The Advantages
of a Strong Follow-Through
by Al Limberg
http://followupnow.net/dr
In the sales process, there are at least three distinct time
periods: The time leading up to the sale, the closing of the sale
itself, and the period after the sale. I've seen a lot of
articles and advice written about the first two areas, but the
third seems to be overlooked by many people.
I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because we're too concerned with the
"here and now" to think about the sale that we just made. Maybe
it's just that we're TOO concerned with the sale, and not
concerned enough about the customers themselves. In any case, I
think that it would be good to start thinking about what happens
after we have closed the deal.
There are a few very good reasons why having a strong follow-through is important. First of all, it is a great tool for
building credibility. When you pay attention to "potential"
customers, they might think to themselves, "He's just doing this
in order to get me to buy his product." However, when you pay
attention to customer who has already bought, they will
understand that you're not just out for the quick sale -- rather,
you care about creating a long-term relationship.
That long-term relationship can lead to future sales and, better
yet, word-of-mouth advertising from your satisfied customers. I
know that when I get some sort of exceptional service from a
company (like a nice follow-up letter or postcard) I usually tell
my friends about it.
A strong follow-through can also reduce the amount of "buyer's
remorse" that your customers might experience. Your follow-up
materials could remind the customer why they were so excited
about your product or service in the first place. This will go a
long way to increasing the satisfaction that your customers will
get from the sale.
A follow-up doesn't have to be sophisticated to be good. It could
just be a postcard that you send out a few days after the sale,
stating how much you appreciate the customer's business. It could
be a phone call asking the customer if they have any further
questions or needs. Or, it could be as sophisticated as a
personalized series of messages / updates sent out through an
autoresponder service.
In any case, the point is that your customers are still your
customers even after they have given you the payment. Treat them
with respect and caring, and you will reap the benefits of a
long-lasting relationship.
Author Al Limberg specializes in offering software and Internet
packages that help small businesses become more efficient and
profitable. His latest endeavor,
http://followupnow.net/dr offers
a full range of autoresponder and opt-in list services. To see
how you can have a 24-hour, automated sales force, visit his site
at
http://followupnow.net/dr
-- Al can be reached at
mailto:al@2omni.com
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