Discovery or consultation calls are a great way to pitch your services, turning potential customers’ awareness into a real purchase interest. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
According to a Brevet, 80% of sales happen after the fourth follow-up. 44% give up after the first call.
Below are 6 tips to help you up your conversion:
1. Be concise (and conscious of their time)
Your potential customers have limited time. Although they might be interested in your product they most likely have other priorities in mind. Answer WHY you should be the one, HOW will you deliver, and WHEN will you do so (with clear actionable next steps).
2. Always have something (relevant) to follow up with.
When following up on a consultation call, it is important to pick up where you left off. What actions need to be accomplished since you last spoke? Were they achieved? Was there any blocker preventing your lead from completing these tasks? Has anything changed since your last call? Is there any offer that can help you tilt the scale?
3. Listen.
Become an active listener: see where they struggle, take notes, and provide solutions based on their needs. Half of the solution lies in understanding your potential customer’s pain points.
4. Know when to reach out (and when to back off).
In sales, the WHAT is as important as the WHEN. If your lead has told you that they will be on vacation for a week, let that week pass by before reaching out again.
5. Be flexible.
The customer is king. Communicate with your potential customer through the platform where your lead feels most comfortable: phone, email, or social media Try to keep an open agenda that caters to their timely needs. Platforms like vei provide a scheduling link where leads can book time for discovery calls and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth emails based on availability and/or time zones.
6. Be persistent (not aggressive).
Don’t lose hope and don’t take things personally. When you don’t get a reply at the time you want is likely linked to the person’s priorities rather than what you are offering.
Listen to the stats and stick to the five follow-ups. Beyond this number, chances are slim to get a positive response and you might be perceived as aggressive.
If this happens, notify the potential customer that you will no longer be contacting them, but leave the door open for future conversations as their needs might change.
Conclusions:
Be persistent: You provide a service that helps your customers’ needs. Don’t let 80% of your potential customers walk away.
Train your pitch: Sales, like sports, can only be mastered through training.
Thicken your skin: Do not take rejection personally. Rejection can be a blessing as a clear answer might save you from several follow-ups that could be spent on other potential customers.
Go get them!
