How to handle an approach...

[Joe Y]

Hi all,

All you sales gurus out there. When I get an approach I am struggling with how to go back to them. It is not my natural environment at all and i think I may be coming across wrong. For example I get an email saying, "Hi, I have been refereed to you as someone who can help me" I reply and that's it, it goes cold, sometimes they come back in a week or two and sometimes never.

What am i doing wrong?

 

[Leo Salazar]

Four words: pick up the phone.

 

[Joe Y]

It would be some guess to know their telephone number! (only kidding), I agree, but I am about as approachable as a fa rt in a spacesuit. Think dork with low people skills. Its kind of killing my business.

 

[Leo Salazar]

Think dork with low people skills. Its kind of killing my business.

This makes me sad. :-(

The good news, though, is that you recognize where the problem is. So many people blame the client/economy/competition, etc., instead of looking in the mirror.

Perhaps a two-pronged approach is in order:
1) Consider working with a coach to improve your people skills
2) While you're improving, hire a PA to make appointments for you.

 

[Joe Y]

I have always known the problem, I am the best and worst thing about everything. I cant sell and it seems I am not great at communicating at all. Good advice though, thank you. I will look into it.

 

[Joe Y]

Hence my other post! Id look after them in a big way!

 

[estwig]

I tend to not bother with email enquiries, most seem to come from numpties. I reply with something along the lines of, give us a call. I gave up long ago with sending long emails to cold enquiries, it just seems to end up with more long emails, with a slim possibility of work at the end of it.

If there is a phone number I call it straight away, whilst the email sender is still thinking about me. I stand up to make the call and I smile whilst I'm doing it, not as corny as it sounds, it works, try it. Stand up and walk around whilst making calls and above all, smile!

 

[Leo Salazar]

I gave up long ago with sending long emails to cold enquiries, it just seems to end up with more long emails, with a slim possibility of work at the end of it.

My sales cadence is:
- Send an email. This warms up the client by at least seeing my name come across. It also gives me a reason to call.
- Call within 24-hours. Leave voicemail message if no answer (ALWAYS leave a voicemail! Many people don't listen to voicemail, especially if it's from an unknown number. But those who do are exposed a second time to your name)
- If no response, look for other ways to approach this contact: LinkedIn, social media, network, etc.
- Call a final time: No more than twice. Otherwise you run the great risk of alienating them.

If there is a phone number I call it straight away, whilst the email sender is still thinking about me.

I don't call straight away (it feels like desperation - like you've got nothing better to do than sit around waiting for them to call) but definitely within the hour.

 

[Joe Y]

Thank you for all the advice. I am currently putting together a plan for me to contact my inquiries. As soon as I have this I will put it on here for feedback if that is ok?

 

[Nochexman]

...and that's it, it goes cold, sometimes they come back in a week or two and sometimes never.

You are targeting tradespeople so they tend to be very busy during the day and often into the evening. Are you contacting them at the right time? Why don't you ask your existing clients?

 

[Joe Y]

I agree, it is part of the plan I am putting together. Good point though.

 

[Scalingspace]

My sales cadence is:
- Send an email. This warms up the client by at least seeing my name come across. It also gives me a reason to call.
- Call within 24-hours. Leave voicemail message if no answer (ALWAYS leave a voicemail! Many people don't listen to voicemail, especially if it's from an unknown number. But those who do are exposed a second time to your name)
- If no response, look for other ways to approach this contact: LinkedIn, social media, network, etc.
- Call a final time: No more than twice. Otherwise you run the great risk of alienating them.


I don't call straight away (it feels like desperation - like you've got nothing better to do than sit around waiting for them to call) but definitely within the hour.

have you ever done any survey about that?
would be interesting to find out what people actually feel, rather how you think they feel.

 

[AWISO]

I would say do you have an avatar of the person you are dealing with. What age they are, what they are looking for. Have a checklist of questions to ask them so you don’t forget anything. Read Life Leverage by Rob Moore so anything you are not comfortable doing, outsource it to someone who is good at it. We all have our own natural talents. Richard Branson hires people who are better than he is in different fields.

 

[Leo Salazar]

have you ever done any survey about that?
would be interesting to find out what people actually feel, rather how you think they feel.

I'm having difficulty imagining what this sort of survey question would sound like. "How do you feel if I call you right away, rather than waiting a respectable amount of time?" I think in this case it's better to go with my 40+ years of sales experience and my gut instinct based on the context.

 

[Davidincognac]

there are a few things you can do to make your life simpler.

1. ask them what they want
2. ask them why, what outcome are they trying to achieve
3. break it all down into small parts, asking questions to get a full understanding of what they need. ask the budget they have, the time frame, the quantity, what a complete service will look to them.

I dont want to include anything else, there is so much, however these 3 points will get you a true understanding of what they need and it will help show you are the expert and that will be the foundation to the sale.

 

[Scalingspace]

I'm having difficulty imagining what this sort of survey question would sound like. "How do you feel if I call you right away, rather than waiting a respectable amount of time?" I think in this case it's better to go with my 40+ years of sales experience and my gut instinct based on the context.

So you spend more than 7000 hours in your career waiting to call someone.

 

[Leo Salazar]

So you spend more than 7000 hours in your career waiting to call someone.

Ha! Nope. 'Sales cadence' means I'm calling today those I emailed yesterday.

And so on, and so on...

 

[Mr D]

My sales cadence is:
- Send an email. This warms up the client by at least seeing my name come across. It also gives me a reason to call.
- Call within 24-hours. Leave voicemail message if no answer (ALWAYS leave a voicemail! Many people don't listen to voicemail, especially if it's from an unknown number. But those who do are exposed a second time to your name)
- If no response, look for other ways to approach this contact: LinkedIn, social media, network, etc.
- Call a final time: No more than twice. Otherwise you run the great risk of alienating them.


I don't call straight away (it feels like desperation - like you've got nothing better to do than sit around waiting for them to call) but definitely within the hour.

Its always nice to see someone suggest leaving a voicemail.

Rang a rep last week and got through to him, he apparently had rung us a half dozen times earlier in the year. Which was news to us as we were unaware he had been trying to get in touch.
No emails, no voicemail messages.
Can nip out to visit customers for a few hours, come back and phone count has 30 calls come in, no messages.

 

[Leo Salazar]

Its always nice to see someone suggest leaving a voicemail.

Rang a rep last week and got through to him, he apparently had rung us a half dozen times earlier in the year. Which was news to us as we were unaware he had been trying to get in touch.
No emails, no voicemail messages.
Can nip out to visit customers for a few hours, come back and phone count has 30 calls come in, no messages.

Both of these examples make it crystal clear: you're missing an opportunity (that nobody else uses) to promote yourself and your company. I see it as a little piece of advertising. People pay for ads on social media, but pass up something that's free and staring them in the face.

 

[Davidincognac]

and when you leave a voicemail, have a reason to.
What is gong to grab their attention?