HIM:
I built up a customer base of 300 people using the best nutritional products available. Two years later, I was down to 8. I believed in the products and thought they would sell themselves. People got great benefits, but then just stopped buying. What happened?
HER:
It's imperative to follow up because, products do NOT sell themselves-- people sell.
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HIM:
I believe in follow up! I even created my own Newsletter to keep my customers continually educated.
HER:
There are many ways to "follow up." However, as wonderful as it might seem to have a newsletter, that will NOT retain customers! The goal of customer follow up is not education; the goal is building or maintaining a relationship with the person you have labeled a customer. There must be a personal connection.
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HIM:
Funny you should say that. Pretty much the 8 people still buying are basically close friends. [Pause.] For a while I did call people who weren't buying, though.
HER:
I hate to throw a few cliches your way, but... "Too little too late!" "That's closing the barn door after the cow has been stolen." You see, when you call someone who "isn't buying" there is a good likelihood they will hear your thoughts... "The Fortune's in this Follow Up Call."
HIM:
[Laughing.] I even had that slogan tacked up next to my phone. I more or less had to force myself to make the calls.
HER:
In a way, that's what's wrong with the slogan. We need to remember that there is no fortune in the follow up if the caring is not in the follow up. I have a graphic that sums it all up. Take a look.
HIM:
Wow. I always thought of "follow up" in terms of the tasks on the red side. But it always seemed to require so much energy to actually do those things.
HER:
Exactly! And yet the actions on the green side are far more productive, take less energy, and are actually fun to do.
HIM:
I'm a little bit bothered, though, by putting "teaching" in such a bad light. My products require a lot of education about their purpose and use.
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HER:
I can understand that. But we need to find out what people want to learn and when and how they want to learn it.
If you really connect, share, listen, and converse using for example,Michael Olivers Natural Selling Approach, you will be able to educate and still "attract."
HIM:
So follow up is important. But...
HER:
Everything -including follow up- is easier and more effective when we focus on connecting with others.
For those who wish to miss the main point and object to some statements above, let's clarify:
- Yes, you do need a quality product. Preferably an exceptional product that is patent protected!
- Newsletters do serve a useful purpose. But what will motivate interest in reading them? See above.
- Of course it is possible to connect, listen, and converse-- and never complete a sale. The above synopsis indicates the result is "Attraction." Yes, you still need to "close the deal." But it is so much easier when you are asked, how can I get xyz product than when you have to push and chase and manipulate.
- Yes, the attraction way is easier. It also takes time and patience, like all good things.
- The key is balance. Your combined "follow up system" needs to incorporate a philosophy and practice of attraction-based follow-up as implied above. This does not rule out the imperative of incorporating an automated email/newsletter system (Aweber, ChimpMail, etc.) or an automated greeting card system (like Send Out Cards). The key is balance, with all parts of your "system" reflecting care and concern.
RG Consulting Partners: Internet Marketing Guides
If you have a network marketing business - or a small business of any kind - RG Consulting Partners can guide you in attracting the right kind of people using the internet, even if you have little or NO experience with marketing.
If you don't have a business yet, you'll know exactly what to do to make money with whatever you decide to do. We'll teach you how to grow a business by attracting interested customers and prospects no matter what kind of business you get involved with. Here is how we can help:
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