Advisors: How to lock in that follow-up call

Sometimes, however, it is easy to get mislead by an unfocused prospect who simply says, "Call me next week." The key here is to use the same approach and narrow down a specific day and time. Here is how you handle that conversation and the questions you need to ask:

"What day usually works best for you?" If they say, "Any day is fine" narrow it down with, "How does next Tuesday look?"

Follow this with, "Do mornings or afternoons work best?" or "Is there a particular time of day that works better?" The word 'particular' is key because it encourages your prospect to consider their typical day and think of the best time to call.

In some cases, they may still respond with a vague answer like, "mornings" so take a deep breath and ask one more question: "Does 10:15 a.m. work for you?" or "What's your schedule like at 10:15 a.m.?" I have found that scheduling an appointment on a quarter hour is more effective than a standard time like 10:00 or 10:30. Some other sales trainers even suggest that you request a time like 10:20 or 10:40. I haven't tried that so I can't comment on its effectiveness.

This approach requires a bit of gentle persistence and practice but it is not aggressive or offensive and people respond well to it because it shows that you respect your prospect's time. One key to remember is to keep your voice evenly modulated and your tone conversational. Avoid allowing any type of frustration to creep into your tone because you will automatically be perceived as aggressive instead assertive.

Finally, when you do make your follow-up call, start the conversation by saying something like, "Mr. Contact, I'm calling you as promised." If you happen to get their voice mail, hang up and call three- to- five minutes later. If you get bumped to VM again, leave the above message. More often than not, you will get a return call. At least that has been my experience.

Resist the temptation to leave the next call or meeting unscheduled and you will dramatically improve your results. By the way, this approach works equally as well for face-to-face meetings.

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Kelley Robertson helps sales professionals master their sales conversations so they can win more business at higher profits. Get a free copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" and "Sales Blunders That Cost You Money" at http://www.Fearless-Selling.ca.