“Building
Relationships That Turn into Sales:
Prospects buy homes from dealers they know and trust”
Staff Article - As Seen in 'The Journal'
Building relationships is one of the most important aspects to selling well. It can also play a large part in determining a company’s, not just a salesperson’s, success and longevity. Companies that have been around awhile know that building prospect relationships is essential to keeping sales rolling in over time, and many use industry-specific systems to track and manage these relationships. They also believe in aftersale care (i.e. a well run service department), because they know it keeps customers happy, makes them want to come back to buy from you again, and creates more business through referrals.
Prospect relationships = Prospect’s perceptions
Prospect relationships form the basis of a well run sales department.
Your sales staff is charged with the responsibility of these relationships,
and has the opportunity to create a positive impression throughout the
sales cycle. The sales process, or buying cycle, can take an hour, a month
or sometimes years and requires, like any relationship, persistence and
care. Once concluded the relationship continues, whether it’s through
product support (such as warranty work), or the perception the prospect
carries with him about you, your product and your company. With the longer
sales cycle, a positive perception is essential.
Prospects buy homes from dealers they know and
trust
Successful salespeople understand the importance of building a solid rapport
with their prospects that fall into the longer buying cycle. Therefore
during the first contact, along with demographic and product specific
information, he determines any unique needs such as price constraints
or budget requirements. He arms himself with the information he needs
to proactively engage the sales cycle, scheduling the appropriate follow
up letters and phone calls for specific dates and times to creditors or
other individuals that can help move the sale forward. He treats the process
as an immediate or future sale. Rather than a source of aggravation, he
sees it as a golden opportunity to gain his prospect’s trust so
that when it comes time to buy, there’s no hesitancy as to who to
turn to for the order.
You reap what you sow
Building prospect relationships is not difficult, but it takes discipline
and the understanding that future sales are tied to the small acts of
today. In other words, consistent follow up is the bridge to your prospect’s
eventual purchase. Follow up may include activities such as keeping your
prospect informed of special sales and new models, calling occasionally
to reassess financial concerns, sending reminders on a model that’s
up for curtailment, monthly follow up letters, a birthday card or a simple
thank you note for coming in. By repeatedly planting the seeds of professionalism
and attentiveness through consistent follow up, a salesperson demonstrates
dependability and a genuine concern for her prospect’s needs.
Stay organized, follow up consistently and close
more sales
With the right tools, consistent prospect follow up lets you manage the
sales cycle for each sale easily and methodically. Industry-specific software
systems available today allow you to store and retrieve prospect demographics
and credit information, keep detailed notes, create letter templates,
perform mail merges, schedule and track calls and activities through a
calendar and system of reminders, create history reports and much more.
These tools help you manage your prospect relationships efficiently. You
reach more prospects more consistently over time, and as a result increase
your chances of closing more sales.
Prospect relationships are a valuable company
asset
Prospect relationships, built over time from marketing dollars, sales
staff salaries and overhead belong to the company. They are an important
asset that can keep sales rolling in over time and smooth out the dry
spells. Since salespeople come and go, it’s essential to have a
way to store prospect information and interactions that another salesperson
or manager can immediately access. If your best sales rep were to walk
out tomorrow, could you easily access specific financial and demographic
information on each of their prospects? Would you know where they are
in the buying cycle? Could you get a short list of their hottest prospects
and what needs to happen next? A system for tracking prospect relationships
is an essential and powerful tool to keep up with information that might
normally be lost, and to keep all pending sales moving forward. It strengthens
your marketing investment, and can save you thousands of dollars in lost
sales each year.
Building relationships with your prospects and customers
is an art well worth developing. These relationships are sales in the
making, rich with profit potential. Make sure you get the most from your
marketing dollars and sales efforts by developing a method of follow up
that is consistent and professional. Let your prospects know at every
opportunity, that you appreciate them and want their business.
© 2003. For reprint information or permission please
contact Alpha Data Systems.
