Have you ever been sat in a coffee shop, thinking you’d like another coffee but can’t be bothered to get up, wait in the queue, order, then wait again while your coffee is made? The normal result is that you don’t bother, and so the coffee shop loses that extra sale, and you don’t get that extra cup of the good stuff.
Now imagine a waiter comes by and while clearing a table near you, asks “Could I get you another coffee?” How different do you feel, and more importantly, how different do you feel about the coffee shop? After you place your order for that delicious follow up latte, you’ll probably sit back and relax with your iPad or newspaper, feeling pleased with your decision. So think back to how you might feel in the first scenario where you weren’t asked for a second cup of coffee? Discontented, frustrated because you didn’t stay longer and get that extra coffee and biscuit.
That simple follow up question by a member of staff works for all parties:
- The coffee shop generates extra revenue
- The customer (You) stays longer and feels looked after.
- The coffee shop has kept an existing customer happy, who is more than likely to return again.
It works because the waiter checked back with the customer, creating another opportunity for a repeat purchase, an up-sell to another product, or to fix anything that may have gone wrong with the customer’s experience. A powerful yet simple way of getting more from your customers. How can I implement such a strategy in my business? Consider the following:
Here is our simple follow up guide, created to help businesses and sales professionals get more repeat business and further improve their sales success:
- After between five to seven days, Call your customer back to make sure they are happy with their purchase, and answer any further questions, to make sure they are getting the most from their purchase.
- Follow up again around one month down the line with either a call or an email, to ask your customer if they would like further training or help, beyond what was provided initially upon purchase
- Call back the prospects you have sent a proposal to, that you haven’t heard back from, we see far too many sales professionals uncovering business challenges, then spending lots of time creating great proposals, only to not follow up, on the assumption that the deal is dead. Make the call!
Creating a clear and simple follow up process will greatly improve your opportunity and conversion – try creating one today, and let us know how you’ve got on in a few weeks’ time, believe me - your customers and bank balance will thank you for it!
For more information about how we help businesses and sales professionals create sales opportunities and maximise on each opportunity, visit our sales process review page and sales training pages on our website, or give us a call (Tel: 0203 814 0045 or 0191 481 3800) and ask for our sales consultancy team. Alternatively pop in to our head office for a chat and a coffee or two!
You can also find us on twitter @durhamlane