Febiuaiy 12, 2u14

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http:smallbusiness.foxbusiness.commaiketing-sales2u14u212customei-
loyalty-S-tips-foi-sales-ieps

Chau Biooks


While most sales iepiesentatives know how to close a sale, a laige numbei uon't
know how to keep theii customeis coming back foi moie.
Laiiy Caietsky, CE0 of the customei ielationship management softwaie pioviuei
Commence, saiu that salespeople too often foiget about the impoitance of the post-
sale follow up.
"Neglecting this vital step may mean that youi business is so focuseu on sales
numbeis that you have not extenueu the sales effoits towaius iepeat sales,
customei iefeiials oi builuing bianu iecognition," Caietsky tolu Business News
Baily.
To help those in the sales inuustiy avoiu such mistakes, Caietsky offeis five tips on
how to pioactively builu sales ielationships anu geneiate customei satisfaction:
Builu ielationships: The goal is biggei than just closing the sale anu moving
on to the next one. Sales iepiesentatives neeu to establish a positive two-way
business ielationship with customeis in oiuei to encouiage futuie business
tiansactions. Keep the long-teim view in minu uuiing eveiy negotiation oi
sales pitch. The "enu" uoesn't ieally come when you close a ueal. Insteau, the
ielationship shoulu evolve into one of tiust the ielationship shoulu
pioviue a ietuin on investment foi the customei.

Follow up: This is the call maue aftei the tiansaction oi ueal is uone. Foi IT
seivices consultants, it coulu be the call aftei the clouu anu fiiewall solutions
aie fully implementeu in the uata centei. Foi a cai uealei, it's the call maue
the uay aftei a buyei leaves the showioom. This call is impoitant foi
establishing tiust. It iequiies minimal effoit, but coulu iesult in futuie sales
with the customei.

Bo the unexpecteu: Call customeis when they least expect it, just to see how
they'ie uoing. Whethei the sale is big oi small, communicating with
customeis peiiouically will help builu the ielationship anu open the uooi to
new oppoitunities anu incieaseu sales.

Look foi othei oppoitunities: Remembei, eveiy company has one entiy uooi
but multiple winuows. When clients aie satisfieu, sales iepiesentatives
shoulu ask them about othei uepaitments that might neeu that same piouuct
oi seivice. Also ask if they can pioviue an intiouuction. If they aie not
satisfieu, then offei a path to iesolution.

Continue the loop: If a contact uoes not have shoit-teim neeus foi a piouuct
oi seivice, uon't just enu the call. Ask about any changes happening within
the oiganization oi the inuustiy. This may pioviue sales iepiesentatives with
valuable insight about the potential foi auu-on sales, oi about what may be
iequiieu foi customei ietention. It also shows the iep is inteiesteu in
leaining about the challenges customeis face going foiwaiu.
Caietsky saiu savvy salespeople use the follow-up call anu othei pioactive
techniques to ensuie the close of the sale isn't the close of a ielationship.
"They unueistanu that sales success is ielateu to builuing a sounu ielationship
thiough guaianteeing satisfaction anu engaging the customei fiequently," he saiu.