Sales, Selling — Follow-up?

Ask a sales person –

“When is the best time to follow-up with XYZ customer?”

“When is the best time to follow-up on a recent quote?

“When is the best time to follow-up on “Blah, Blah, Blah?”

All too often we hear, It’s too early, or I am not sure now is the right time, or I don’t want to bug the Buyer/Customer/Etc.

Have you ever taken the time to think about “Follow-Up” in selling?

Some sales people follow-up too often and disturb/disrupt the potential customer.  It is estimated that you need 7 contacts with potential clients/customers before a transaction happens.

I am self-taught in selling and when I found a really good system I latched on to it.  I have been using the Sandler Selling system for over fifteen years. (I would be happy to provide my contacts to anyone interested.)

A great technique that I learned and use is the Sandler Technique of using an Up-Front Contract with potential customers.

Simply ask the prospect/Client for the next time contact would be appropriate.  Set an exact date and time if possible or get at least a time frame for contact — Then do what was agreed upon!

Too many times I have had sales people working for me or trying to sell to me;  Stop — after the very first call.

Never get caught in this trap —  It’s too soon to call — Now it’s too late the order was let to someone else.

Sales – Is your entire week planned for contacts and gaining new business?

I write and talk about weekly, monthly and yearly goals and performance for salespeople.

In my career I have had opportunity to build a point system that if followed, allows a salesperson in the Aerospace industry to create a sales year of $3,000,000. After mastering this point system a salesperson can then go on to predict and sell to a higher level and build a larger income.

This point system works for one week as follows (Assuming 230 working days 46 working weeks):

1.    Face-to-face meeting contacts completed – 5 x 6 points = 30 points

2.    Telephone contacts (Meaningful actual contacts) – 50 x 2 points = 100 points

3.    Other contact, Email, letter/brochure, other social media – 30 x 1 point = 30 points 

Total for the week = 160 points; If executed weekly Minimum 7,500 points for the year. I’ve proven over and over, success with continuous execution of daily, weekly and yearly points – No Excuses!

There have been many salespeople that thought they could perform to this system and failed miserably. Others that once understanding the system combined with really good sales training went on to sell well above $3,000,000.

Think about this and see if it makes sense for you.

I will be expanding this over the next few weeks.

7,500 — A magical sales number?

How are your numbers going for 2019?  Do you know your numbers? Do you track your numbers? Or – Do you let things happen and hope you have a good year?

Daily behaviors completed and measured get results. 

I utilize and require salespeople working with me to use a tracking system consisting of 7,500 points per year. 

I know that if a salesperson does the behaviors consistent with Prospecting, Telephone, Email, and Face-to-Face customer contact at a rate of about 33 points on average for 230 working days per year, can bring in $3,000,000+ in sales bookings for the company.  It is a proven process.  It works.

Many sales people won’t do daily behaviors. Doing and tracking is hard. 

A lot of sales people get little or no training in selling behaviors.  I’ve met, hired and fired sales people who are afraid of the accountability a system creates. 

Couple a good behavioral system with consistent on-going training and sales happen. 

Let me know if you want more point system information.  I’ll also direct you to some good sales training to go with it.

How many times do you call a prospect?

I read the following about sales people:

44% of sales people give up after one “call”, 22% give up after two “call’s”, 14% give up after three “call’s”, 12% give up after four “call’s” — 92% give up after four “call’s”!

Only 8% of sales people go in and ask for an order a fifth time, or more.

After 35+ years of selling, and owning my own business I can attest to these numbers from both sides as sales person and company owner/purchaser. 

As sales person I knew that there were customers needing my product. However, I quickly found that timing was crucial. After a year or so of walking out too soon, and not going back, I learned that timing was everything. 

Maybe the customer wasn’t thinking of buying my products that day, maybe the budget wasn’t set, maybe, maybe, maybe. I had to keep talking with them until I received an ultimate “NO NEED EVER – GET OUT AND STAY OUT!”, — or — an Order!

As owner of my own business for more than 15 years, I had countless sales people call only once and never come back. I believe from experience that the above statistic of quitting after the first call is not correct, the number is much higher than 44%. 

let’s go with the above. If only 8% of sales people call more than 5 times on a prospect — it is no wonder why these 8% get 80% of the business.

If you are certain a customer needs your product — You need to be hovering and creating some form of non-confrontational awareness to that customer. I have had people wanting me to contact once per week, once per month, others, once per quarter, Etc. Always try and find an approach that keeps you in the “Awareness” zone.  Not pestering, no whining, not in the way. 

Learn this and your sales will soar. 

Make 2019 your best year yet!

A sales tracking system completed daily = Sales Success!

Do you have a sales process and daily system for generating business? 

I do!  I have developed and used a sales process involving daily point accumulation.  Diligently follow a selling process and create sales.

Daily point accumulation allows for measurement and tracking of the sales process.  Daily work on this process coupled with good sales training creates a dynamite selling opportunity — almost guaranteed (Some sales people just don’t get it!).

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Is your sales team on track?

How was performance for the first half of the year? 

Now that we are in 2nd half what does the remainder of the year look like?

Is your sales team on track?

Are your sales people resting on their laurels?  Are they selling more products to current customers rather than going out to do the harder work of landing new customers?

Your sales force may not need an overhaul, but if the idea of having a well-developed sales pipeline seems like a pipe dream, it’s time to fix the situation.

All too often companies think that the key is to just hire more sales people.

 Focus on how customers prefer to buy.  Knowing customer preference can ultimately help you see how many salespeople you need and how best to use them.

I developed a point system with minimum monthly requirements of face-to-face visits, meaningful telephone conversations and other customer contacts (ie: Email, Mail, Corporate social media contact, Etc.)

The point system eventually lead to allowing us to understand that within our industry we could develop a sales person to be at $3million run rate in 24 – 36 months.

We could then predict sales and company growth.

Do you have a tracking system to determine if sales are on track?

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Want more information?  Contact me —

Sales, Selling — Follow-up?

Ask a sales person –

“When is the best time to follow-up with XYZ customer?”

“When is the best time to follow-up on a recent quote?

“When is the best time to follow-up on “Blah, Blah, Blah?”

All too often we hear, It’s too early, or I am not sure now is the right time, or I don’t want to bug the Buyer/Customer/Etc.

Have you ever taken the time to think about “Follow-Up” in selling?

Some sales people follow-up too often and disturb/disrupt the potential customer.  It is estimated that you need 7 contacts with potential clients/customers before a transaction happens.

I am self-taught in selling and when I found a really good system I latched on to it.  I have been using the Sandler Selling system for over fifteen years. (I would be happy to provide my contacts to anyone interested.)

A great technique that I learned and use is the Sandler Technique of using an Up-Front Contract with potential customers.

Simply ask the prospect/Client for the next time contact would be appropriate.  Set an exact date and time if possible or get at least a time frame for contact — Then do what was agreed upon!

Too many times I have had sales people working for me or trying to sell to me stop — after the very first call.

Never get caught in this trap —

It’s too soon to call — Now it’s too late the order was let to someone else.

Make 2019 your best year yet!

A sales tracking system completed daily = Sales Success!

Do you have a sales process and daily system for generating business?  I do!  I have developed and use a sales process involving daily point accumulation.  Diligently follow a selling process and create sales.

Daily point accumulation allows for measurement and tracking of the sales process.  Daily work on this process coupled with good sales training creates a dynamite selling opportunity — almost guaranteed (Some sales people just don’t get it!)

Do you have a process and training to keep your sales group on Track?

Make 2019 your best year yet!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Happy and Safe Holidays!

Get ready to make 2019 your best year yet!

Many of us are off for the Holidays. Make the most of Family, Friends and Self.

Don’t forget to make time to look back at 2018 and decide what 2019 will look like. 

Consider some of the time off as — a Christmas present to self!

Merry Christmas!

Want a good book to read for the Holidays? How about a classic: “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill – Great Classic Book

Read one of the classic books on wealth – Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill

Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill — A really great book!

I keep pulling this book out for review and reminders of continuously moving forward,

I like this quote from the book — “The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.” From the bestseller book Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill.

This book gets you on a journey for getting and staying on track for life’s desires.

Start planning for 2019! Make 2019 your best year yet!