skill
That Personal Touch LEN D’INNOCENZO
Sales to new accounts cost more than any others. Building up the kind of trust and consistent ordering you want from a new account requires a lot of time and effort, but practicing effective and professional follow-up is a must. Here are some ways to do that.
FOLLOWING UP TO BOOST EFFECTIVENESS After getting a nice order, an easy way to start building trust is to send the customer a simple handwritten thank- you note. Carry cards, envelopes, and stamps in your briefcase so you can easily address a thank-you note after each sale. It takes some time and money, but only a little – and it’s an investment that will set you apart from your competition.
The day following the installation of your product (or delivery of your services) is the first chance your client has to see how good your after-sale support really is. Be proactive and call the customer to see how things are going. Ask what questions he has and spend a few minutes with him. The fact that you called – instead of him having to call you – will send an
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important message. Calling to see how your customer is doing will make a statement about your company’s commitment to customer satisfaction. Eureka, you care!
This is especially true if you sold a support agreement with your product or services. If you were not able to sell a support agreement, though – and the customer has questions – answer them as if you were still installing their prod- uct. This lets the customer know you care, and gives you another opportunity to sell a support services agreement. Next, send a follow-up marketing questionnaire. This will allow you to judge the overall quality of your sales and installation/service effort. The questionnaire doesn’t have to be long or involved. A few simple questions – asking your customer for feelings on how they were treated, how easy it was to do business with your company, and their satisfaction level to date – may suf- fice. All responses should be reviewed by the president or owners of the com- pany. Important comments (good or bad) should be shared with the people involved. This will help stimulate supe- rior performance by your people.
STAYING IN TOUCH
Once you have thanked your custom- er for making an excellent decision, and followed up, use these additional proven methods for staying in touch with your customers’ ongoing needs. Monthly phone calls – Encourage
regular phone contact by the sales or support people. This is an inexpen- sive way for you to stay in contact with your customers.
A quarterly newsletter – This
doesn’t have to become a major project. You’re aware of how fast your industry changes. If you were to simply cut out and copy a few articles from trade newspapers or magazines – most of which you can find online – each week and place them in a file folder, you would have something of interest to send to your customers once a quarter. Simply place a cover letter on copies of these and send them to your customers for review. In-person sales calls – These are
more expensive ($250 to $450 each), but it is difficult to replace the value of a face-to-face encounter. Always work by appointment, unless you actually are in the area and have a few extra
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