Sometimes you hit the jackpot, and a new customer drops right into your lap. Other times, it takes a bit of work to get them signed up. As you know, things move fast in the world of field service. After your initial contact, you have a good two or three days to close the deal if you can’t get them signed on immediately. But even if things don’t work out right away, you still have a chance to successfully make the sale. Here are some tips to help you get there.
1.Track Your Leads
Following up with lost opportunities is impossible if you aren’t keeping tabs on them to begin with. That’s just one of the many reasons you should be tracking every new sales lead you get. Some sort of customer relationship management (CRM) software can help. It’s especially useful if it can timestamp when you contacted them and provide a place to make handy notes.
2.Start A Cadence
Following a basic communications cadence is always a good idea. The first two contacts with your prospective customer should be with your salesperson—or whoever typically handles sales opportunities. Your next two contacts should be with an office person. This can free up time for your salespeople to follow up on new leads. If you’re still struggling to win them over at this point, let your marketing take over.
3.Automated Communications
There’s nothing wrong with warming up your audience with a purposeful marketing campaign. This is also a great way to follow up after your phone calls and in-person visits have run their course. Emails are a nice way to keep your business top of mind for your prospects, and text messages work great as well. Sending all these pieces out can take some time, so if your software can automate the process and drip them out over time, that’s even better.
4.Timing Matters
If you’re having a tough time getting someone on the phone, try contacting them at different times. Everyone’s day looks different, and you never know when people are going to be most receptive. Try calling them first thing in the morning, last thing in the evening, just before lunch, or right afterward. Once again, the timestamping functionality of your software can help you see what’s most effective.
5.Empower Your Technicians
Your technicians in the field can be your biggest ally when it comes to re-engaging lost sales leads. After they’ve completed a service, why not encourage them to check records to see if there are any outstanding sales opportunities in the area? Your field service software should be able to help identify these leads and streamline the process. While they’re at it, there’s nothing wrong with canvassing the area. Doing so may help to bring in new sales leads as well. The more times you speak to someone, the more likely they are to say yes. Combining the techniques outlined here with field service technology can dramatically improve the odds of closing more opportunities. Just remember, once you’ve made the sale, you’ll need to move fast and have the resources available to possibly service them on the same day.
