GET BACK IN TOUCH!
Now like most sales people I like to believe that I am pretty close to my clients – both current and lapsed. I think I have a good feel for what they are doing and where they are likely to have need of my services next. . . or so I thought! I was at a networking function the other week when I ran into a few of my ‘lapsed’ clients and once the social pleasantries were exchanged I realised that in one case my ‘buyer’ had moved sideways on to another role (which I didn’t think to check and hadn’t read about in the press), a second had entered a couple of new markets I hadn’t a clue were of interest to them and the third was holding a one-off business meeting that I could have been involved with “if only (I) has spoken to (him) sooner”!
During the recession, like most good sales people, I was keen to stay in touch, but ever so sensitive of not crossing that line and becoming a stalker! Unfortunately the risk with being so ‘considerate’ is that things change and out of sight can unfortunately be out of mind. Sometimes the obvious questions that you might ask a new prospect do not readily come to mind when chatting with an ‘old friend’. It just made me realise that we could all be a lot sharper in getting back in touch with our clients and prospects alike and asking more questions. Keeping an eye out in the industry press will certainly be useful to catch any promotions and role changes, but don’t forget social media. There are so many these days it seems impossible to sign up to all of them, but if you do some ferreting about and see which ones your clients seem to use, you can stay ahead of the gossip.
It may also be useful to email a few when you have little new to speak about in terms of a compelling reason to telephone and in these cases you can reiterate your current level of understanding / awareness and simply ask whether this is still the case or whether they would appreciate a call or meeting.
Think also of those opportunities when you may meet your clients and prospects at company functions as well as at social or networking events. One client of mine runs breakfast meetings and an annual event – these are both glorious opportunities to invite specific clients and to ‘work the room’ to ensure you have re-opened that line of communication. It is always so much easier to follow up with a call shortly after a face to face meeting.
Do you and they attend the same exhibitions or conferences perhaps? Perfect opportunities to catch up in a less formal way and if your conversation unveils something new or interesting you have a great chance to arrange a more formal meeting or follow up call.
To slightly adapt the military expression, keep your enemies close but your customers and prospects closer!