You're sitting at your desk, in your home office, in front of the telephone with the intention of making phone calls to follow up with your new leads that you have acquired. The thought of obtaining new business fills your spirit with excitement, your datebook is going to be filled with meetings and you are ready to conquer the world. The information is neatly organized and carve out time in your schedule to complete this process. Then all of sudden, that green-eyed monster called FEAR sits down right beside you at your desk and gently whispers in your ear, "Why are you even bothering to make these phone calls? You know these people are going to reject you so save yourself the embarrassment and move on to something else!" And what do you do? You allow the monster to have victory; the leads are tucked away and the thought of following up has consumed you into a sea of negativity.
Following up is very vital to keeping your business running smoothly. Remember not to take things personally because, after all, the person is not saying "no" to you, they are just saying "not at this time" or "maybe in the future." Many businessowners find several excuses not to follow up: "I did my part, now the ball is in their court..."; "I should be in front of people, not chasing them down on the phone." or "I'm too busy." For those who DO follow up, one phone call or email will be placed and then they throw in the towel. Effective follow up is a process, an art and to be perfectly honest, a technique that one must master.
How many times should you follow up with a new lead? Seven times! Yes, it may sound pretty excessive but reaching out and constant contact seven times equals success. So, the next time you see the green-eyed monster sitting at your desk waiting to discourage you, politely ask the monster to move over because you have a job to do - FOLLOW UP!
No comments:
Post a Comment