Sales Champs eNewsletter

Sales Champ eNewsletter

March 2008 Issue No. 82

Hi there!

Big news on a personal note! I am going to be a Granny towards the end of March (not long now) and again around the last week of May! Yea, we are collectively expecting a girl and a boy - pretty exciting!

Next big news is that my talk was well-received in Lucknow India, by over 2400 teachers, academics, parents, and students! The hospitality was magnificent, and the country of India is terrifying, magical, mystical and you could go on forever.

In late April, I am heading to Houston to a Quality Conference, and Las Vegas for psychology updates and later in the year, will be doing a cruise from Galveston around the Caribbean, while also attending a Quality conference on board. I think this is a brilliant concept and we should have it in Australia!

Ever been frustrated because someone didn't respond to your calls, when you were the client?

Ever been the person who refused to follow-up, and had all sorts of excuses, then read the article below.

And have a happy break over the Easter weekend. Drive safely and take care.

Cheers

Narelle

Phone call after email follow-up?

by Narelle Stratford

Have you ever found yourself despairing because a supplier doesn't follow up? Or, have you not bothered to follow up a prospective client or an actual client, because you have assumed that all is well, or that his or her silence means they don't want to hear from you?

Firstly, as a business, if you are supplying the service to your clients or want to supply to a prospective client, it is your responsibility to ensure that your client hears from you.

You are responsible for following up your client, for clarifying things with your client, for ensuring that your prospective/client feels welcomed and wanted, and that your concern is for them.

Let me put this another way:

It is not your prospective/client's business to chase you. It is your business to chase them.

In this day and age of email, voicemail, and SMS, one could be excused for thinking that you do not need to follow up assiduously. BUT, {and those of you who know me, know that when I use the word 'BUT' I do it deliberately to denounce the previous words}, technology can and does fail, leaving you as the business owner with egg on your face.

Simple rules for service:

If you send an email regarding an appointment time or a contract or a job, make a phone call to the intended recipient and make sure that it was received, within 24 hrs of sending it.

I recently had an instance where I received the email some 5 days later, and that was after a scheduled appointment, which was very frustrating and led to a complete breakdown in communication between myself and the supplier. Or, you could have written down the email address incorrectly.
If you say on your phone's voicemail, that you will call back as soon as possible, have the courtesy to call back within 24 hours.

DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL! Your voice message says you will call, so call!
Check your missed calls. If the person doesn't leave a message, call him or her back from the registered number in the Missed Calls Log if the number has not been blocked.
When you leave a message for someone on their phone, please speak slowly and say your phone number in groups of 2 or 3. For example, "my phone number is 07 38 57 54 82" and pause between the numbers, then say, "that's 07 38 57 54 82".

Likewise for mobiles, you should speak slowly, say the first 4 digits as one group, then 2 groups of 3 numbers each. Sounds simple I know, but so many people forget the basics.
On your voicemail message, speak slowly and clearly, inviting someone to call you on your mobile and than racing through the number is really annoying, especially when you have to repeat the message to get the number.
Text / SMS your clients on the day of their appointment to remind them. My text reads:

See you at x time, reply a for YES, d for NO, at 79 Russell St West End, cheers Narelle from Live Life 2 The Max! (or Sales Champions).

Clients appreciate knowing that you are going to be there for them.
If you are running late for an appointment, call or text as soon as you realise you will be late. It's a simple courtesy that can relieve your client and says that you have remembered the appointment.

By following these simple steps, you will be stress-free, knowing that you are taking care of your clients/prospective clients and having good systems in place means anyone can do this for you.

Now, does anyone know of an excellent bookkeeper who specialises in QuickBooks for small business owners? Please let me know on 0412 251 196. Must be Brisbane based and actually follows up with a phone call.

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