Thoughts on Marketing…

Good customer service includes service before, during, and after the sale. And it’s the “after the sale” part that makes a salesman really stand out from his or her competitors.

Why then, don’t all sales people follow up with clients? Why don’t they put it in their schedules and make sure it gets done regularly?

Real estate agents who have good training always keep their past client’s contact information and follow-up with them in order to get referrals and future business.

Why don’t all sales people do the same?

In the past ten years I think I’ve heard of only one. My neighbor gets a birthday card each year from a car salesman from whom he purchased a truck a few years ago.

I’ll give that car salesman points for doing that much, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder why they don’t all do it. I also wonder why the dealerships themselves don’t sponsor some kind of event for past clients each year when the new models come in.

Every person on earth likes to feel special, and automatically has a friendly feeling toward anyone who gives them that feeling. Thus, inviting a past client to an exclusive event would be a way to strengthen any relationship that was built while purchasing the last vehicle. Of course it would also be a way to entice that past buyer into becoming a present buyer. Most people do buy several vehicles over a lifetime.

But real estate and car sales people aren’t the only ones who could benefit from follow up.

Think of furniture sales – don’t most people buy more than one couch, or chair, or coffee table during their lives? And don’t they buy additional pieces? The store might put a past client on a list to receive flyers in the mail, but so far I’ve never heard of a sales person writing a note that says “Dear Mrs. Jones, We’ve just gotten in some beautiful end tables in a pattern that would compliment the coffee table you bought last year. If you’re interested, I’ve been given permission to offer you 20% on your choice.”

And what if, instead of a sales pitch, customers who bought significant items were sent a newsletter every couple of months? It could show the new styles, the new colors for the coming season, and maybe include some decorating tips.

Even a person who sells party-plan merchandise could probably add revenue by sending a personal note now and then – along with a flyer showing the newest products.

Right now I can’t think of any sales person that wouldn’t increase his or her business by staying in touch with past customers.

Can you?

The reason this came to mind today was because I was vacuuming. I remembered the vacuum cleaner salesman who came to the house last year and left angry because I didn’t purchase. I had told him ahead of time that I was not in the market for a new vacuum cleaner right then, but he pleaded with me to allow him to show it – saying that he’d be paid for coming out.

While he was slamming the parts back into the box before he left I asked him about his marketing and whether he had a system for following up with people who didn’t buy on the first visit.

He told me no. He said that it was a waste of time.

I guess it was, for him. His attitude was such that I would never buy from him – even now, when I’m seriously thinking about a new vacuum cleaner.