After discussing goals, we must include the goal to improve
our follow-up with those with whom we interact. That group includes everyone
that we meet, everybody with whom we have any level of discussion, and all of our
prospects, customers, and clients. It also includes anyone whom we have lost as
customers or clients. In short it means that we should follow-up with everyone
who will have a conversation with us.
We should not pester others who have indicated that we
should not contact them further. We should better monitor our conversations,
emails, mailings, or whatever means we use, so that we do not further contact
those whom have indicated that our message is not one which they want to hear.
However, we must follow-up with everyone else to be certain
that they either will become our customers, or will become sources of
referrals, or will become both. Of course, their status as a customer or client
is our ultimate objective. However, if they do not believe in a need to be our
customer, we want their referrals to others with whom we may obtain a customer relationship.
Why would anyone refer others to us when they do not
purchase what we have to offer? They may like us personally; they may believe
that our product is something that will be good for someone whom they know.
Their reasons may include an appreciation for how we conduct our business. Are
we ethical, honest, and truthful in our conduct? Do we show our gratitude and appreciation
for our customers and clients?
Do we show our gratitude and appreciation for those who do
not purchase from us? These people can be the lifeblood of our business. They
can provide referrals for us which may be more authentic than the ones from our
customers. Their faith in us is based on our performance that they have
observed as we operate our business. They believe that we are the person who “does
the right thing” in business.
Follow-up includes the Gratitude Marketing
steps that we perform in meeting new acquaintances. We meet with people, get to
know them, and discover what they need in their business. We do not attempt to
sell them what we have to offer, but we help they get what they need, no matter
who has it. When we treat them with respect and support, they will refer their
acquaintances to us for what we offer.
If they express an interest in our offerings, we must
follow-up with professional marketing techniques, making sure that they understand
what we have but also how we operate as business people. We must practice Gratitude Marketing and market, not sell, to them. We
must build networking relationships and perhaps move to customer-vendor
relationships. We might even build client-vendor relationships.
We must follow-up with everyone whom we meet, no matter what
the type of contact that they are. We must be honest, ethical, and truthful in
our communications and in our follow-up. We must be marketing consultants, not
sales persons, helping others get what they need, not selling them just what we
have. We must practice Gratitude Marketing.