Beef-up your sales call follow-up

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that a prompt, succinct, professional, written sales call follow-up note/email to a customer or prospect is essential. It’s an outstanding, lasting way to:

  • Reinforce your sales message
  • Address (again) any objections that may have arisen
  • Mention something you forgot to bring up during the meeting (Sometimes forgetting-on-purpose-and-mentioning-it-in-your-follow-up is an effective tactic.)
  • Provide answers to questions that were deferred during the meeting
  • Provide new/additional information
  • Clarify & document action items

OK, so the sales call follow up note best practice is older than dirt, and you already probably do it habitually. (Right???) Is there a way to make this practice more effective? (Would I be writing this blog post if they’re weren’t?)

It is crazy to NOT include a digital sales tool with your sales call follow-up note.

Let’s say you’re selling something complex. In my case it might be Sales Process Engineering. I’d likely include the basic value proposition for “SPE,” mentioning that when well-executed, it can drive an 8-12% annual incremental increase in effective sales capacity. I’d also touch on 2 or 3 other topics very specifically relating the conversation.

Then I’d think of three more things…

  1. I want the exec I met with to really remember what SPE is all about
  2. I want that exec to able to articulate the basics of SPE to other execs in that organization
  3. I realize that item #2 is hugely unlikely

So how about including a piece of digital media that accomplishes what I want? Like the following video for example.

  • It reviews and reinforces my sales call
  • It provides a gentle “reminder” tutorial for the called-on exec
  • It gives the exec an incredibly easy way to share the value of SPE with anyone else in the organization.

Did I mention that it gives the called-on exec an incredibly easy way to share the value of SPE with anyone else in the organization? I don’t need to depend on my internal champion to articulate my value prop, I just need him to recommend watching a 4 minute video.

BOTTOM LINE… Attach a video or audio or some digital sales tool to every one of your sales call follow-up notes.

Leave a Reply