Following up with sales leads – Isn’t it a pain?

Did you know that it takes as many as 6 follow ups or more to close a new sale?

WOW! That’s a lot of work. Statistics show that most people only follow up 2 times before they give up. Being a small business owner it is nearly impossible to keep up with all the tasks to run a business, and often times we focus on operations which leaves sales to no one!

What happens when we don’t follow up with our leads on time? You know and I know… the ball gets dropped somewhere. Does this sound familiar?

They went to a competitor (this is the worst!)
They forget who you are
They screen your calls
They don’t reply to your emails

The list goes on and on…

We all know that follow up can be such a pain in the a$$!

With new automated follow up systems, following up has never been so easy. Another thing, it actually works!

Many times, this is the process a business owner goes through: They are in need of new leads, they get a lead in the door using their marketing practices, they follow up once to get their foot in the door, they follow up again hoping this is the ONE, and then they give up. The lead then forgets about them and doesn’t find a need for them anymore, or they go to another business who did follow up.

The truth of the matter is, businesses usually only follow up about two times, when it actually takes about 6 follow ups to score the lead! The key is to not be forgotten! People are busy these days–they often forget they had a need for what you sell or they go for the business that they remember the most in their minds. After following up 6 or more times, you won’t be forgotten and you will make the impression that you are on top of it! Constantly remind your audience of your message.

Reasons as to why your business or agency should follow up using automation is to:

1. Serve new clients

A new lead is so exciting because there is so much opportunity! This means your marketing practices are working!

What is JUST as important as getting the initial lead is following up. Serve new clients with the benefits of your business. Get them to know, like, and trust you! It’s not about the sale when you first get them, but it’s getting them to learn about you and then actually like what you do first. With automated follow up, you will be in the front of their mind’s as emails, texts, and voicemail bombards their phone (in a good way).

2. Re-engage old leads

Maybe at one point in your business practices, following up may have not been a key practice, but NOW IT IS! Maybe you got leads, but didn’t close them because you didn’t follow up enough times. The good thing is, they once showed interest. Engage with these old leads to make them new ones by educating them about your business and the message you stand for. Entertain, educate, and then execute. Another plus is that you still have their information!

3. Give offers to dead accounts or cancellations in order for them to hire or use you again

Sometimes a client doesn’t need your service anymore or they cancelled subscription with you (and maybe not because they didn’t like you, but because there was no value anymore). This is the time to bring NEW value! Targeting your dead accounts is easy in the sense that they liked you once, they can like you again. Maybe advise them of the new services you offer and recharge that value!

4. Automate communication to your staff- THIS IS GOLD

Communication is key when it comes to businesses. If everyone stays consistent with updates, then there will be no confusion or “leaks” in the system. I like to say, the day that I don’t hear from my staff is a good day because that means they don’t have any questions.

5. Automate offers to your existing clients

Sometimes your clients or customers don’t even know all of the services you offer. By making them aware of what you do sell, they will find more value in your business. They can find other ways to benefit from sticking with you. It’s all about VALUE!

The types of automation alerts:

To offer value to your audience, you may be wondering what you could tell them about other than the products or services you offer. Here are some ideas:

Announce a new launch of a product you’re going to sell
Do you have a sale going on? Create urgency with automation!
Tell them of the new offers coming up in the near future
Download a helpful tool or something cool they could use
Tell them of a training that they don’t wanna miss. (People usually delay doing things like this and then forget to do it all together. Be their calendar reminder)
Are you hosting a webinar that they can greatly benefit from?
Tell them about a live event that’s happening. If you have the link in the automation, they can access it easily
Advise them of a event that is coming up that they should attend
Are you going LIVE on a social platform with useful advice?
Depending on the industry you are in, the list can go on and on…

Here is the process of automation:

Text messaging– 98% open rate! Allows for two-way text messaging. People are on their phones all the time and you don’t need wifi for it!

Email follow up– Although email may seem like a dead concept to most people, people still check it! The main reason you should use email is to have your name be in the front of their minds all the time. Even though the receiver may not read the full email, they will read who the sender is, the headline, and possibly the first part of the email
Voicemail broadcasts– With voicemail broadcasts, you can send announcements with your own voice! The message will pop up in their voicemails for them to listen to.
Call connection with leads– Way underused, but is a game-changer! This is real-time connectivity with your leads!
Phone Tracking / Recording– Track what channels work the best so you see which system is working. This is a good way to report what’s happening.
Calendar booking– Make it easy for people to schedule appointments through automation! Provide links to your calendly, acuity, or whatever platform you use. People often put things off till later. By providing a calendar link, they can do it right then and there.

Reputation management– People love talking about other businesses. Encourage more reviews, which will lead to referrals. The best thing about this is that it’s organic! 88% people trust online reviews like it’s a personal recommendation from a friend.
Pipeline / Sales Tracking– Know exactly where in your pipeline your clients are located and how much they are worth with predictability! Whether you have a brand new lead, a follow up appointment, or a client you just WON! Knowing where your clients stand allows you to grow your business faster!

DEMO OF FOLLOW UP MONSTER HERE

The pressure to manually stay on top of your leads is taken off with automation! You can craft what you would usually say, but use technology to do it for you. Of course you have to put in the effort and still reach out to your leads or clients, but use your best judgment. The best thing with automation follow up is that it also allows replies. It’s two-way communication, so encourage replies! This also helps to make it seem as if it’s a real person sending out the messages…at HIGH SPEED!

Be able to craft your words and plan WHEN you want to send out your follow up messages. Be the right amount of annoying. Remember: The sale happens after the 6th (or more) follow up.