Just recently I was reminded how a lack of customer attention can push prospects away more effectively than bug repellant. One of my responsibilities for Sales Concepts is managing our marketing efforts. Various marketing people call on me, and I am glad they do. Having exposure to various sales people not only gives me ideas for our courses, but it also reminds me of how selfish this profession can be perceived.

How do your customers perceive the attention they are getting from you? Do you ever make a deliberate attempt to find out? Sometimes I come right out and ask. I really want to know.

There are a lot of great companies out there that offer great marketing solutions. The problem is I can only recall a handful of the people that call on me. Out of those, I know only a few of them by name. I can’t keep up with all of them. The ones I do keep up with are the ones that keep up with me—that is their job as sales people. The others have dropped from my list simply because they do the minimum. What happens when an opportunity surfaces that I did not see coming and I need a marketing company? You can bet that I will call the person that has been in touch with me the most. My perception of frequent calls is customer service. As for the sales people that call infrequently, my perception of them is that they lack customer service and focus.

When do you contact your customers? Is it when you have something you want to sell? When you get them on the phone, are your questions self-motivated or are you getting a better understanding of their environment, current business needs, and how you can help them?

Keep this fact in mind. We have found over the years that the number one reason for loosing repeat orders is because of indifference (68%). It is less costly to keep customers and it is certainly more enjoyable. Make sure you are doing your part to keep them. Show your customers that you are interested in them by frequently contacting them and asking good questions. It is an investment well-worth your time.

Solution-Based Selling ... by Mark Duley

Clean Sheet Marketing ... by Bob Reed

Communication and Service ... by Mark Duley

Asking Worthwhile Questions ... by Don Sharp

Not If, But... ... by Mark Duley