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You are here: Home > Business > Small Business > When a Prospective Client Doesn’t Sign Up, 'Bookend' Them |
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Add You - When a Prospective Client Doesn’t Sign Up, 'Bookend' Them
The Worst Small Business Financing Strategy Ever? and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward.Depending on whose stats you pay attention to, approximately 80% of small businesses fail within their first 5 years of operation.In many cases, its not that a particular business could not succeed; there just wasn't sufficient time to figure out how to succeed.Which brings us to the worst small business financing strategy ever.Here's how it work.The would be entrepreneur develops what they believe to be a sure fire bus It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This Your Unique Advantage No matter how good you are at closing the sale, sometimes a prospective client doesn’t bite on the first sales conversation. But instead of letting them walk away and never hearing from them again, you can use a technique I developed to stop them slipping through your fingers.You have a unique advantage, an edge no one else has. When you put that unique advantage to work for you -- when you take the time to develop it as you would strengthen a muscle -- you get something that reduces perceived risk and triples your chances for success.That something is called Informed Confidence.In fact, research in progress by the SBA Office of Advocacy (http://www.sba.gov/advo/) shows that confidence is the number one Sometimes, a prospect needs some time to make the decision on whether or when they’d like to start working with you. What I’ve noticed over the years is that when this happens, almost always, the sale never happens, probably because life gets in the way and what’s out of sight, is out of mind. So I’ve come up with a fantastic remedy for this, which, in addition to my fool-proof closing the sale script, helps me close the deal 90% of the times I use it. I’ve called it “bookending” and here’s how it works. Often, at the end of our initial consultation, prospects tell me that they need to talk to their spouse, need some time to decide, or want to ideally start in 2 months. Instead of letting them walk away without a plan, I propose scheduling a 5-minute “check-in” call with them to see where they are in their process. Often, I’ll ask whether they need 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months to make a decision. Usually, the answer is next week, so we’ll set up a 5-minute chat for next Tuesday, at 3pm, for example. I explain this will help us follow up with each other, without having to play phone tag or having to follow up with one another unnecessarily. The great thing about this technique is it puts a (self-imposed) time limit in the prospect’s mind as to when THEY would like to make the decision, and obviously, you let them choose when they’d like to have that 5-minute chat. I essentially came up with this because I really dislike following up in this situation. It makes me feel like I’m chasing after them and I don’t feel this is Client Attractive. So instead, we agree they’ll call me on set date and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward. It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This u Warm Up Cold Calls sale never happens, probably because life gets in the way and what’s out of sight, is out of mind.If salespeople expect to be in control of their financial destiny, they have little choice but to make prospect calls. Few salespeople I’ve met actually enjoy making cold calls, but since they are a necessity for any true professional salesperson, every salesperson should suck it up and begin developing their cold-calling skills. Here are several steps that I believe will make the cold calls less unpleasant.1. Do your homework. Try to nev So I’ve come up with a fantastic remedy for this, which, in addition to my fool-proof closing the sale script, helps me close the deal 90% of the times I use it. I’ve called it “bookending” and here’s how it works. Often, at the end of our initial consultation, prospects tell me that they need to talk to their spouse, need some time to decide, or want to ideally start in 2 months. Instead of letting them walk away without a plan, I propose scheduling a 5-minute “check-in” call with them to see where they are in their process. Often, I’ll ask whether they need 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months to make a decision. Usually, the answer is next week, so we’ll set up a 5-minute chat for next Tuesday, at 3pm, for example. I explain this will help us follow up with each other, without having to play phone tag or having to follow up with one another unnecessarily. The great thing about this technique is it puts a (self-imposed) time limit in the prospect’s mind as to when THEY would like to make the decision, and obviously, you let them choose when they’d like to have that 5-minute chat. I essentially came up with this because I really dislike following up in this situation. It makes me feel like I’m chasing after them and I don’t feel this is Client Attractive. So instead, we agree they’ll call me on set date and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward. It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This Tehcnology Consulting - Where It is Headed rt in 2 months. Instead of letting them walk away without a plan, I propose scheduling a 5-minute “check-in” call with them to see where they are in their process.VOIP, VPN, WEP, WAP, MAC, remote access – these are just a few of the thousand technology jargons to keep up with. That’s exactly why Business Technology Consulting is a hot growth area for 2006.Countless small business owners as they grow try to keep up with technology trends and tend to their business in the same timeframe. Hiring an IT person is out of the question. It’s expensive, increases overheads, more hassle and less justification.< Often, I’ll ask whether they need 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months to make a decision. Usually, the answer is next week, so we’ll set up a 5-minute chat for next Tuesday, at 3pm, for example. I explain this will help us follow up with each other, without having to play phone tag or having to follow up with one another unnecessarily. The great thing about this technique is it puts a (self-imposed) time limit in the prospect’s mind as to when THEY would like to make the decision, and obviously, you let them choose when they’d like to have that 5-minute chat. I essentially came up with this because I really dislike following up in this situation. It makes me feel like I’m chasing after them and I don’t feel this is Client Attractive. So instead, we agree they’ll call me on set date and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward. It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This Sales for Service Businesses considered necessarily.A service business is much different than other businesses. When designing a sales program and strategy for a service business or an on-site service business it makes sense to know your target market and which types of customers will provide your company with the most profits. As a salesperson it behooves you to study the customers and the competition's offerings.Cold calling is important in service businesses and so is direct mail brochure The great thing about this technique is it puts a (self-imposed) time limit in the prospect’s mind as to when THEY would like to make the decision, and obviously, you let them choose when they’d like to have that 5-minute chat. I essentially came up with this because I really dislike following up in this situation. It makes me feel like I’m chasing after them and I don’t feel this is Client Attractive. So instead, we agree they’ll call me on set date and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward. It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This Success Leave Trail - Don't Reinvent The Wheels and 90% of the time they do, and out of those times, they don’t feel pressured, they’ve had time to think about what we talked about, crunched the numbers, and are ready to make a decision to move forward.Many people envy the financial and time freedom of online marketers and home based business owners and complaint about their 9-5 work, and wanted to get out of the rat race. However, when asked why they don’t start their own online business and homes based business, their answer is always,I Don’t Know How to start an Online Business?But when asked further, “Do you know people who don’t know any thing about Internet is making a comfort It’s a great tool, especially since it doesn’t make me have to pressure anyone into the sale! Whew! If for whatever reason they don’t call during the time of your 5 minute check-in appointment, you can then call them or e-mail them asking if anything went wrong. This usually puts the prospect into a mode where they feel obliged to get back to you, as THEY were the one who missed the appointment. Again, this is much more Client Attractive and ends up saving you a lot of time. Your Assignment: If a client doesn’t sign up on the spot, make sure to ‘bookend’ another date so you don’t have to follow up on each other for weeks. Use it as a “let’s see where you are in your decision-making process then.” It works like a charm. If you need to start closing the sale 90% of the time too, you’ll want to get a copy of the ‘Closing The Sale’ script I use detailed in the Client Attraction Home Study System™. Step by step, I take you through everything you need to do to pre-qualify prospects, get them ready for the close AND exactly what to say to turn them into paying clients. Get it today by going to www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com. You’ll also get hundreds of other ideas and resources to help YOU become a Client Attraction machine like thousands of my previous clients. © 2006 Fabienne Fredrickson
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