{"id":649,"date":"2019-07-15T15:44:18","date_gmt":"2019-07-15T20:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/about.closingcommander.com\/?p=649"},"modified":"2019-07-15T15:44:18","modified_gmt":"2019-07-15T20:44:18","slug":"10-excuses-we-hear-for-not-following-up-why-its-time-to-ditch-all-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/about.closingcommander.com\/10-excuses-we-hear-for-not-following-up-why-its-time-to-ditch-all-10\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Excuses We Hear For Not Following Up & Why It\u2019s Time To Ditch All 10"},"content":{"rendered":"

You know you should do it and do it consistently. You know the value of doing it and what you have to gain. But even still, you just don\u2019t do it\u2026<\/span><\/h3>\n

That\u2019s the story behind a lot of things in life, from flossing and hitting the gym a few times a week to skipping the latte and putting that money into a savings account.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth is, we all make excuses in life — it\u2019s part of being human. In fact, some excuses are so universal that we hear them pop up over and over again.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if you really dissect them, you\u2019ll find they\u2019re illusions with no real meat to them. Like these 10 excuses we hear for why businesses just don\u2019t follow up…<\/span><\/p>\n

Excuse #1: Follow up is a waste of time.<\/h2>\n

Wait, what? Uh, actually, not following up makes <\/span>the rest <\/span><\/i>of your sales process a waste of time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Think about it…you spent time on your marketing in order to <\/span>attract <\/span><\/i>that customer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the customer got in touch with you, you or your office staff spent time on the phone answering their questions and scheduling their appointment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Time went into getting their info and adding them to whatever system you use to manage your clients and your schedule.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, your tech spent time driving to the home or business, walking around, speaking with the customer, and gathering the info needed to understand the scope of the project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Afterwards, your tech spent time putting together an estimate for the work that needed to be done and getting that estimate to the customer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s a lot of time spent. And if you shoot that estimate off and never reach back out to the customer to follow up, that\u2019s a lot of time wasted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When we really dissect it, we find that follow up is not a waste of time — it actually prevents the rest of your sales process from being a waste of time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So don\u2019t let the fact that follow up<\/span> takes time<\/span><\/i> mislead you into thinking that it <\/span>wastes time<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Excuse #2: Following up is not as productive as selling what\u2019s in front of me.<\/h2>\n

Ooh, look! Something shiny and new! We get it. The new, the fresh, the right in front of you is way more appealing than the old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But you\u2019ve already provided an estimate and you\u2019ve already invested time and effort into the sale.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why spill your beer, strain your back, and nearly break your fishing rod trying to reel in that big fish, if you\u2019re just going to cut the line and recast when you see sardines nearby?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth is: jobs that require follow up are almost always more lucrative, higher ticket jobs. In other words, they\u2019re your big fish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want to worry about your next meal, you need to keep after the big fish, even though the little fish may be easier to catch.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll drop the fishing analogy now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the moral: don\u2019t abandon the most valuable jobs just because you\u2019re not big on follow up. You could be one, two, three touches away from convincing your customer to say yes to handing over their money, their trust, and their loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

So stick with it, even when something new comes along.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Excuse #3: I don\u2019t want to bother my customers.<\/h2>\n

Okay, like literally everyone else, you\u2019ve probably been harassed by an annoying salesperson who just couldn\u2019t take a hint or wouldn\u2019t take no for an answer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe a sales rep from a certain 4 letter word review site? Just a guess…<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes, being contacted over and over again when you\u2019ve already said you\u2019re not interested is annoying, and the fact that you don\u2019t want to be like that means you\u2019re a good man, Charlie Brown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But reaching out to your customers every so often after you\u2019ve provided an estimate isn\u2019t a pushy, annoying thing to do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, if they say no and you continue to reach out to them to try to get them to change their mind, you\u2019re stepping into \u201cbothersome\u201d \u201cannoying\u201d \u201charassment\u201d territory. But follow up in and of itself isn\u2019t synonymous with harassment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The two should feel nothing alike!<\/span><\/p>\n

Ever had a vet call to check on your pooch after a visit? Ever had a company email to see if you had any questions about a big purchase you were mulling over? Was that annoying or did you kinda, sorta like it?<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth is: what your customers will actually think when you follow up is that you haven\u2019t forgotten about them…that you care about them beyond that first interaction. Those are good thoughts and feelings to have.<\/span><\/p>\n

So separate follow up from harassment in your mind. They\u2019re very different things, just ask Webster!<\/span><\/p>\n

Excuse #4: Following up makes me look desperate.<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s the thing: following up will only make you look desperate if you make it all about you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you make it about the customer and their needs, there\u2019s no way you can come off as desperate. Instead, you\u2019ll come off as caring and helpful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In reality, you\u2019re doing them a disservice<\/span> by not following up<\/span><\/i> because:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • People forget<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Uncertainty leads to inaction<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    They have hesitations they might not voice if they aren\u2019t followed up with by someone who is understanding and wants what\u2019s best for them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you truly believe the service you\u2019re providing is something your customers need, something that will enhance their lives, following up isn\u2019t an act of desperation, it\u2019s your responsibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    And if you choose not to follow up out of fear of appearing desperate, those hesitations will always stand between you and your sale.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n