Following-up after a sale: when should you reach out?

Congratulations, you closed the sale … now what? All too often sales representatives will wait as long as six-months to check-in after they have closed a sale. Generally speaking, this tactic is far too lackadaisical if you want to build a strong business relationship.

Sure, you might have sent a boilerplate thank you email immediately following the sale; but what about the months in-between your thank you email and the follow up email?

Keep The Sales Momentum Alive

If you want to keep the sales momentum alive (maybe even get a new business referral or two), then you need to offer value on every interaction. This means that you need to rethink your communications plan to incorporate the following proven approaches.

• Re-emphasize the business value — As part of your sales tactic you showed your prospects how your business could bring them value. You made them see how your business would positively impact their organization, help it resolve pain points, and encourage it to achieve new business goals. After you have completed the sale, you need to remind your new customers that your business can continue to help.
• Share ideas and insights — If you want to turn your new customers into loyal brand ambassadors, then you need to show them that you are constantly thinking about how they can improve their business. You need to reiterate that your invested in the success of their business (and as highlighted above) that you can help. To do this, make sure that you are sharing ideas and insights. Monthly newsletters, helpful blog posts or articles, and detailed infographics that focus on resolving an established industry pain point are great ways to follow up and continue to share insights after a sale.
• Continue to educate — Following up after a sale is about educating your new customers on how they can continue to improve. It is also a chance for you to be educated on their potentially ever-changing business pain points. The more insights that you can receive, the better equipped you are to devise customized solutions that have your customers’ best interests at heart.

Don’t Wait On The Sales Follow Up

You held their hand during the sales funnel. You made sure the sale went off without a hitch. Now the sale is complete and you’re planning on sending a boilerplate thank you email before leaving them out to dry for six months. In a phrase, “don’t do it!” If one of your selling points was “the one-on-one care that you give to each customer,” then waiting six months to follow up with a customer after a sale is simply too long. Instead, you should establish a communications timeline and methodology that works for you and the customer. Whether it is via email, phone calls, or in person meetings, following up with your customers after a sale is a personal task that should solidify your relationship. No matter how you follow up, make sure that each interaction keeps the sales momentum alive and showcases your dedication to the business relationship.