Do you have prospects that give you the runaround? They expressed interest in your product or service when you first contacted them but now they won't return your calls, reply to your e-mails or have no interest in making a buying decision.
Persistence is an essential trait that successful sales people possess. The ability to stick with a specific task, continue in the face of adversity or use different strategies to achieve your goal is critical if you want a long-term career in sales and business.
However, there is a distinct difference between this and trying to convince a prospect to buy your product or service. People get caught in the trap of thinking they can (or should) close every deal that comes along. Simply put, there comes a time when you have to let go and give up.
But, if you're not quite prepared to do that, here are five suggestions that may turn that cold potato into a hot one.
1. Consider creating an e-mail list and adding those people into a monthly e-mail campaign. Some of them will have their situation change and still others are simply busy with something that is more urgent. Without monthly e-mail follow-ups, you can lose the people who were temporarily distracted as well as those whose situation changed.
2. If you have another contact in the company ask them for input or to find out why the decision has been stalled.
3. Develop a 'keep-in-touch' campaign to keep your name in their mind. They may not be ready to buy now, but their situation could change in the future and you want them to remember you. You can stay in touch via postcards, letters, articles, newsletters, etc.
4. Befriend the decision maker's executive assistant and tap into that individual's insight and knowledge. In some cases, the assistant can help you find a different way to approach the executive. In other situations, they might be able to give you a reason why the sale did not happen or even what you could do differently in the future.
5. Ask yourself: "How important is this sale?" If your answer is "very important," determine what other actions or approaches you are willing to take to make the sale happen.
Many people fail to realize just how valuable their time is. If you spend an inordinate amount of time trying to close a sale that has a low probability of success, then you are not generating a high payoff on your time. A simple rule of thumb to follow is asking, "What is the best use of my time, right now?" You should also consider the potential value of each sales opportunity. A good friend of mine used to go after every sale that came his way. However, after several years of chasing leads that led to few sales, he now targets his efforts on the high-value opportunities. This has substantially increased his revenues in a very short time.
While it is mentally difficult to drop a potential sale, this strategy will free up your time to focus on higher quality leads that will lead to higher sales. When you have done everything in your power to capture that sale but it has hit a dead end, then you need to make an all-important decision. Is it worth your time and effort to continue following that lead? Only you can decide.
By Kelley Robertson
© 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved. Kelley Robertson, author of "The Secrets of Power Selling" helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Receive a free copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his free newsletter available at www.kelleyrobertson.com. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at kelley@robertsontraininggroup.com or (905) 633-7750.
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