Daniel Spencer discussed the importance of effective follow-up in business, particularly in the context of sales and customer relationship management. The speaker, Dan, emphasised that despite having been in the industry for 25 years, he had never had anyone approach him directly to request training on following up. He highlighted that a significant portion of deals was closed during the follow-up phase, rather than during initial interactions with potential clients.
Dan explained that the psychology of following up played a crucial role in business success. He addressed two key aspects: the belief that following up was unnecessary and doing it incorrectly. To remedy this, he introduced the concept of the "five gears" in the follow-up process.
Gear 1 involved revisiting the history of previous interactions when following up. Gear 2 focused on asking clients about their progress since the last conversation and addressing any obstacles. Gear 3 emphasised getting the client to commit to their next steps, and Gear 4 involved adding value and removing obstacles to ensure smooth progress. Gear 5 was the call to action summary, where the next steps were clearly outlined and documented in a CRM system to maintain a rhythm of follow-ups.
Dan stressed the importance of overcoming objections and concerns while following up and closing appointments effectively. He also highlighted the need to identify and address obstacles that might have been preventing clients from making a purchase decision, emphasising the role of a sales manager or mentor in providing solutions.
Dan encouraged a proactive and value-driven approach to following up, likening it to depositing coins in a slot machine until all deals eventually tipped off the shelf. He underscored the importance of understanding that not all potential clients were at the same stage in their decision-making process and that successful follow-ups might have required a combination of communication methods over an extended period.
