In 1999, I made a fatal sales mistake that a rookie wouldn’t have made. I had delivered a killer demonstration to a prospect in Sanford, ME. Everything was perfect. As I was leaving to catch my flight, my point of contact told me that they had completed their search and would be making a decision after June 30th. It was February, which seemed to be an eternity from June 30th. He then politely asked me not to call before July because there wouldn’t be a reason for my call. Sadly, I listened.
When I called in early July, my contact had told me that they already placed an order with my competitor. Of course, I asked why he had made that decision before July 1st – after all, he was pretty adamant about me not calling before then. He explained that my competitor had a special at the end of the quarter and that he had to make the move to take advantage of it.
Any seasoned sales pro that reads this would conclude that I wouldn’t have won anyway – there was a hidden objection somewhere. I don’t think so. I think my contact got taken by a fast talking sales person who made up some fake promotion. What could I have done? I didn’t want to be a pest. In fact, my contact was very clear about me not being a pest.
Idea for this Tuesday: When submitting a proposal, ask exactly how you can follow-up – especially if they tell you not to. Position the question like this: “There is a fine line between being a professional and being a pest. How would you recommend that I follow-up so that I can fulfill my commitment to winning your business, but not inconvenience you or your team?”
Regardless of how many times I’ve recommended that you leave all sales calls like the Fonz leaving Arnold’s, you have to stay in front of your prospects during the decision time frame. The best way to accomplish this is to establish a plan with your customer. Make sure your contact provides guidelines on following up so that you can fit perfectly on the fine line, and win their business.
