You just reviewed your sales proposal over the phone with your customer. They understand it and need some time to consider it. When the customer says to you, “Ken, I like your proposal, let me mull it over a bit and I will get back to you,” this is your opportunity to tie-down a solid next step before your customer ends the call. You have one shot at this. Don’t blow it by simply responding with, “Okay Bob, that sounds good, please call me with any questions.” If you do this, you just potentially put the sale at risk. This is way too open-ended. And now you don’t know when to follow up. Maybe a day? Two days? A week? This is a fail.
Here is a better response instead: “Absolutely Bob, can we set up a time for me to check back with you and to answer any follow-up questions or items that may arise after this call? I am running around non-stop all week and if I don’t have a follow-up time on the calendar, it won’t happen.” Bob, will almost always respond with, “Sure.” You then recommend a time or two in a couple of days (or whatever you think is appropriate) to pencil in a time for a follow-up call. After doing this, I would then offer Bob if he would like a meeting invite so that it is on his calendar as well. So many people rely heavily on Outlook Calendar and if it’s not on their calendar, they will forget about you. The most important piece of this is ensuring that you have solidified a time for a next step/meeting.
Trust me I have learned the hard way on this. You want to be that “non-pushy salesperson” and not feel like you are pressuring your customer. Understand that if you have a great product that can truly benefit your client and your client shouldn’t go a day more without it, you have absolutely every right to ask for a time to follow up. It actually shows your customer confidence and professionalism. They are busy and so aren’t you. And do you know want the chances of you actually getting a hold of Bob by just randomly calling him in a few days? Zero! It will be a game of leaving voicemails and sending emails. Now you lost momentum and you have no idea where things stand with the sale or with Bob. Not good. Leaving it open-ended hurt my results big time when I first started selling. Don’t let this happen to you! Get that solid, concrete, next step on the calendar!
-Happy Selling!