Follow Up = The Great Sales Separator

Following up is the single best advice to help you improve your effectiveness as a salesperson.

In real estate, they say you don’t make your money at the sale of an asset, you make your money when you buy the asset. The same is true in the sales world. You don’t close deals in the room. (well, yes technically, you do, but please understand the nuance here). The real test is how you handle your business post pitch.

Anyone can stand up in front of a room of people, or make a phone call, and say what the client wants to hear. That’s the easy part. The real money is made on your follow up. The diligence, timeliness, and attention to detail you follow up with will always lead to more closes. Always.

Let’s break this down:

The EASIEST thing any salesperson can do is talk. The hard part (and what separates the good from the great) is doing all of the necessary work and putting in the hours on the back end. 

Understand this: making a presentation isn’t impressive. Anyone can do that. The group you’re presenting to likely already has access to all of the information that you are sharing with them. Reading bullet points off of a slide does very little to close a sale. Usually, all that you’re trying to accomplish in these sort of meetings is show that you (and your company) are a subject matter expert and that you (and your company) have a solution that will make their lives easier.

What impresses people most is diligence. Bury someone in follow up and answer any and every question they have. In a timely manner (ideally later that day/night - max 24 hours).

THAT will win the people over. THAT will make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. THAT is what really matters and what is most important in the world of sales. 

USER EXPERIENCE is now the single most important aspect of being a successful salesperson. You need to be taking these 4 questions into consideration during every interaction you have with clients:  

• how you made them feel throughout the process

• how much easier their day/job is after working with you

• how seamlessly you integrated into their work process 

• how well the solution actually worked once implemented

People have access - the internet has granted them that. Newsflash, they can get pricing. They can get technical specifics. We even have access to expertise that we previously didn’t have (online coding and DIY modules are exploding right now, etc). 

But one thing that will never be automated is USER EXPERIENCE. In 2020 - the experience you are able to offer is your edge.

The best USER EXPERIENCE you can offer is through your FOLLOW UP - the attention to detail, diligence and timeliness on the back end of any interaction. 

Go above and beyond. It's way past what people are asking for - provide them with stuff that they NEED! 

Having the ability to answers peoples questions in the room is a great start and honestly the baseline competency needed. But following up with specifics to all of their question, with links to where they can get all of the info necessary, or physical product/samples/demos is where you really can make an impact!

If you're absolutely diligent with this process - even if you don't get the sale, you're still in the game. PEOPLE REMEMBER. They remember the experience you gave them. they remember how easy you made their life. It's impossible to FORGET you. This is exactly the position you want to try to find yourself in if at all possible! You would not believe how many people say that are going to do something, then not do it.

Follow up is the single most important aspect of sales right now. Master this, and you’re going to be really good.