By: Kelly Smith
One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is failure to follow up with potential prospects or customers. One reason could be that the importance of follow up is not usually taught in typical network training. They may tell their downline to follow up once and sit back and let the money come rolling in. If you’re reading this, chances are the money isn’t rolling into your bank account and you aren’t really sure why.
Follow up is key in your business. Most home business owners today operate their businesses both offline and online. Did you know the average website only contacts it’s visitors one time? Statistics show if you only make one contact you will lose 54% of sales! That’s 54% too many.
Remember what they say. “The money is in the List.” You want to nurture a list by developing a relationship with them. You can actually do this before ever contacting them. How would you like to have people actually calling you before you call them? All of this is tied to follow up.
It’s important to follow up with your list several times because:
· They could have accidentally deleted your offer
· Life got in the way and they completely forgot
· Skepticism. It’s human nature to feel somewhat leery about giving your hard-earned money to a stranger!
· They don’t have enough trust in you yet
It’s not the same as a physical store where the person can walk in and use the senses to physically, touch, smell and feel how the product works. When you are appealing to people through cyberspace you have to learn how to appeal to their senses in another way.
Marketing is the art and science of empowering, communicating and developing a relationship with another human being based upon their needs and not yours. The reason follow up works so well is because it is creating the relationship.
Follow Ups----
A Phone call – Part of a follow up can be a call to introduce yourself. This is one way to define yourself among the other people who market online and never make that call.
Follow up Emails using an Autoresponder – We combine a phone call with some type of follow up system like an autoresponder or mailing system. Autoresponders are great for follow ups because they are automated and you are not making more daily work for yourself. You can send out info about your products such as testimonials for a health product, discounts and updates regarding your service.
Another question is how many times do you need to follow up? Many experts believe 7 is the magic number, but let’s say at least more than 6. A study done by the Association of Sales Executives revealed that 81% of all sales happens on or after the fifth contact.
There are some free mailers out there but loading your arsenal with a good autoresponder can make it a bit easier. There are some fantastic autoresponders out there with various price points according to your budget. Obviously the more you pay, the more robust program you may receive, but most people are operating within a budget.
Look for an autoresponder that at least allows you to personalize your emails with the person’s name, has unlimited autoresponders, excellent email deliverability and easy to use.
Don’t forget, the follow up is just as important after the sale as before. This is also a major mistake business owners make. They don’t follow up with customers after the purchase which could keep them coming back for more.
