The key to a YES comes down to the sales follow-up.
Does it ever feel like your prospecting efforts are going nowhere?
You know you have an incredible product or service and you KNOW people will benefit from it. The problem is that you keep putting yourself out there and no one is biting.
You’re doing a great job of marketing yourself, and you’re making new connections everyday, but any time you pitch someone, it falls flat and you hear a big fat NO.
There’s no denying the fact that receiving a NO can be crushing, but a NO doesn’t have to be final.
A NO can very easily turn into a YES if you regularly check-in and do the important sales FOLLOW-UP!
I know, some of you are going to say that you’ve put yourself out there time and time again and are just continually turned down. It can almost feel like you’re a boxer, like my guest on Success Unfiltered, Ernie Bray said. You feel like a speed bag for the NO’s, but you know what?
Some of his (and my) biggest successes have come when we’ve followed-up.
For those longer sales cycle, you really need to remain top of mind. So, you have to show your value and show what’s going on in the industry and how YOU can help with that. People are really busy, so you it’s important to try and get on the phone.
When FITzee Foods was still open and I was trying to get our products into The Vitamin Shoppe, my success stemmed from my follow-up.
I would frequently call or text my champion there, Michael. I would make up reasons to connect with him when I was in New York. I’d invite him out to dinner or I’d invite myself over to their headquarters and since I was in from out of town, he wouldn’t tell me NO. I wanted to stay top of mind with Michael and The Vitamin Shoppe.
I also knew that what set my prepared food business apart from others was ME. Since people are buying you, not your food or products, you need to show your prospects what makes you and your company unique.
What sets you apart from the other people you’re going up against? Maybe you have a relatable story, or maybe the person you’re trying to work with has a similar story to yours. Share industry standards and how you’re helping to beat those. You could even check-in to share how you’re growing your business, or share new things you’ve learned. The two main secrets you need to do are to stand out from the rest and follow up!
Trust me, that sales follow-up is 100% key!
Ignore the Little NO’s
To be successful as an entrepreneur, you must realize that you’ve signed up for a 24/7 sales gig. You’re going to be putting yourself out there in terrifying situations, but these situations are imperative to your success.
My guest on Success Unfiltered, Ernie Bray believes that every entrepreneur out there has to have resilience, since we all hear multiple NO’s on a daily basis. He believes that the sales process firmly revolves around following up.
Ernie admits that there are times when you’ll feel worn down, and that it’s a struggle to push forward, but by focusing on the positive, you will quickly see that your action and enthusiasm for you what you do, can overcome any NO.
You want to keep a consistent touch point with a prospect. You want to continually show them value, so that you remain top of mind.
Ernie is a big believer in letting them know what’s going on in the industry, for him this is the insurance and claims industry. From there, you can start talking about your new products or services, or possibly the new solutions that you’ve helped clients identify.
Another possibility is if you’re at any sort of in-person event, connecting with them in a non-salesy sort of way. Invite them for a coffee or a lunch, just as a way to meet up and talk about the things going on.
It’s likely that even though the prospect originally told you NO, by staying consistent and offering value in this way, when it comes time to find a sign a new contract, YOU’LL be the first ones they think of.
Prove Your Value
For most entrepreneurs, when you first start out you feel like you have to take on any clients you can get. This often means that you get many that aren’t your ideal or dream clients, but it’s how you start to build your value and credibility.
When you have no reputation, or no true believers in what you’re offering, you have to start with those little accounts. Then work your tail off to do amazing work for them!
Let them become your biggest fans, and rave about you by providing incredible customer service. It will build your confidence for when it comes time to start working with those bigger clients and your credibility will improve. In turn, more people, even those bigger clients, will want to work with you.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean you’re never going to get a NO again. You will be rejected, but you’ll be more numb to it and better able to take it in stride, and move past it.
Plus, it won’t matter because your pipeline will be nice and full because you’ve spent time following-up and nurturing potential clients.
See how that works!? 🙂
In Conclusion
I know the sales follow-up can feel like you’re being annoying or pushy, but that’s just not true. Communicating regularly with a prospect benefits them, because you’re sharing great information, and it benefits you because you’ll be nurturing a future client.
To help with your fear, feel free to steal any of Ernie’s tricks or even mine. They are tried and tested, so you know they’ll work, and they might just take the edge off the fear.
Now it’s time to start following up!!
