The majority of good marketing processes emphasize the importance of follow up. Regardless of your stellar sales pitch, the fact is that only a small percentage of prospects will be ready to buy at a given point in time. This is the natural sales cycle.
Consumers naturally go through a process where the desire for a service or product (specifically the benefit of the service/product) enters their consciousness. The degree of desire they have is the factor that drives their response.
If the desire is just mildly intense, then they are usually driven to learn a little more. When the level of desire is extremely strong (and perhaps overwhelming), then they buy.
The main objective of sales is to gently move a prospect from the “learn more” level to the “hard to resist” and “need to have” level of intensity.
This task is rather difficult in a very short time frame. That is where the follow up process comes in. When you follow up with a prospect you can gradually but continuously move the customer to the highest level of intensity.
Each and every prospect will be at a different intensity level. This is the reason that it is critical for you to maintain and develop the momentum that will move them to the “need to have” level.
Since it’s almost impossible to know exactly what the intensity level of each prospect is, you must give them the chance to purchase something in EVERY single follow up message. It makes no difference how you do the follow up, but it has to have a call to action that will give the prospect the chance to buy something.
We suggest the best method of follow up is educational, such as:
• An educational eNewsletter (eZine)
• eCourse
• Teleconference series
• Etc
These educational contacts continue to build rapport and trust, and establish you as a credible expert. Other follow ups to consider include:
• Email
• Hard copy letter
• Phone calls
• Special invitations
• Reports
• “Club” membership
• Vouchers
• Joint Venture promotions
• Gifts
• Parties/ meetings/ get togethers
• Cards
• Fax
• Blogs
• RSS subscriptions
• Articles
• How-To guides
• Tip Sheets
• Etc.
For more information about marketing strategies, check out http://www.masufo.com
