Increase Response With Better Follow Up Methods, Hire Companies That Outsource Support

Cold calls or follow-up, which is more difficult? Companies that outsource support are familiar with the difficulty of establishing a good connection with prospects. However, in practice, trying to get establish an effective follow-up campaign can even be more challenging.

If you’re operating a call center, you’ve likely experienced the frustration. It’s easier if you’re aware of different practices that improve follow-up campaigns:

1. Don’t be annoying, be engaging.

Add value to your calls with prospects. Right from the initial call, agents should inquire clients ways to stay in touch. Clients know the most effective ways they can be reached for follow-up. Have a strategy to implement throughout the conversation. Engage upon contact, offer specific information that might interest each type of customer. For better results, pay closer attention to common customer concerns, preferences.

After finding out essential information and building rapport, ask prospects about their preferred form of communication. In this step, you are also securing their commitment, as well as any possible level of responsiveness to the interaction.

2. Get commitment for a follow-up.

Representatives make the biggest mistake of not properly establishing a specific date and time for the follow-up at the end of the first call. Hire companies that outsource support so you’re able to hurdle these pitfalls. You may even have encountered such scenario and simply agreed to a prospect’s “Call me next week” responses, or you may have even delivered a resounding “Alright. I’ll send you the proposal and follow up in a couple of days.”

This is crucial in establishing trust and catching the prospect’s attention. Understand the necessity of asking for a follow-up date and time. Vague answers and schedules are not going to help you in keeping in touch with any possible client. The process is similar to setting and receiving deadlines at work. It’s a powerful tactic so learn to use it properly. You don’t want to have a lot of missed calls or a longer sales cycle.

3. Send a reminder, set an agenda.

After you have successfully set a desirable date and time for the follow-up call, email your prospects a day before the appointment. Remember to carefully place the reminder on the subject line to catch the attention of the client. Try using this example: “Phone appointment for September 12th and article of interest.” Then, the content of the email must confirm the date and time of your appointment as well as the agenda for the call. Also, don’t forget to reduce the pressure of such follow-up, by opening a possible consideration for the prospect to discuss any concerns regarding the steps to take after the call.

4. Spare customers the template introductions.

Avoid starting the conversation with the common telesales agent opening statements such as “I was calling to follow-up on the proposal.” Also “I’m calling to see if you had any questions, and the reason for the follow-up was to see if you had come to a decision.” These are not poor statements, however, they are all obviously routine phrases that you simply had to use. Picking one of these will not establish your difference with other center representatives. Try working on a more intimate approach, one that builds better connection with the prospect.

5. Be polite, be persistent, and be professional.

There may not be a single formula for success, but with these final tips your agents may improve on closing sales. In every statement you give, remember how you would wish to be treated as a client but don’t go over the top even if you only have to leave a voice mail. Then, if you are not successful with the first call because the client’s not there, call in the next 10 minutes. In this manner, you are being persistent without being intrusive.

Should you have further trouble in reaching the prospects, consider hiring companies that outsource customer support. Otherwise, a good rule is to wait half a day. If you have been calling, leave a final voice mail, leave impression you’re available for the client by giving your number. Finally, be professional; if you still pursue the lead, space your follow-ups three business days apart.

Consider Companies That Outsource Support

This is actually your first and best solution. BPO companies can handle the brunt of the work with team and facilities dedicated for the task.

These are only some of the essential steps that can help you in improving your chances of getting replies from follow-up calls. Remember you have to understand the customer’s type and needs first to fully balance the specific actions to take. Learning these additional strategies gives you an edge over the competition.