Not hearing from anyone? Here's why.
Clients complain to me everyday that a prospect isn’t returning their call. Prospects of mine ask me to propose a strategy to get their sales calls returned. People the world over consume endless books, webinars, and conference seminars learning how to crack the code of the missing prospect phenomenon…
First of all, take a minute and breathe. It is what it is. In my experience, there are 40 reasons why people aren’t getting back to you.
1. They have 214 unread emails in their inbox staring them in the face.
2. 12 voicemails not listened to.
3. A meeting with the boss in the morning. And they ain’t ready.
4. The dork in the cubicle next door has been talking to his mother. For an hour.
5. Hung over from last night’s client dinner.
6. The kid has mom’s cell phone, and is calling them nonstop.
7. Their car is in the shop. They are frazzled.
8. They are freaking out because the mortgage is behind.
9. IT installed new software, and their computer is whacked.
10. They are knee deep in company crisis management…
11. …or crisis management for one of their clients.
12. They suck at multitasking.
13. Damn twitter.
14. Looking at their ex-girlfriend’s pics on Facebook.
15. They are thinking how in the hell they are making it to Junior’s soccer game.
16. They ate too much lunch, and feel like poo.
17. It is the end of the quarter, so why are you bothering them anyway?
18. Maybe they don’t really care about their own organization. So, in their mind, getting back to you isn’t urgent.
19. It is too close to 5PM, and thus happy hour is beckoning.
20. The boss’s brother also submitted a proposal. And he doesn’t know how to tell you that you are screwed.
So, get a grip. Life happens. Your prospect has got a lot of stuff on their plate. You have to be patient. They will get back to you when they can, and not sooner. Yeah, sure, it would be nice to hear back. But all in good time. If and when they NEED you, they’ll call.
But then again, have you considered these possibilities?
21. You annoy them.
22. The reason they are behind is too many voicemails. From you.
23. Your presentation left them limp.
24. You failed to touch one emotional button.
25. You are just after the sale and commission. Not about moving the needle for their business.
26. There is ZERO evidence you provide any value.
27. You are boring.
28. They got more value from the next guy.
29. You just hunted the sale. You didn’t give value.
30. You didn’t really care. You were just following orders.
31. Your proposal was stale. It smelt like a half-assed [insert prospect here] document.
32. In the hustle and bustle of life, they’ve already forgotten you.
33. They’re still kinda seething that you didn’t pick up the tab at lunch.
34. They haven’t finished the 675-word email from you just yet.
35. They didn’t appreciate you telling them what you were going to do with the commission from the sale.
36. Are you a Florida Gator? I mean, seriously? That could be it…
37. You are playing not to lose. And that doesn’t inspire anyone.
38. Your follow-up process involved something automated, such as automated phone call or email. In which case, you deserve everything you get.
39. They are confused, because your marketing message sounds like everyone else. They can’t distinguish between all the proposals on the table…
40. Reflect on your last conversation, did you really really ask for the sale? They’re not confused about your intentions, are they? Boy, if I had a dollar…
So, think about that second batch for a minute. Is that you? Might be…
The answer is simple: be better, give value, be excellent, care. All the time. Then, you can sleep at night…and not stare at the phone all day…
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[cartoon by hugh macleod]