How many times do you follow-up with a potential customer? Is it just one time?
This may be the reason why you’re not meeting your sales quotas. In this episode, I chat with Guitze Messina, the Director of Latin America for HARDI, on the importance of following up. Listen and learn essential follow-up techniques to help you close more deals.
Guest Introduction
- Guitze Messina brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as the Director of Latin America for HARDI.
- The organization groups together distributors and manufacturers of HVAC equipment across North and South America.
- Guitze has a strong background in sales and recurrent sales strategies, which he shares in this episode.
Importance of Follow-Up
- Starting off, I share how follow-up is a known driver of sales success and most reps fail to execute it effectively.
- Guitze supports this by sharing startling statistics: 44% of salespeople follow up only once, and a whopping 56% don't follow up at all.
- Moreover, 88% of business is closed after five follow-ups, underscoring the necessity of persistent follow-up.
Strategies for Effective Follow-Up
- Guitze shares practical strategies for making follow-up less daunting and more effective:
- Get Permission: Always ask for a follow-up time when sending a quote. This ensures that the customer expects your call and doesn't view it as an intrusion.
- Set Reminders: If you don't reach the customer at the agreed-upon time, leave a message indicating when you'll follow up next. This shows professionalism and persistence.
- Reduce Unproductive Quoting: Sales managers should guide their teams to focus on productive activities and better target customers likely to convert.