I was at Adrian Malpass’s great GlosBiz breakfast this morning. Next to me was a local business owner who told me that there was one big thing holding his business back; he hated following prospects up by phone.
It’s such a common problem, I thought a tip or two might be helpful for you too.
Simple Steps
The reason most people hate follow up is that they don’t have a plan! Most people aren’t really sure what they want to get out of the call. That leads to subconscious pressure to make a sale. That’s a sure thing to kill off any chance of a natural and relaxed conversation! For services business, making a follow up call and hoping to make a sale is a pretty rubbish idea. So change it!
Winning a Client is a Process NOT an Event
Once you truly get your head round that, you are already on a better footing. The goal of a follow up call is simply just to move one more step through the process of winning a client. An early step is always to see if you and the prospective client have a good personal and commercial fit.
When you know what you are moving towards, it’s not hard to design the conversation in advance and plan what I call rollover points. Those are the moments when you shift and direct the conversation so it doesn’t drift and fizzle out. My method is sort of halfway between a plan and a script.
The idea is to give you a sequence of events during the call. You create a little bespoke flow chart that’s a visual cue to keep you on track while you are on the phone. Less tacky than a script and yet you aren’t adrift on the open ocean of uncertainly either. You have a little virtual hand to hold while you are on the call. The results and increased confidence of having a plan can be truly transformational. Learning the PROCESS of selling professionally is the single biggest skill anyone can have to change the course of your business life.
If you want to claim half an hour for free to discuss your phone phobia, or any other challenges that are getting in the way of your business, then just click the button and book yourself into my diary. How simple is that…
