I’ve come to realize this is one of the most important things to get throughout the sale process with a client and is something most sales reps (including me) let the client slide on far too often. We cold call/e-mail, find the needle in the haystack, get them to meet with us, build rapport, qualify appropriately, uncover pain, generate interest, provide value and then waste all that effort by ending the meeting or call by saying something like “let’s touch base next week.” Or we allow clients to dictate the next steps and tell us to “follow up next week” or “we’ll get back to you.”  We all know what happens next week.  We end up chasing the client and touching base and checking which ultimately turns into groveling and begging and then annoyance and anger where we ultimately say something we’ll probably regret.  This can all be avoided by simply locking the client down while we have them on the phone with a defined next step and getting something scheduled on the calendar.

The best time to get something from a client is right after they ask for something from you (information, proposal, etc).  This actually plays off a human condition called the Rule of Reciprocity which says that we are all bound even driven to repay debts.  It’s something about us as humans that we don’t like owning anyone anything.  So, as  soon as someone asks for something there is actually a fleeting moment they feel obligated to give something in return.  If you ask for something in return immediately after they ask you for something and it makes sense it’s actually quite easy for them to give you.  But, the longer you wait the harder it is to get.  We live this every day when clients asks for us to send them information or put together a proposal.  If we ask for a follow up call scheduled on the calendar right then and there it is much easier to get than if we let them off the hook and try to get one next week. They have their calendars in front of them while they are on the phone, they know it and you know it. Ask them to open it up and pick a time. If they don’t do it then they aren’t serious. Good luck and happy selling.