Vol. 5 Issue 37-September 28, 2017
Follow-up is Key
You’ve faced some of your greatest fears, you took a leap, started your network marketing business and began prospecting. You’ve reached out to numerous prospects. Now what? Follow up. Ask any top earner in any industry if follow-up is important and you will get a unanimous “yes.”
On average, it takes seven touches to close a sale. By “touch” we mean a phone call, a meeting, a three-way call with your upline, a presentation, and so on. If you skip the follow-up, you are leaving money on the table.
Too often Network Marketers believe they have to sign someone up at the end of the first meeting. They try to jam as much information into one meeting as possible and expect their prospect to jump on board. However, as you know, joining a company and building a business is a big decision to make. It takes time to educate prospects, so they completely understand the opportunity at hand and are ready to hit the ground running when they join.
We have said it before; we are in the business of relationships. Follow-up is key to keeping the relationship and conversation moving forward.
Here are a few tips for following up with prospects:
- Utilize a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) app
Organization is key in any business, especially when it comes to sales. A CRM is the perfect tool to keep your prospect information organized and clean. All CRM apps have the ability to store your prospects contact information, log your touchpoints with prospects, maintain running notes on each prospect and set up tasks/reminders for each prospect
This tool allows you to track your progress with each prospect from your first touch to closing the sale. As long as you keep your notes up to date, you will always know where you left off with each prospect and what your action steps are moving forward.
The best part, there are several free apps available. Do a quick “free CRM” Google search to find one that works best for you. - Schedule Your Meetings
At the end of a business owner’s first meeting with a prospect would they say “ok I will give you a call sometime in the next week or so” or would they say “what if I call you at 10:00 am next Tuesday”? They would go with the latter and secure a firm date and time for their next meeting.
At the end of your first meeting with a prospect always set up a specific time to follow up with them and do what you said you would. If you said, you would meet them for coffee, do it, don’t cancel. If you said you would call them at a specific time, call them on time. You get the idea.
Your prospects will take you seriously and respect you for respecting their time and schedule. - Arrange Multiple Exposures
As you know, it takes an average of seven touches to close a deal. A follow-up, exposure, and touch are all the same thing, another opportunity to help your prospect make their decision. The more touches you have with a prospect, the more opportunities you have to help them make a decision that is best for them.
The key here is that you are helping them make a decision, not pushing a sale. You are simply taking your prospect on an educational journey about your opportunity or product at hand. Your goal is to keep the process moving along by arranging as many exposures as possible until your prospect arrives at a decision. - Be Patient
Following up is not a one-time event. Remember this process is about developing a relationship, continuing the conversation, and educating your prospect. It’s going to take time. Be patient with each prospect as you go through this journey with them. Each prospect will be different; some will come to a decision quickly others may take longer to understand the opportunity at hand.
Don’t get discouraged, keep setting up touches and talking with your prospects about your opportunity and products. Your personal story and journey with New Earth will go a long way throughout this process. Share your story, share your team’s stories. Why did you join and how has it changed your life? How has it changed others lives? Chances are your prospect will be able to relate to some of these stories. They will help ease doubt and answer some of their questions.
Again, this process is about developing a relationship, friendship, and partnership. Use this time to get to know your prospect and be their friend. The more you listen to them, the more they will respect you and listen to you. - Stay Top of Mind (Keep Your Exposures Close Together)
Yes, it will take time for your prospects to make a decision and patience is important. However, you don’t want too much time in between touches. It is important to stay top of mind by keeping your exposures close. Life is busy most of the time, we have more obligations and distractions then we can handle. If too much time passes between exposures your prospects are likely not thinking about you, your products or your opportunity.
By keeping your touches close together, you stay top of mind. You keep your prospect engaged in the conversation and thinking about the opportunity at hand. Remember, a touch can be a phone conversation, a three-way call, a video, and so on. Use a combination of these exposures over a two-week span. As you keep dripping information, you will remain top of mind.
When you take the extra time to follow up and cultivate relationships you will gain much more than a new business partner, success, and a potentially bigger paycheck, you will gain a lifelong friend.
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