One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make is giving up too soon. Whether it’s an inbound lead who isn’t answering the phone, a referral that doesn’t return messages or a seemingly never-ending back-and-forth of emails that doesn’t result in a firm appointment, it’s easy to feel frustrated.
Sales and business development is not the place for “three-strikes-and-you’re-out.” Too many people will give up after the third call or email attempt. Even if they know persistence pays off, it’s human nature to feel like another call that goes to voicemail is a waste of time.
Don’t give up. More sales happen after the fourth call than most people realize, and the stories you create about why someone isn’t responding are rarely true.
Our suggestions?
- Make it a game – create a leaderboard for the most difficult-to-reach prospects and keep a running total.
- Have fun with your messages – I called one prospect every week at the same time and left a message where I laughed and said, “It’s time for our weekly voicemail, so you know I’m still here.”
- Set the expectation – I tell people I’m going to keep calling, then when I leave the next message, I’ll say, “I said I’d keep calling, and I honor my commitments.”
- Use multiple channels – Some people are bad at checking voicemails, but emails reach them. Use calls, emails, LinkedIn messages, and even postcards or notecards in the mail.
- Assume best intentions – People are busy. Things come up, and life happens. The vast majority of reasons why someone doesn’t answer or return your call have nothing to do with you. Be patient and extend grace.
- Frequency matters – A quarterly call isn’t memorable. It’s what average salespeople do. Great sales professionals call dream prospects weekly and keep track.
Regardless of how you handle it, keep in mind that giving up too soon is YOU saying no to the opportunity.
When has persistence paid off for you? Tell us your story.
