Prospect decides to complete the project internally. Do we still follow up?

I’m getting ready for round 2 of our Race to the Finish calls today at noon and wanted to answer one more question from last week’s call! Thanks to everyone for your active participation on these calls. And thanks for your patience. With over 500 registered it’s darn near impossible to answer everyone live on the call. Stay tuned to this blog for all the follow up.

 Today’s question comes from Elaine:

When a client says budgets have been cut and we will have to do the work internally. Do we keep in touch anyway?

YES! (was I clear enough?!)

There are a number of reasons why you should stay in touch. These 3 are the most important:

1. They will delay starting the work, take too long and not complete it for the end of the year leaving the next budget year available, and open for you to win a contract to complete their incomplete project.
2. They will do a poor job because they don’t have the required expertise, or the time, and someone will have to be hired to clean up the mess.
3. Budgets change. On a dime. They might find money next month.

Find a reason to reach out to your prospect every 30-42 days with something of value. Don’t call simply to “check in” or to “see how it’s going” as those calls add no value to your prospect’s day, are uninteresting and will ensure you get ignored.

Instead:

• Find an article about their work that would be interesting.
• Call to offer some free advice on getting started.
•  Invite them to an event with a great speaker.
• Invite them to a charity event
• Introduce the to other experts in their area that can help.
• Make connections inside their community to help them build their own network.
• Ask them to participate with you in a trade show.
• Send a book on the subject.

Be a resource, not a sales person and follow up.

During our Sales Mastery workshop we spend an entire 1/2 day on follow up skills. IE How to be persistent without being a stalker. Follow up is a critical sales skill. And it’s my experience that most sales are lost because of lack of follow up from the seller.  Once the client is ready to buy – and arguably in this market that can be months or years from now – they will buy from the seller that is top of mind. The one who has been following up.  If you are nowhere to be seen, you lose.

Dedicated to increasing your sales,

Colleen