3 Ways Inside Sales Can Overcome “Follow-up with Me in the New Year”
The lights are up, shoppers are out, and vacation time with friends and family is right around the corner. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, maybe not for teleprospectors. Their months are shortened, goals are high, and the “out of office” email replies are in abundant. On top of that, getting people committed to a phone conversation can be a battle as many of their prospects are saying “follow up with me in the new year.” Here are 3 ways on how to make it worth your prospect’s time to talk to you now.
- Be Direct: It can be as easy as asking your prospect why it would make sense for you to follow-up in the New Year. Before you hang up the phone and spend more time chasing them down next year, find out if your solution can help your prospect’s business. If so, maybe it doesn’t make sense to push this off? If there is a need, but a legitimate timing issue, set up a specific time for your follow-up call. This will save time trying to get them on the phone and save you from being an intrusion on their day next month.
- Help them Plan: Let your prospect know that you would like to discuss your solution this month while they are planning for next year. While you aren’t necessarily trying to close a deal with them, let them know that you understand there are many steps for them to take to ensure they are making the right decision. The first step is informing them on what your solution will deliver in 2012 and letting them know what they need to plan for from a budget standpoint. This will help them to prepare for January.
- Don’t Lose January: It’s is rarely a matter of “flicking of a switch” and everything is all set. If the need is immediate, it would be helpful for your prospect to optimize ramp-up time for any implementation period your product/solution may have. With the busy schedule your prospect will be facing after the holidays, January will come and go quickly. It is important that you discuss the most efficient way to solve your prospect’s business needs this month and get a jump start on the new year.
While the month is shorter and vacation days are longer, December can actually be one of the strongest months for teleprospectors. It is important to keep a strong pipeline in front of sales while companies are planning for Q1. If the need is strong, ask your prospect for some time today and help them to plan for a strong start in January. Today is the day to help your prospects get a head start in 2012!