I received a referral from a fan of my work in early January regarding the possibility of me speaking at her association’s annual meeting this December in New Orleans. This happens each week and I never take an introduction for granted and always do my best to follow up.
There’s a picture I show in many of my keynotes that demonstrates why follow up is of huge importance in the sales process. I can easily say that my own experience and with many clients that a lot of sales occur after the third or fourth contact with a prospect. What I’m about to share with you, helps prove this out.
Here’s a list below showing my follow up over the last two and half months with the association President whom I was referred to regarding speaking at their annual event in New Orleans and the end result:
1. Mid-January I sent the association president a follow up email
2. A week later I left a voicemail
3. A few weeks go by and I check back in with the person that sent me the referral
4. She sends a second email to the association President
5. I leave a voicemail a week later as he’s traveling
6. Speak with key contact when I call main number who handles the event, who next asks me to email her information after I explain the context of the referral
7. I email her details and am told to check back in within a couple of weeks as the President is traveling
8. I call as instructed and she mentions that she showed him my information that day
9. A few more days go by and I get an email from the association President to set up an exploratory phone call
10. We get on the phone a few days later
11. He asks for more details and a week to show his Board so they can make a decision
12. I email him the requested items after our phone call
13. Last week he emails me and says we are a go to speak this December in New Orleans!
I share this recent story for one central reason: people are busy and effective follow up does pay off. While I wish it was easier and people would get right back to me, this is often not the case. They move at their pace and in their time frame, not ours.
So, your homework: go back through your files and notes to see who you need to follow up with and pick up the phone or send off a quick email today.
Tony Rubleski
Mind Capture
616-638-3912
www.mindcapturegroup.com
The Power of Patience in an Instant Everything World
Monday, February 29th, 2016Here’s the biggest challenge facing most people today in relation to pursuing their dreams and passion. In an age of “instant everything” and the Internet, success rarely happens overnight. Most of the mega successful people I associate with have worked for years and through multiple setbacks to achieve their ultimate objectives. It also doesn’t help that we’ve increasingly become a “lotto” mentality society. I firmly believe that the term “get-rich-quick” is a bold faced lie. There are the occasional needles in the haystack that pull it off, but keeping and sustaining success for the long-haul is an entirely different story.
True champions know they’ll have to put the practice in like a top athlete and stretch much further than they ever thought possible if they really want to hit the goals they seek. New habits, associations and disciplines will be required. The classic quote from business philosopher Jim Rohn sums it up best: “No one can do your pushups for you.”
Far too many people wing it, give up or have no road map consisting of successful books, mentors, and the proper mindset to guide and push them to discover and go after their inner genius.
I never once found a class in my high school or college titled: Goal setting and Success 101. Far too many of our schools teach people book skills and completely skip the life skills component. What a tragedy. We have millions of high school and college graduates trying to enter the work force with lots of book skills but little if any success mindset skills. They go into the employment game with a severe disadvantage right out of the gate. I sometimes forget that I was blessed to not only have the ability to pursue a college degree but also become exposed to two things even more beneficial along the way: mentors and personal development.
Tony Rubleski
Mind Capture
616-638-3912
www.mindcapturegroup.com
Tags: Don't give up, indianapolis small business, Power of Patience, Success mindset, Tony Rubleski
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