How many times do you have to communicate with a new prospect before you can make them a customer?
1) Contact
Let’s start with the initial call. You must sell them on your ability to get them what they need, when they need it and at a price they deem acceptable. They will also need to know that a live person is there to help them if need be. You can then offer to get started right away or give them some time if they are not ready. A cautious buyer may take their time and you want to be sure that you do not lose the opportunity.
2) Connect
If they don’t buy right away, be sure that you exchange contact information and tell them that you will follow up with them in a few days…then do it! The sale is lost right here for many as they do not follow up with prospects in the time frame they promised or in some cases, at all! You should have a sales process and follow it through with every prospect. When you make the call, have some additional information available for them and/or lead them to your website…be helpful and then ask for the sale. If they are still not buying…what now?
3) Cultivate
This is where your Social Media efforts can kick in. You are at the point of relationship building so offer to connect with them on Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter if you or your company have a business presence and you share information through your profiles. Do you offer any news articles, a blog, buying tips for insurance consumers? Be helpful and ask for the sale again. Still not buying?
Do you really have the time to continue making follow up phone calls and are you going to become downright annoying? What if you automate the process from here?
You can effortlessly continue your sales effort if you turn it over to Email Marketing!
Here’s why:
- It keeps you in their mind. Like most people, your prospects are busy, lose phone numbers or forget their agent’s contact info. You don’t want to get lost in the shuffle. Email Marketing regularly reminds your prospects to think of you and allows them to view any information at their convenience.
- Convenient. You don’t have to sacrifice your time following a hesitant prospect. Just set up an email autoresponder and your prospect will receive regularly scheduled emails from you.
- Customizable. You can develop your own personalized emails to your prospects, offering friendly advice, tips and reminders.
Make those prospects into customers, 1, 2, 3 or use Email Marketing to help you finish the job!
Comments (2)
About “Step 3: Cultivate – This is where your Social Media efforts can kick in.” Change ‘can’ to ‘should’ or ‘must.’ Social Media is the future, and the future is now. Just as email replaced snail-mail, the cultural shift is now from email to Social Media. I just read “The Thank You Economy” by Gary Vaynerchuk, who explains this convincingly and succinctly. Every business, whether BtoC or BtoB, whether small or mid-sized, must have a Social Media presence to survive and grow today.
Thanks for your comment Guy! Per your recommendation, I just picked up the book and am looking forward to reading it. Social Media will become more prominent with insurance agencies as everyone starts to “get it”, as you clearly do. Just think, you will have it all in place and working for you while others are just begininng. It’s always best to get the first jump!