(Email to prospective customer) “I haven’t heard back from you so I’m assuming one of two things:
Either you’re not interested or you’ve been so busy that my texts and emails have fallen through the cracks, like these unfortunate ducklings. I’d really love to help resolve your issues with the environmental solution I proposed, so let me know either way so I can stop bugging you. 
P.S. I hope the story has a happy ending, like it did for the ducklings.”
What do you say when you follow up on the phone or in person from an unsold proposal, when you try to close the sale? Most reps say things like this:
“Oh hi, this is Doug with RTS. I’m calling to follow up on the meeting we had several days ago. Did you have a chance to review what we discussed?”
Or, another lame opening line many sales reps use:
“Hi, this is Doug with RTS, hope all is well. I was just calling to touch base to see what you thought of the proposal I made to you and the wife Monday evening.”
This is nothing more than beginning your follow up by waving a white surrender flag! Starting this way is handing the steering wheel to your prospect. WHY do that? Weak openings like these also open you up to stalls, and often you’ll hear, “No, I haven’t had time yet, How about getting back to me next week?”
Before I suggest a better strategy, let me take a moment and give you a commercial for the book I wrote and published 7 years ago. It contains 116 individual coaching topics over 274 pages and will help you sell quicker, better, smarter and more profitably. Check it out on my website here. FREE SHIPPING awaits!
A more effective suggestion is to lose phrases like, “just calling to follow up” and “just touching base to …” and promise not to use them again.
Here is a much better alternative:
“Hi Hector, this is Doug with RTS. I’ve been looking forward to getting back with you and helping you get started with our blue collar sales coaching (or whatever you proposed). I’m confident your salespeople will experience the same level of positive results as my other clients have over the years.
After looking through the proposal details, I trust that you are convinced my emphasis on prospecting will improve the activity level of your sales team during the off season. My question today is whether you want to move forward with both the residential and the commercial initiatives we discussed, or is there a reason we should do these one at a time?”
Remembering that your two best strategies are asking questions and silence; hush and listen. As hard as this might be, you will like the results for the following reasons:
1) You’re asking for the sale right away, which will nudge some prospects to buy on the spot.
2) You began your closing on a positive and assumptive note.
3) You are greatly decreasing put-offs and stalls.
4) You immediately get the prospect to tell you where they stand and what they’re thinking. If there is something else that needs clarification or explanation, you will be able to pick up on it quickly and address it on the spot.
This is a good strategy. If you begin using this approach during phone or in-person follow up to sales calls, you will be well on your way to improving your closing percentage and income.
Don’t take my word for it. Try it yourself and then tell me about your results!
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