Jeffrey Gitomer What does follow-up have to do with a bag of potato chips?
Hot prospect.
You just made a good phone contact or had a brief meeting, and the prospect is interested in becoming a customer. It’s time for your first follow-up. What do you do? Well, you probably send a package with so much information inside it turns the US Postal Service from the brink of bankruptcy into a profit-making organization.
Most follow-up packages include a video, a brochure, an article from some magazine, product flyers, testimonial letters, an order form, several other items you think the prospect “can’t do without,” and a cover letter. Whew!
You have just employed Gitomer’s “reverse law of puking”. You’re puking on the prospect before they have a chance to puke on you.
How much follow-up is too much?
I say just give them one potato chip worth.
What happens when you give someone one potato chip? They want another one. The prospect calls and says, “Hey Jeffrey, got any more potato chips?” Yes, I do then I grab them (by the throat).
If the sale is in the bag, don’t give it all at once. Give them too many potato chips, they lose interest. The prospect will eat what he wants, get full, and never call you again.
Just give one potato chip because you can’t eat just one.
One potato chip follow-up makes the prospect want more.
Here are four ways to employ the Gitomer “One potato chip” follow-up method:
1. Send half of an article of high interest. Let them call you for the other half.
2. Send an email with, “Attached please find…” and then don’t attach it.
3. Send a joke on Monday, send a joke on Tuesday, send a joke on Wednesday, send a joke on Thursday. What’s going to happen on Friday if he doesn’t get your joke? He’ll start asking where it is.
4. Email a question on Monday and answer it on Tuesday. Email a question on Wednesday, and answer it on Thursday. Email a question on Friday. Is he going to be looking for an answer on Monday or not? Call him and say, “I’ve got the answer, I’ve also got some coffee and donuts can I come over?” You bet.
Each chip if given one at a time will lead to more prospect interest and eventually to a sale. One potato chip at a time will create the after-thirst for the sale. Keep them wanting one more chip until there is only one chip left: the order form.
One potato chip, not the whole bag.
About the Author:
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of twelve best-selling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerLearningAcademy.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or email Jeffrey at [email protected] or call him at 704 333-1112.
