|
Author: Larry Galler Article source: http://www.jpservicez-searcharticles.com/. Used with author's permission.
The woman walked into a photography studio and inquired whether a photographer would come to their home to take family photos in front of the fireplace. The receptionist nicely told her that they would do that, gave the prospective customer a brochure and price list for "on-location photo shoots" then took down the woman's contact information, including her email address, which was added to the "prospect" database.
That's it, a seamless front-end and constant follow-up system. It starts with a "Thank you for inquiring" note and is followed with a series of newsletters, coupons, announcements of open houses, and seasonal offerings like Valentine, Halloween, and other holiday promotions.
Did the woman become a customer? I don't know since the incident occurred just last week, but I can assure you that, if the woman compared other photo studios to this photographer's systemized approach to answering the inquiry, this photographer would be heads and shoulders above in comparatives like professionalism, preparedness, showing interest in the prospect, and appearance of quality. Over time, after she receives a number of communications and promotions, the woman will have to be impressed even more.
It is a fact that most businesses do not systemize either the sales process or the follow-up process very well, if at all. Yet, for many products or services, the purchasing decision is not impulsive. It is often a "kicking the tires" methodical accumulation of knowledge about options and various choices available - comparing one prospective vendor or product against another. The longer the decision-making process for a given vendor or product, the more a follow-up program will differentiate your company or your product / service versus your competitor in converting the prospect into a customer.
As a personal example, my mother just moved into a retirement community in Illinois. She had been doing research by "kicking the tires" of these communities for at least five years. When she made the decision to make this big move, her choice was easy because of the sales and follow-up system of her chosen new home. Larry Galler coaches and consults with high-performance executives, professionals, and small businesses since 1993. He is the writer of the long-running (every Sunday since November 2001) business column, "Front Lines with Larry Galler" Sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.larrygaller.com Questions??? Send an email to larry@larrygaller.com
Creative Dreams - What Winter Driving Taught Me
What does protecting yourself in a winter storm have to do with protecting your creative dreams? Here's what I came up with...
Stafford Loan Consolidation
A Stafford Loan, which can help to finance your way through a college or university
What Are You Fishing With? Lure, Bait and Gear
A 10-step exercise that will help service professionals
find out who they are attracting and why they might not
be attracting their ideal clients.
Picture Framing for Photographers - Part 1
Fancy making your own frames for your favourite images? In the first of the three-part series framing specialist GARY LEETE of the FrameCo company explains how ...
Reiki Energy Balance
Here's an easy method for balancing the energy in your Chakras.
Eat More Sushi
There's a joke among women who've been 9-months pregnant,
that once your body has expanded into the unbelievable size
and shape it becomes at full term, it "k...
Oops, I Did It Again
How a few simple questions can help you overcome a pattern of getting into relationships that go wrong.
Getting A New Pet - 7 Tips
Getting a new pet is a big step. It is not just about owning a soft, cuddling creature but about taking care of another life. This life that you bring into yo...
What You Need to Know Before Starting a Low Carb Diet
In the last 12 months or so, low carbohydrate diets have captured the hearts and weight loss hopes of the American public. And why not? These diets promise qu...
Article Writing; a Great Way to Get Free Traffic to Your Website.
Article writing can be your best method of gaining free and targeted visitors to your website. Want to know more.
Salsa Dancing for Fitness is Hot
Forget step classes and spinning- Salsa is the ultimate aerobics workout.
Moon Cake Festival
Festivals are always fun and no one does Festivals better than the Chinese.
Unhappy Relationships: Can They Be Avoided?
There are many ways in which you complicate your life. Unhappy relationships just happens to be one way of identifying where you make relationship mistakes. The...
Three Things You Must Know to Attract Success
Has success eluded you? Perhaps you're travelling with the wrong map. Get the facts here. Attract success effortlessly!
The Benefits of Closet Dehumidifiers
Most closet dehumidifiers are wireless and use salt, silica gel, or other material to absorb moisture out of the air. When they become saturated, you either cha...
Carbon Nano Tube Sheets for Pipelines
The applications for materials like carbon nanotube sheets are endless, yet one application seems almost to good to be true. Nanotube sheets are light, flexible...
Employment Legislation: Proposed Employment Law Changes - To Take Effect 1 October 2005
Proposed changes to the Sex Discrimination Act ("SDA") 1975 and the Equal Pay Act ("EPA") 1970 under the amended Equal Treatment Directive (2002/73/EC) will be ...
Top 10 Miraculous Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal
In earlier generations it was common to keep a diary or personal journal. Today few people do it, and very few recognize the value and astonishing power of keep...
Free Web Advertising: Chat Room Marketing Secrets Of Internet Marketing Gurus Exposed
Have you ever been to a chat room?
Iridology: A Natural Health 101 Article
Iridologists claim they can see inherent physical weakness in the body. But is iridology really a valid therapy?
Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of Heaven is Ridley Scott's way of trying to recapture the success of Gladiator and to turn Orlando Bloom into the international sensation and instant l...
Employees Commit Corporate Fraud
Has your small business been the target of corporate fraud? You may have been and never even known it. And, it happens more frequently than you might think.
How to Profile a Client
If you think you know everything about your client, think again. Client profiling is something you need to do in order to get more business from the same custom...
Introduction To FOREX
Learn the basics of the Foreign Exchange Market -- an investment opportunity that dwarfs the entire American stock market.
|
Print this page