The techniques are no secret, yet most businesses never take advantage of some of the most tried-and-true, yet cheapest, methods of building the business and adding regular sales and new clients to their business.
What is this not-so-secret secret that costs so little and yet is proven to return so much? It's based on the simple interaction with those customers that you already have. Another word for it is "follow-up," and it's something that many people fail to do, never realizing the goldmine that they pass up by doing so. But those who practice regular follow up, will tell you that many of their best clients have come from it...
Why? Because a client referred to you by one of their firends, is rarely going to elicit the kinds of reactions and realistic and sensible suspicions about you as they ascertain your ability to meet their needs and expectations. But based on the word and endorsement of their friend, you are now placed in the "inner circle" of their basic sense of trust. As long as you do not do anything which violates this trust, you have the inside track in the race for their bsuiness.
SUCCESSFUL FOLLOW-UP:
Follow-up is really a very simple process and takes but a few minutes from your day. Some businesses I have talked with over the years, treat customers as if they were an intrusion on their day. The best businesses realize they are the very reason for that business's existence. They treat their clients the way that they would like to be treated and it's this mutual air of respect that opens the door to referrals.
Referrals can happen anytime and are often the outgrowth of simple conversations that you are having with a client with whom you just completed a job. You call them the day after delivery just to thank them again for their business and to make sure that all is going well. During the course of the conversation, a simple question like "Bob, do you know anyone of your associates who might be in need of my services?" You would be surprised at how many deals are done like this.
Referrals also mean that the dreaded "Cold Call Monster" is kept at bay for another day. When cultivating business by following up on referrals given you, the one receiving your call is much more likely to accept it and talk with you when you can tell the person answering that "[Their friend's name here] told me that you may be looking for someone to help you with such and such project."
Most people hate making cold calls to find new prospects for their business but when making follow-up calls to your existing clients, you have opportunities to:
- Find out if they have a friend who is looking to create a project of their own,
- If the client you are speaking with may be looking at another project soon, or
- If they have heard of a project that you may be qualified to work with.
Those who practice the best follow-up skills, do so usually by contacting their clients:
- The day after the sale. This is usually done to make sure everything is okay and to again thank the client for their business and to tell them how much you appreciated working with them. A little human courtesy goes a long way and most people like to work with those who are pleasant to work with.
- A week after the initial sale, another call is made to see if all is going well and to ask how reaction to the project is going among those now exposed to it? This often will generate conversations towards "Version 2.0" of the project and can get a lot of extra business coming your way.
- A month after the sale. This is done in somewhat the same way as the week follow-up but here you can make it much more focused on learning if they have anyone who has seen the project that might have expressed a wish to do something of their own.
- Six months after the sale. This is just to maintain an open channel to the client and you might even suggest an idea or two that you have had for an update to freshen the product for your client. "Nothing pressing, [Your client's name here}, it's just that I've been thinking about your goals for this video (or employee training or sales tool) and these are just some of the ideas that have struck me since we last finished the project." Often, they will be impressed that you are even thinking about their business or ways to streamline things or increase results.
- One year after the initial project. This is just a courtesy call to see what may be on the plate for the immediate or near future.
Even in today's highly computerized world where so much is done through the Internet and through automated phone systems, etc., people still want to do business with people.
Successful follow-up reaffirms to your client that you see yourself as a part of their team and are willing to use your time, talents and drive to bring continued value and support to their business. With the costs of business as high as they are in todays world, this is a calling card that is hard to ignore and is sure to bring more business to your door.
-- Ron Lindeboom
For more tips about marketing yourself, please see Ron Lindeboom's
Clients or Grinders: The Choice Is Yours
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©2005 by Ron Lindeboom and CreativeCow.net. All rights are reserved.
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