it back to me at your convenience: 1) We're still interested, but I've had no time to follow up with you. Try me in ___ days/months; 2) Our needs have changed, and we don't need you! 3) We went with another vendor, sorry! 4) Who are you again?" Humor goes a long way, too.

It's true that persistence pays off in higher close rates. But your prospect is busy, too, and sometimes you're just not the high priority you think you are. Many potential customers prefer responding via email, which is faster and less intrusive in their day than a phone conversation can be. Giving a prospect several ways to communicate with you—especially when it cuts down on the time you're spending with non-buyers—is a more effective long-term sales strategy. When you focus selling time on buyers who want to buy today, your sales go up!

Lori Feldman is president of Aviva, a mailing list/database marketing and Internet consulting firm and an ACT! Software Certified Consultant. She is this year's Direct Marketer of the Year, awarded by the Direct Marketing Assn. of St. Louis. Reach her at http://www.aviva-aviva.com/act.html

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

MORE ARTICLES:

TFI Announces its 3rd Annual Public Seminars and Conference: Technology Forecasting Mini Seminar, Broadband Futures Seminar, and Technology Futures As
Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) announces its 3rd annual seminars and conference: Technology Forecasting Mini Seminar, Broadband Futures Seminar, and Technology Futures Asset Valuation Conference, scheduled February 6-8, 2008, respectively, at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas. Trends in technology, broadband, and telecommunications are changing the industry at a dramatic rate. Readers are looking for insight into where the future is going and how to best get there. Inclusion of one or more of these sessions in the calendar or upcoming events section of websites and publications would be an excellent way to make readers aware of resources that will help them craft innovative, future-proof strategies that fit their organization...

DomainPeople Lets Trademark Owners Register Their .Tel Domain Name Early
On December 3, 2008, DomainPeople will open sunrise registrations for the revolutionary.tel domain name, allowing trademark owners to reserve their names before they're available to the general public.

Compucall Web Marketing sponsors the Tel Aviv Entrepreneur Meetup Starring Jeff Pulver
Compucall Web Marketing is proud to be sponsoring Meet ups "Tel Aviv-Yafo Entrepreneur August Meet up". The meet up will be attended by some of Israel's brightest and best hit-tech entrepreneurs and investors. This August meet up is focusing on the phenomenon of Social Media Marketing (SMO). The August meet will feature a new, stronger social networking framework, and a motivational talk by Jeff Pulver.

Samsung J700 Mobile Phone Review - The No Frills, No Hassle Mobile Phone
The mobile phone market is full of makes and models that contain absolutely everything but the kitchen sink They have a camera that will take digital quality photos, play music to the same standard as a top of the range standalone MP3 player and contain an A4 side of features

Speed Money Seminar: New Internet Marketing Seminar To Be Held In Vancouver, BC Canada
Internet Marketing Seminar in Vancouver BC on May 8, 9, 10, includes headline speakers Armand Morin, Alex Mandossian and Matt Bacak, along with Ray Edwards, Stu McLaren, Michel and Sylvie Fortin, Kirt Christensen and Eric Graham. Attendees are guaranteed to learn strategies to immediately implement and profit with in their online business.

Pre-Register Your .TEL with EuroDNS Now
EuroDNS announces the opening of .TEL pre-registrations for the Sunrise, Premium Landrush and Go Live periods at www.eurodns.com.

TouchStar Acquires Direct Competitor Data-Tel
TouchStar provides world class call center technology to over 2,500 global businesses.

Sell My Old Cell Phone Goes Green in Helping Others Sell Old Cell Phone Units
Sell My Old Cell Phone has gone green, working with customers to make the world a more environmentally sound place to live. The company still allows for consumers to sell old cell phone units, but now it is done in a very green way, limiting the amount of wasted paper products.

Dr. Rick Wren and Zonsite Seminars Have Agreed to Dissolve Seminar 21 and Club 21
Dr. Rick Wren collaborated with Zonsite Seminars to create Seminar 21 and Club 21 last year to deliver his 21 Successful Practice Principles. Dr. Wren's vision was to provide an inexpensive alternative to help chiropractic practices. Dr. Wren recently rejoined Parker Seminars to deliver his message.

Buying Cell Phones - What You Need to Look for When Buying Cell Phones
What you need to look for when buying cell phones. Well if you watch TV, or check the newspaper and the ads that come through your email, then you know that you just must have the newest, shiniest, smallest, cell phones that have a 2 inch by 2 inch screen with 10 million colors, and takes moving pictures! It must be so, thats what all of the ads tell us.

Mysterious Tel Aviv Lifestyle 2004
Israel. What do you think when your first hear this word? Right, like most people you imagine what you probably saw on CNN or NBC.

Data-Tel Info Solutions Broadens International Ties by Expanding Operations to Dominican Republic
Data-Tel Info Solutions hires Mirla Lara as the new Regional Sales and Operations Director for the Dominican Republic.

Worldwide Phone Services Launched for Fixed Phones, Mobile Phones, and VoIP
NAVEGO, Inc. announces the global launch of NAVEGO Worldwide Phone Services, providing flexibility and low rates for fixed and mobile phone lines, as well as dial-up and broadband voice-over IP.

Data-Tel Info Solutions Offers Transition Discount For Growing Hosted Clients
Data-Tel Info Solutions Offers Transition Discount For Growing Hosted Clients