Never Start A Customer / Prospect Call With "I Just Called To See How Things Are Going"! (Please)

Never Start A Customer / Prospect Call With "I Just Called To See How Things Are Going" Or "To Follow Up" (Please)

Over the past several years I have had occasion to be contacted by sales representatives from a diverse variety of vendors and competitors.  I have found that the above calls have happened to me far too frequently, so I thought I would share with you!!

  

"I just called to see how things are going" has to be the lamest follow-up question of all time.  Although, it is running neck and neck with, "I just called to follow-up." Neither question elicits any information, neither moves the sales process forward and both are frequently annoying to your prospect who has absolutely no idea why you have called.

 

Now in all fairness, many times the call is not happening in a vacuum.  I may recognize the sales person and know about what product / service they are calling.  However, it is not my expectation that they give me a weekly follow up call to "see how things are going".

 

Prior to following up with a customer or prospect it is important to review these questions:

 

-"What is the purpose/goal of my call?"

-"What is the history here?"

-"Where are we with this prospect?"

-"What is the next step for this prospect?"

 

This type of preparation would have resulted in a much better conversation for the salesperson. If a bit of pre-call preparation were completed this representative would have had a focus and a goal for his call. The rule is: Never make a call to your prospect without having a goal in mind. When you hang up the telephone, what do you want to have accomplished? Do you want to gather information? Do you want the prospect to commit to some action? Do you want agreement on the next step in your sales process? Once you have your goal in mind you can then figure out the appropriate approach. (Hint: "I just called to see how things are going" is not it.)  :0)