Getting sales calls returned is almost always on a salesperson’s mind.
Especially when a prospect seems completely ready to move forward with you, it can be frustrating when you hear radio silence. Some sellers fear coming across as desperate. Some are afraid of being “too pushy” and scaring off the buyer. Yet, they also want the sale!
So, what’s the secret to getting your sales calls returned? Well, there is no real “secret.” In fact, the two real “secrets” to getting calls returned are widely known…yet often not practiced.
1. Persistence
Look, this may not be the answer you want to hear, but persistence is often the difference between a top performer and a mediocre one. Most sellers try once—maybe twice if they’re feeling brave—and then give up on the lead or prospect. They simply throw in the towel far too early.
Let’s define persistence. It can take as many as 7-12 follow-ups before you finally reach a prospect and get in touch with them. So, don’t get down on yourself if you’re not hearing back after your first follow-up or two. If you’re giving up that early, you’re not being persistent enough!
Remember: your buyers are busy people, too. They have their own personal and professional responsibilities. It may seem, from the seller’s perspective, that their product or service is all that’s on their mind, but that’s rarely actually the case.
2. Embrace the Omnimedia Approach
I get it. There can be a level of intimidation involved in following up with a prospect if you’re not hearing back within the first few tries. Here’s a tip: diversify your approach.
Use all the tools at your disposal—from email, telephone, and social media—in order to connect with the prospect. Perhaps this particular contact is trying to cut back on talk time on the phone, and if you were to simply send over an email, they’d get back to you sooner. Perhaps they’ve assigned their email inbox to somebody else and are choosing to spend more time on LinkedIn. You never know, at first, what a particular individual’s preferred method of contact is. If you’re only trying one communication method, spread your eggs across a variety of baskets!
The ideas are simple. There’s no chemical formula you can concoct in your basement to get people to respond to you. But, the fundamentals are extremely valuable when put into action! So, don’t neglect them.
What’s one other thing you do to get your calls returned?
