Many salespeople think that once a transaction has been made, their duty with that customer has already ended. Often, they would move on to the next customer and try to sell their product or service, and if all goes well, complete another sale. While this approach works, it is too straightforward and does not build anything for the product or brand. That is why it is recommended that businesses execute sales follow-ups to help build strong and healthy customer relationships.
A sales follow-up is any attempt to contact the customer after making a purchase. Sales representatives can do this through phone, email, or even social media. The purpose of a sales follow-up is simple: to find out what the customer feels about their purchase, see whether or not they’re having problems with it, and establish trust and relationship.
Sale Follow-ups and the Sale Cycle
Why do you need to go through all these to follow up on a sale? Entrepreneurs should realize that an encounter with a single customer could be the start of something big. That’s why it’s essential to treat every customer with respect and care.
For any business, following up on buyers can open many possibilities for future transactions and build a lasting relationship with them. You can send the customer a thank you note, email, or SMS for buying from your store. Within this simple note or message, you can inform them to get in touch with you if they have any concerns or questions about the product.
Businesses can include the channels, such as social media, phone, or email, in their “welcome” or “thank you” message where customers can reach them for future questions.
Another crucial step in a successful sales cycle is to keep communication lines open with your customers. You may contact them every couple of months to ask about the purchase, and at the same time inform them of any upcoming promos or discounts they may be interested in. This encourages them to pay your store or website a visit, which could lead to another purchase.
If the buyer does not need anything from your store at the moment, you may discuss referrals with them in a separate message. Make sure to let them know of the incentives they can get if they successfully refer a new customer.
Why Sales Follow-ups are Important
Below are five reasons and benefits that sales follow-ups can bring to a business.
- It makes customers feel valued
When salespeople follow up on customers after a sale, it makes them feel that they are valued, and not just another number in their sales quota. As a business, you should provide whatever assistance your consumers need concerning the products they buy, whether it’s from an online or brick-and-mortar store.
This after-sales service is not limited to repairing or replacing faulty products but also in assisting customers each step of the way to ensure they can use their purchased items properly.
- It allows businesses to improve on their products
If there is one thing that salespeople can surely get from customers in sales follow-ups, it is feedback. There are two types of feedback: positive and negative, and both can help businesses improve their products.
Even without receiving actual feedback, salespeople and entrepreneurs can make slight improvements on their products based on the problems and difficulties that their customers experience when using them. How would you know these difficulties? By asking them through feedback.
- It strengthens the relationship between the business and its customers
Following up after a completed transaction strengthens business-customer relations. Some entrepreneurs often ask the question, “Why is building relationships important?” The answer is loyalty. When a consumer is satisfied with a product and the aftersales assistance, their relationship with the business grows, resulting in brand loyalty.
Loyal customers are difficult to come by these days. Most people only go to two options when buying something: brands with affordable prices and popular brands. If your products are somewhere in between, you can maintain a following if you nurture good relationships with them.
- It is the right thing to do
Another reason sales follow-ups are important is because it is one of sales best practices. As a business, your duty is not just to make sure your products leave your shelves. It’s crucial to ensure that they actually do what they are supposed to do and help your customers.
As a business that aims to provide for the customer’s needs, the right thing to do is to assit them to make the right purchase, even if that means losing a sale if you don’t have the solution to their needs.
- It makes your business stand out among others
If there is one thing that’s true about sales follow-ups, it’s that businesses seldom do it. Most salespeople are content after that make a sale, and find no reason to contact the customer to ask about their experience with the product.
This is one of the main reasons why sales follow-up will make your business stand out. If people find out that a certain brand provides added assistance even after purchase, they will be intrigued and encouraged to check out your brand.
The Bottomline
Promoting a business is difficult given the current economic situation, but there are still ways to boost sales. Entrepreneurs may add outbound strategies such as sales calling to reach out to prospective consumers who may have difficulty finding the items they need. However, if you already have a constant stream of customers, sales follow-ups are one way to keep them loyal to your brand.
Always remember that when doing sales follow-ups, the focus should be on the customers’ needs, feedback, and experience with the products. Business owners should also be willing to go the extra mile and keep communication lines open with their consumers. You could also offer exclusive promos and deals to repeat customers to build brand loyalty. This creates a strong bond between your business and customers, leading to future purchases, and in some cases, referrals to friends and colleagues.
