There is a common misconception that a customer’s journey ends after they make a purchase. 

This can affect your business negatively as it is so much cheaper and easier to get a repeat customer than acquire a new customer.  

Sales follow-up involves every support you as a business offers to a customer during the entire sales process even after they purchase your product or service.

Sales follow-up also serves as a customer retention strategy as customers who get support after purchasing a product are more likely to make another purchase and even recommend the business to others.

In this blog post, we discuss the benefits of sales follow-up and recommendations for developing an effective sales follow-up strategy.

Benefits Of Sales Follow Up

Businesses exist to satisfy customers and generate sales from doing that.

Sales follow-up can help business owners find better ways to serve their customers, some of the benefits of sales follow-up include:

• Sales follow-up fosters long-lasting relationships between businesses and customers.
• Sales follow-up helps prospects see the need your product or service is offering, which can lead to a higher sales success rate.
• Sales follow-up can be used to get feedback on the quality of service or product your business rendered to customers.
• Sales follow-up helps you identify your customer’s journey map which can help your business develop a better sales process.

How To Create A Sales Follow-Up Process

1. Choose A Means 

Choose a means of engaging your customers, this can be through calls, emails, or emails. 

When choosing a means of communicating with your customers ensure it’s a platform or means that is also accessible to them.

It is best to ask them how they would like to be reached, then include these means in your sales follow-up plan.

2. Stay In Sight

There is a common saying that out of sight is out of mind. Have you ever seen a billboard and it reminded you that are supposed to get that product?

Most customers and prospects do not buy from you not because they are no longer interested but because they have forgotten about their intentions to patronize you.

A reminder might do the trick. Keep your name in front of them after you’ve settled on your means of reaching out. 

Show that you value their time and will take the time to meet their needs. This doesn’t mean in any way that you spam customers or prospects.

Create a timeline that strategically reminds clients of the products or services you offer.

3. Schedule An Appropriate Time

 When is it appropriate to follow up? Common question business owners ask.

Reach out to prospects as soon as they show an interest in your product or service, when they eventually patronize your business, it is important to also reach out to them.

A rule of thumb is to create a sales follow-up at each stage of the funnel that signifies a touch point.

How Do I Start A Sales Follow-Up?

Beginning a sales follow-up can be a daunting task especially if it’s your first time, here are easy recommendations to help you when reaching out to your customers for a sales follow-up.

1. Use Their Interest in The Follow-Up Opening

Realize your customers and prospects know alternative brands that offer the same product or service as your own business do. 

Gaining their attention is important and a simple way is to tell them about their needs.

A surefire way to win your customer to your side in the follow-up is to remind them of their problems, your services, why they need them, and the issues that would be lifted from their hands.

2. Use Their Concerns in Subsequent Sales Follow Up

It is only normal that some prospects have concerns about patronizing your business.

One way to help them is by asking if they have any sales concerns. You can then create responses to their concern that can be used in a subsequent sales follow-up session.

This also helps build trust and shows your business prioritizes the needs of its customers.

This can lead to more conversion rate which means that your business makes more sales.

Conclusion

Before sales are made in a business, there is a process that prospect has to go through before they make a purchase.

In sales, there are factors that influence the customer’s decision to make a purchase and it is usually the sales process.

If a sales process is easy and customers understand they can reach out for support, they are more likely to buy from your business.

Understand what is happening with your prospects at each sales process, and design the best performing sales follow-up.

Key TakeAway

• Sales follow-up is any support given to a prospect or customer during the entire sales process.
• Customer support during the entire sales process can lead to an increase in conversion rate.

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