“The fortune is in the follow-up.”
Success Strategies In the sales world there is a saying that is so true.
“The fortune is in the follow-up.” NEVER ASSUME anyone received ANYTHING from you. Emails end up in spam folders, snail mail gets lost at the post office, and faxes end up in the trash or in a big pile that goes to the wrong person or worse, into the BLACK HOLE.
Always follow-up with a phone call and ASSUME they did NOT receive what you sent until they confirm with you they received what you sent. It is most favorable to speak with a live person instead of leaving a voice message. But leaving a voice message is better than no follow-up at all. When you have to leave a voice message, ask them to confirm they received what you sent. If you do not hear back from them in what you consider a reasonable amount of time, call them again. Success Strategies, Here is how my conversation goes when I follow-up on a proposal I sent and am forced to leave them a message. “Hi Bill, this is John Kelsey with Zapp Electric, I just emailed you my proposal for the Wendy’s restaurant project, would you please confirm with me that you received it? I just want to make sure it did not go into the black hole. Thanks, My number is ……….
Things to follow-up on.
- Proposals
- (RFI) Request for information to architects or engineers.
- Material pricing requests from wholesale suppliers and vendors, switch gear vendors or light fixture vendors.
- When requesting pricing requests from your sub-contractors like fire alarm contractor, low voltage contractor, high voltage contractor or excavation sub-contractor.
Again the rule is:
Always follow-up with a phone call and never ASSUME people received what you sent.
Ask for confirmation that they received what you sent.
Become a master of follow-up to stop your profits from slipping through the cracks.
John Kelsey is National Trainer of Red Rhino Electrical
Estimating software. He can be reached by email at
johnk@hardhatis.com
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