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Chapter 12: Follow-Up: You Never Call or Write Anymore

Overview

Have you ever heard that line? I have. Your parents and friends sometimes say it to you, but your customers have a different way of saying it. Customers complain with their feet; they walk. If a customer ever says it or suggests it, you had better pay attention. It could be the death knell for your relationship.

Effective follow-up after confirmation and successful negotiation means going that little bit extra for your customer. The little things often move a relationship forward. The result is a win-win-win-win. The win for you is anchoring a solid client, a source of referrals, and second-selling opportunities within an existing account. When we treat our customers with respect and appreciation we feel good about ourselves. At the same time, our customers feel good about working with us. A long-term business relationship is forged.

Its a fact that customers will forget you within 27 days. Your parents might even forget you every couple of months. You have worked hard through Steps #1 to #9 and now its time to use all your resources and tools to protect your newly acquired asset. You must build a fortress of loyalty to keep the watchful eye of your competitors out. I have often said that getting the first sale is easy. Its getting the repeat orders that truly validates your performance as a sales entrepreneur.

Keeping your customer happy and satisfied requires conscious effort. It is part of the ongoing process of assessment, feedback, and reassessment that makes you continually responsive to your customer. Its difficult to coordinate the pursuit of new customers while servicing and growing existing accounts. I think this anonymous quote says it well: A relationship will deteriorate over time. A natural tendency of any relationship (business or marriage) is toward erosion of sensitivity and attentiveness. It requires a solid effort against the forces of decline. A powerful statement indeed.

Too often we take our good customers (As and Bs) for granted. They are the ones who are easy to deal with, rarely giving us trouble. They even provide positive word-of-mouth, recommending our product or service to associates and friends. Because they give us little trouble and are low-maintenance, we often forget about them. Out of sight, out of mind. Sales entrepreneurs realize the adage: Business goes to those who want it and work hard for it, and stays with those who work even harder and show appreciation for it. You must guard against complacency and overconfidence. Dont become vulnerable to your competition.

Heres something I bet you havent even thought about, much less analyzed. What is your customer attrition rate? Surprisingly, most businesses experience a 10-30% attrition rate, but few salespeople are aware of the impact customer erosion has on a business. Unfortunately, experience tells us that the customer for life concept is only a myth. Customers are only for a measurable period of time. The goal is to build loyalty to have (and to hold) as much of the customers attention as realistically possible, for as long as possible. Buyers are selective today and can be frighteningly fickle. The fact is that by not appreciating or expressing gratitude for their business, 10-30% of your customers will leave or at least reduce the frequency of business they do with you. Ironically, you probably wrestle with, Where do I find new business? Yet the easiest and most inexpensive method is not to lose them in the first place.

Price is rarely, if ever, the culprit for high attrition. In the majority of situations, it is an attitude of indifference that drives customers away, motivated by a competitor who is more than happy to shower them with lots of attention during the courting phase. Your customers want to feel that they are appreciated and valued by you, not merely seen as a dollar transaction. Im not suggesting you can ever eliminate attrition, but you can proactively minimize its debilitating effect on the growth of your business. Just as little things can turn a customer off, little things will turn a customer on.

Protecting your customer base is a top priority. Its the difference between selling hard or selling smart. Research tells us that its five to six times more expensive to replace a customer than to keep one. I suppose its no different than divorce. So, how do you show your customers that you think of them often and that you love em? In a relationship there is only one way to say, I love you, but there are

countless ways of showing it. Speaking for my gender, males are known for not communicating feelings or expressing emotions. In relationships, we dont tell our spouse or significant other, I love you often enough. The response is more like this; Honey, you know I love you and if that changes, youll be the second to know. Your mate appreciates hearing, I love you, just as your customers need to hear and see your appreciation for their business.