Initially, we all got frustrated when we got dumped or rejected. Or when we sent CVs to employers and we did not got answers back.
For sure all our mums told us that the proper thing to do is to answer back when you are being spoken, right? So, these entities (employers, suppliers, potential clients, potential girlfriends and so on) they DO NOT respect the rules of being well behaved.
This sucks. And generates frustration.
Later, we all learn to deal with disappointment. We learn NOT to wait for an answer back and we just tell ourselves: “It’s ok, that’s common practice, they will answer back only if they are interested.”
Also, did you noticed that most of the interactions with strangers over a potential business (online or offline) finishes with this bullshit line: “We’ll be in touch“?
The reality is that the other part will almost never get in touch with you unless the answer is YES. “We’ll be in touch” is just a figure of speech to close up a conversation in a positive and optimistically note, even the other person knows for sure that he/she will not buy what you sell.
Why?
- Preserving appearances.
- Cowardliness to speak up the truth.
- Being afraid to commit.
- Being afraid to receive negative feedback on the spot.
- Basically, being afraid to be the “negative” person in that relationship.
Coward people are everywhere. We see them every day.
But, there is a good news for businesses. You can still get the sale IF you talk via voice with that coward person. Do a follow-up. And another one. And another one. Because, there is a high probability to close the sale.
Fact: the leads that are concluding by phone are several times more effective than the ones that are conducted via email. Written communication, being more impersonal, allows coward people to say no more easily. But, over the phone, people are more reluctant to say “NO” in your face.
All our clients that manage leads via email versus phone see this huge advantage. That’s why the biggest step for them to do is to CALL the client, immediately after they declare their interest. Calling makes at leat 70% conversion rate (depending the industry). Email is less then 20% (again, depending the industry and other factors).
My advice to you – Be proactive and do that follow-up, even the person that delivered the “we’ll be in touch bullshit” never expects for you to follow up 🙂
Resilience and persistence are the most important factors in long term success.
