After a long holiday weekend, you need to close your May opportunities and update your forecast for next month – what do you do?
First, understand their situation: they’ve been gone for at least three days and probably put a lot of things that were due last week off to this week so they can get away on Friday.The typical Monday stuff has pushed to Tuesday / Wednesday, and their 100 new emails have grown to 350. Everyone else is calling them, emailing them, stopping by, etc. Their mood is not the nest this week. Instead of simply reading Calvin Coolidge’s Persistence over and over again, and banging your head against the wall, think strategically.
Below are three ideas to consider:
1. If it can wait, send your prospects a note or nice gift package letting them know you’ll call them next week – after they’ve had time to take care of their inboxes. When you call, they’ll answer with appreciation.
2. Let them know that you’ll call on Thursday morning at 7:45 before chaos hits to answer any questions needed to process the order. Remind them the reason you’ll be calling and attach everything needed for the call as a reference.
3. If necessary and worth the risk, stop by and make sure you’re given an audience. This is a last-shot tactic, and you need to accept that if this doesn’t work you may never get business from them again.
Before doing anything, take a step back and think beyond this month or next. Think about your business, your relationship with these prospects, and your philosophy of being a sales professional… and a person. Don’t sacrifice the long term for a sale this month… unless it’s worth it.
