75% of business is LOST because of a lack of follow up.
That’s right. Following up is critical to the success of any small business. Marketing campaigns become irrelevant when an organization does not put focused efforts into following up. As a result, 75% of business opportunities are lost.
There are three critical areas in which follow up is necessary for small business success:
a. Sales
b. Frequency
c. Maintenance
Sales – Good marketing strategies and strong promotions should increase call volumes and business traffic, yet if the front-line staff does not have the ability to convert prospects into customers then the efforts are lost. Sales skills are an essential part of doing business, and often this comes down to asking the right questions, developing rapport and providing helpful solutions.
Frequency – Many forms of promotion, including email marketing and advertising, require frequency. Sending out an email blast once or running one ad will rarely generate business. Our role as business owners is to maintain regular contact with our prospects and customers. Frequency can be an effective follow-up method of building relationships with those we want to do more business with.
Maintenance – It costs up to 15 times as much to get new customers as it does to keep the ones we’ve got. Maintenance marketing is a great way to stay connected to the customers you love. This can be done through thank-you cards, lunches, emails, special offers and follow-up phone calls. The number of ways to follow up with our customers is endless. If your company does not have a maintenance marketing plan in place then it is at risk of losing exponential business opportunities.
To learn more about how LeapZone Strategies and sidekick Lift Strategies can help you increase brand equity, awareness and profitability through business, branding and marketing strategies, fill out our free Needs Assessment Questionnaire today.