Once the initial discussion, demo or presentation is done, a seller, waiting for a prospect to call on their own to close the deal is not just hoping for a miracle in the dead end but is being absurd. Similarly, doing follow up without understanding the prospect’s existing setup up would only reflect being salesy.
Follow up is a basic and recurring event led by the seller in a seller- buyer relationship. A poor follow-up strategy or no strategy at all will make you end up asking, “Have you taken the decision now? Can we take the discussion forward? And that is all.
A few points mentioned here can make this event less daunting for both the seller and the prospect and help them move forward to a closure, be it a clear yes or no than hanging on “may be”.
Recognise the stage of the sales process you are in
Are you in the discovery and introduction phase, or right after your first demo, or at the time of negotiation? Your follow-up at every stage should create value by giving the client a sense of how committed you and your business are in solving the specific problem.
A proper need assessment
A crucial step in the very beginning of your discussion with the prospect is to gain a deep understanding of their existing systems, processes, their pain points, and any solution they have currently deployed. Your follow up strategy should heavily rely on the information gathered in this step.
Solution that just not solves the problem but meets their strategic goals
Based on the information gathered during the need assessment, map or provide relevant or customised solutions that address the specific challenges of prospects and align with their strategic goal if they were to give you the deal.
Value addition at every follow up
Prepare your follow-up every time you call or write an email to a prospect. Showcase to them that you are not selling but working on a path to meet prospect’s requirements more closely. It could be your product updates or customization possibilities created or a special discounted price or freebees.
Provide Case studies & Testimonials
Providing a case study of how your solution helped solve challenges of their competitor’s or organisations of the same size gives them a social proof and an urge to consider your deal over others.
Keep tabs on your prospect’s organisation
Go through their organisation news available on their social media handles or on their website or in any press releases. Talk to your prospect about any impact they have on their current setup. Explore opportunities that could propel faster deal signup in the changed environment. Be willing to offer some test cases.
Know their budget cycles
This information can give an edge in persuading the prospect a little extra as that is the time they can rewrite their investment or purchase plans and may consider provisioning for your deal.
Ideal Customer Profile
Make sure the account you are following fits into your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile). Build relationships with multiple stakeholders in that organisation. This helps to navigate the different personas in the organisation and take on each of the roles they are part of.
POC in your follow up last mile strategy
Proof of Concept (POC) gives prospects a real experience of your solution implemented in a small scale to test the functionality, performance, and capabilities without disturbing the current system. Closely monitor the working and results of your POC and take the feedback.
And what is next – you did your best and the client knows it too.
