Thank you, Houzz, for a look at a rarely discussed type of communication – follow up emails to prospects. The author gives some very good ideas of how to contact prospects and maintain their interest in your products and services while turning them into a client. Click here to read the worksheet.
Announcement emails are an overlooked opportunity. They build excitement about your event, your new product, your new personnel. This article talks about the best way to write announcements. Like all of our marketing efforts, we need to make the announcement from our clients point of view, not our own. Why should they be excited with us? Click here to read the full article.
Speaking of client reviews – Make it easy for people to give you a review. Put icons/links to review sites on your Home Page. Put icons/links in your email template. Put them in your email signature. People want to give reviews. They just get distracted or busy. So asking once probably won’t work. Ask multiple times in multiple ways so it’s easy for them.
Read more about reviews here.
“The difference between evangelism and sales is an evangelist typically has the other person’s best interest at heart. It’s not about fulfilling a sales quota and earning commission.”
I want to be an evangelist, not a salesperson. I’m not knocking salespeople. Raised by one. Married to one. Surrounded by them. Always looking for one at Lowe’s. BUT… being an evangelist is better because it is more satisfying in the long run. As a salesperson, I might make 1 sale. As an evangelist, I make a client for life.
Both Michael Stelzner and Guy Kawasaki understand this. In this podcast, they share their knowledge. I encourage you to listen in! It’s an older podcast but timeless information.
I have seen similar numbers before but these just really hit me hard while I was reading “Conquer the Chaos: How To Grow A Successful Small Business Without Going Crazy” by Clate Mask and Scott Martineau. So I wanted to share them with you.
| Percentage of People Who Buy | Number of Contacts | When Companies Stop Contacting Prospects |
| 2% | 1 contact | 48% |
| 3% | 2 contacts | 24% |
| 4% | 3 contacts | 12% |
| 10% | 4 contacts | 6% |
| 81% | 5 contacts | 10% |
So almost half of us as salespeople stop after only 1 contact with a prospect. But we know only 2% actually buy at that first contact!!
Only 10% of marketers have a system in place to make 5 contacts with that prospect. But we know 81% of the buyers are making their buy decision on or after that 5th contact!
Contact means in person, by phone, voice mail, email, social media post, direct mail piece, etc. Anything that puts me and my services in front of the buyer.
You and I have to develop a marketing plan and system to ensure that we reach those prospects multiple times!
There is an additional benefit to this type of marketing system. When people do make a purchase or do business with us, the follow up helps build a relationship so they will do business with us again. The second or third sell to a client is always more profitable than the first sale.
How do you develop your system? You can plan the steps then set up them in a Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) such as Outlook, Google Contacts or Zoho. You can use a sales automation software like InfusionSoft or SalesForce. You can set up task templates in software like ToDoIst.
I don’t know about you but I’m going after that 81%!!
We’re halfway there!
There goes my competitive nature! I want to BE there!
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Where we’ve been…
Fees? Bag ’em.
Where to next?
Book now
What data could you use to build a relationship with your clients?
Number of widgets purchased this year compared to last year.
Number of years working together.
Send at least a thank you card! How surprised will they be to get a nice piece of mail?? Or put together a graphic like this one that can be used with multiple clients. Do a Facebook video of you and your team shouting thank you.
Could a contest bring you new clients or new sales? It depends. Read this article to see some examples of successful contests. Consider your business, your goals, your budget. Then let’s talk about a contest for you! Click here to read more about Contests.
“One of my favorite examples of influence is in the 2004 film Mean Girls. When the girls at North Shore High School see “queen bee” Regina George wearing army pants and flip-flops, they decide to do the same. It’s absurd but also entirely realistic.
Whether we admit it or not, no one is immune to the power of influence. We all have those we look up to and listen to, even if subconsciously. That’s why B2B influencer marketing is nothing to scoff at.”
Tobi Lutke, CEO of Shopify, makes an elegant case for AI and sets an example of how to implement within your own company.