Colleen Francis

www.engageselling.com

1. The Fine Line Between

Persistence and Stalking

• I rarely ever give up. That being said, I don't call my

prospects twice a day, either.

• The trick is to call consistently, and if you leave a

message, tell the customer precisely when you will call

them.

• Most experts agree that it takes at least 4 attempts to

reach your prospect. Realistically, I find that number can

be closer to 8.

• Some of my best customers today are those who I was

initially the most patient with, and to whom I made

multiple calls over a period of weeks, or even months.

2. Let Them Off the Hook

• In a voicemail, it’s a great idea to tell a prospect that it’s

OK to say no.

• Often, by letting them off the hook, they’ll either call you

back letting you know they’ve found another option or

will apologize for not getting back to you sooner.

• Either way, taking some of the pressure off your

prospect is an excellent way to get a response from

them.

3. Send a Handwritten Note

• Sending a handwritten note after your first sales call will

dramatically increase your chances of getting a return

call.

• These notes increase your likeability, helps make the

prospect feel good about you, and encourages them to

take your calls.

• I never cease to be amazed by the number of emails I

receive from clients and prospects thanking me for my

handwritten notes.

4. Put Them on Auto-Drip

• If you’ve tried everything you can think of but still aren’t

ready to give up yet, consider putting the prospect on

auto-drip.

• That is – send them something of value (not simply

advertisements) every month or every quarter.

• This will help keep you at the top of their mind,

showcase your expertise and they may receive

something from you down the line right when they’re

ready to buy.

5. Ask if They’re Okay

• Prospecting doesn’t have to be 100% serious, 100% of

the time.

• Have a little fun and don’t be afraid to add some humor

to the mix!

• Consider a message an Engage client sends out: Dear

Bob; On the XXth of June, I sent you an email asking

for… and as I haven't heard from you, I can only assume

one of the following: 1) You're now not interested and I'm

reduced to the status of an annoying piece of spam

clogging up your email; or 2) You desperately want to

contact me, but you're trapped under a fallen filing

cabinet and can't reach your phone or PC. Your

guidance would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards,

Michael Freer P.S. If it is #2, please let me know and I'll

send someone to help you out.

6. Create a Deadline

• After every conversation, you should gain agreement

from the prospect as to next steps, and the date they will

be accomplished.

• That way, when the time for the follow-up call comes

around and the prospect doesn't show up, you can leave

a message without being pushy or imposing.

• Reminding them of your agreement will help move them

to call you back. If they don't return your call in a couple

of days, keep calling, and gently remind them of your

mutual agreement.

7. Keep Track of Who Hasn’t Answered

• Document each call or email in your CRM, so you can

remember when you last spoke with, left a message for

or sent an email to a client.

• You can then bring up those dates in a subsequent

message.

8. Separate the Facts From Your

Imagination

• Try to find out what's really going on, rather than what

you simply think or assume is happening.

• Making assumptions is a fantastic way to land yourself

into hot water. Your assumption will generally be either

hit or miss. Will your prospect want to work with

someone who makes the right judgment only 50% of the

time?

• Find the facts and you’ll be better prepared to meet the

needs of your prospects and position yourself properly.

9. Call Early or Late in the Day

• One of the ways I follow up with senior-level decision

makers is to call either quite early in the morning (say

around 7:30am) or late in the day (after 5pm).

• If I don’t get a hold of someone at those paints, I don’t

leave a message.

• By calling at these times, the decision makers are often

alone in the office without a gatekeeper, and therefore

more likely to pick up calls themselves.

10. Change Your Media

• If a prospect hasn't responded to an email you sent

within 5 business days, call to ask them if they received

it. Likewise, if they haven't responded to a phone call,

send them an email.

• Everyone has their own preferred way to communicate.

Your job is to find out which communication tool is easier

for the prospect.

• If you leave a voicemail, you can inform the prospect

know that you’ll be getting in touch via email as well in

case that is their preferred method of communication.

11. Prepare for the Final Approach

• Whether in voice or email, when you're ready to

permanently write an uncommunicative prospect off, let

the customer know that this will be the final attempt you'll

be making to reach them.

• In your final communication, do leave the door open for

them to work with you now or in the future.

• Leave your contact details with them so it is easily

accessible in case they choose to work with you down

the road.

12. Have Some Fun – Take a Risk!

• Engage customer Greg Higgins uses this approach with

great results: "Hi Bob, this is Greg from ABC

Corporation. I'm beginning to feel that we have a love-

hate relationship with your answering machine - I love to

leave messages, you hate to return them. Maybe we can

talk soon. Thanks.”

• A sassy, in-your-face approach could be exactly what

gets the prospects attention.

• It may be best to use such an approach only in

desperate cases, but what do you have to lose?