Effective Follow Up
24 June 2009
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3 Comments
These are common questions… I hear this often…
Sandy writes in…My question is~ Topic: Follow Up
When I started in my home based business I did so because I LOVED the product (Heritage Makers) as it helps people record their precious memories. I had NO training in the business side of this venture, So I accumulated leads and had no system for organizing and following through. I want to get things set up now and as I build a team help them right from the start.
How do you sift through everything MID~Stream and begin incorporating systems like: What you do with a lead, in what time frame, how you do I file them, How do I create my system now and put it into action.
Do I block off a few days to a week to devote time to just this?
Do I weed through old leads and how do I determine which ones to follow through on and which ones I shouldn’t ~Can a lead be too old?
How do I begin my follow up call with an old lead?
I hope these questions make sense.
Sandy Brader
Independent Heritage Makers Consultant
Enjoy Preserving and Sharing Your Stories
visit me at www.sharingyourstories.com
If you have advice for Sandy, please comment below.
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Through networking, both independently as well as organized events, I have met so many interesting people that can either help my business both immediately and obviously as well as those, and in my opinion more interstingly, not so obviously and take more time to discover how the connection is made. The keys that I have found in successful networking are as follows:
– Talk to everyone – you never know who or what they know that may be valuable to you
– Don’t be in a hurry to “sell” – take time to get to know the person first and through building the relationship the fruit is shown
– Obtain the business cards of everyone you meet. Share yours as well
– Send a personal thank you note, immediately! I know email or texting may be “faster” but there is a lot to be said about the good, old fashioned hand written note. It stands out and differentiates you from the rest of the crowd with a message that the meeting meant so much to you that you were willing to take your time to express yourself in such a meaningful way.
Following these steps with any lead that comes my way has helped me to successfully build my social capital, grow my contact book and, in some cases, develop lovely friendships along the way. By the way, these friendships have sent me some of my best material for my work in addition to client referrals, all the while having fun and enjoying the gifts they bring to me as the humans they are….and I didn’t “ask” for these gifts, they were offered as a means of honoring the relationship. What a lovely equation!
Rhonda
Since I am the recipient of your time and attention as a new networking contact…I can endorse you and say you are living what you preach. I was impressed when I received your handwritten note after our first meeting – it stood out in the stack of junk mail that day! Then knowing how busy you are it impressed me that you have made time to meet a few times face-to-face. Each time I have noticed several effective tactics to leverage your networking contacts you:
1. Show up with your same notebook….and note the date at the top of the page.
2. Make a note of the key tips that we discuss.
3. You asterik any items that you promise to follow up on …
4. (Most importantly) Follow up right after we meet.
By your actions, you have quickly established yourself as someone whom can be counted on to keep your word! Glad we have connected.
Good luck with your “temporary job” – keep constructing your dreams.
Barb
Sandy
Since you are participating in our Wacky Wednesday, I wanted to give you some concrete suggestions to help you get prepared:
Q: How do you sift through everything midstream and begin?
A: Start with your most recent leads. You will have your best chance with your newest leads, however as you organize your follow into a system, you will find it valuable to also check back in with your less recent leads. I do not believe a lead can be too old however the longer you wait for them to hear from you, the more your communication will feel like a ‘cold call’(Ugh).
Depending on how ‘old’ is ‘old’…there is the chance they may not remember you, especially if they have never purchased from them. You can warm up these leads by sending them a postcard, personal note or even a personal email before calling. The more you can personalize the connection, the more likely they will be happy to hear from you. Everyone likes to be remembered.
Q: How do you incorporate systems for example…what you do with a lead?
1. Create a system for storing and retrieving the contact information. Some people like to do this manually using index cards or a notebook. Others prefer to use an electronic means of organizing their leads by either a program like Outlook, ACT, or contact management system such as http://www.oprius.com. I store all of my leads in my Constant Contact, my email marketing program. Here is the link where you can get a free trial: http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=girsonconsulting. My ezine and weekly updates are one way that I keep in touch with people that I meet.
The downside of using the email marketing system is that it does not give you a way to flag follow ups like the other options. The plus is that it is web-based and can accessed anywhere from the Internet. The Constant Contact program also provides metrics to see which email communications are being read.
2. In getting ready for this Wednesday, I would divide your leads into what I call the 3 H Group’s:
H #1 = Hot leads
H # 2= Hopeful leads
H # 3= Have not a clue!
Your H #1 Hot leads are the people you believe are most likely to take advantage of your products or service. They usually have expressed a specific need or interest in what you offer.
H #2 Hopeful leads are the people that when you flip through past customers, business cards etc, you remember them. They stick out in your mind and you enjoyed meeting them. These are people you want to do business with.
H #3 Have not a clue leads are people that either you cannot remember or those whom you believe there is little chance that they will want your service… or you really have no idea if they would be interested or not. Typically time has passed since you have first met these leads or you met them in a group setting and did not have time to talk with them personally.
Organize your call list tomorrow so that when we talk on Wednesday morning, during our first call on Wacky Wednesday you are prepared with a nice big call list. Get ready for massive results! Any time you dedicate above average time and energy to move an area of your business forward, you are more than likely to see massive results.
We will answer the rest of your questions throughout the course of our small group coaching calls on Wednesday and with your focus and determination; let’s tame the failure to follow up syndrome.
Talk to you on Wacky Wednesday!
Barb Girson
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