Today made it official.
There are about 100 days between now and the holiday season (and if you only count business days, there are about 100 before the new year).
Take a breath. (Inhale…and count down from 10 to 1 during the exhale)
My intention is NOT to send you into panic mode. But to remind you that now is your chance to get ahead of the curve and check in. Regardless of what’s happened before today… you get a restart, a do-over that we rarely get in business.
Here are 2 ways to do this:
- Revisit EVERY stalled sales opportunity you experienced this year. Circle back to deals that were left hanging or follow ups that went cold. Think about conversations you had, proposals you submitted or people who reached out to you that may have fallen through the cracks (it happens). To find those opps, you could:
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- Scour your email. Conduct a search on words like “follow up”, “proposal”
- Review your calendar. Again conduct a search on words like “meeting” or “meet up”. And if you use an online scheduler (I use and recommend this one), comb through your past meetings and sessions.
- Check your social media DM’s (direct messages).
- Comb through text messages, saved voicemails and even your call log.
For every stalled opportunity, send this single message (or some version of it).
Subject: Closing the Loop
Hi [Firstname]
Some time ago you were interested in [project/opportunity]. I haven’t heard back from you so I’m guessing you’ve gone in a different direction or your priorities have changed.
Let me know how I can be of assistance in the future.
Regards,
[You]
I would take credit for this, but this entire concept actually comes from Blair Enns, author of The Win Without Pitching Manifesto.
But be forewarned, Enns also recommends that you, “Do not send an overly polite email. Do not make excuses for your prospect’s behavior…Do not email in pursuit of a yes or even an answer…Your mission is to strip away all emotions and matter-of-factly just let your prospect go.”
Take another breath.
- Now, identify every client you worked with or purchased from you this year. Send them a thank you. You may:
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- Send a simple note. Handwritten is preferred, but an email will do.
- Gift them with something of value. I relish in the gifts I receive (and clients send them often!). But I also get excited about what I can send them. This can be as simple as content (like an article or podcast) you developed or found for them. Or it can be as elaborate as an actual product. A few of my favorite go-to gifts are Frosted Sugar Creations’ custom designed cookies and Senica’s natural skin and hair products.
Your Action: Schedule and tackle one (1) follow up and/or thank you each day through the month. You may even delegate this to a trustworthy team member.
Be sure to comment and share the results with me. I’m 100% positive you will have them.
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