Did you know that 91% of consumers say that they're more willing to do business with someone if they feel like they're being offered a deal that is directly relevant to them?
So, follow ups are so important. They not only give you as a business owner a platform to nurture relationships and make those offers, but you're likely to see a 20% increase in sales revenue when you personalize emails.
But that can feel like a lot of work, especially if you're still using old school systems and strategies to make it happen. No one has the time to personally email every single client. So how can you achieve it? Surely there must be a way?
There absolutely is! Keep reading to find out how follow up software could change the game for your business.
There are plenty of reasons customers don't end up buying something, and it’s really not because you're bad at selling or they weren't interested. We must remember that customers are people too, with lives that move on around them. This often means people are very busy and don't necessarily have the time to think everything over.
They may be preoccupied with other issues or simply want to unwind rather than think about products. It's also possible that they're not motivated enough to complete the transaction. They may be concerned about price or their financial status, or funds may limit them and they’re unsure whether it's worth the cost to invest in building or landscaping services.
These are all things that you can't change. What you can do, however, is strengthen your techniques and pitches to make a sale more appealing and rational for your customers.
How do you do this? By building a relationship with them, and convincing them that, for whatever reason, they need your product. It may sound “salesy,” but that's just marketing. There are ways we can do it that feel comfortable and personal, however, and there are plenty of benefits to developing a follow up strategy.
Most systems out there are clunky and cumbersome, whether your system relies on outdated software, spreadsheets, or Post-It-Notes. These can be difficult to maintain, especially when you're running a business and on the go. This is where automation is so important.
Marketing automation gives you the opportunity to build email campaigns while remaining focused on other parts of your business. You can do this by judging the actions your customers typically take and incorporating that into your marketing efforts. These can (and should) be personalized, so your customer feels like they're being seen and heard.
Plus, with the right automation system, you can nurture these prospects until they're ready to buy. That being said, once they have bought something, don't just drop them and leave them. Repeat business is even more likely when you continue to develop and grow that relationship.
These are just a few of the benefits of using a follow up system:
Traditionally, meaningful follow ups take time, but the right automation system can help you streamline the process without removing the personal touch.
Ideally, you want to set up a drip campaign that targets any potential customers who have been viewing your products, or even put things in their cart and left them there. If you have their email, you can set your system up to send them a reminder (in a positive and friendly way), and potentially even offer or recommend something else to them while they're there.
You can also send push notifications to their device, simply giving them a little nudge that maybe they were onto something and should come back for a second look.
Even if you're strapped for time, there are three major things you want to focus on if you're building a new follow up marketing strategy. It's a three-phase process, and it looks like this:
Let's start from the top. A simple but solid lead generation campaign acts as a magnet, attracting new prospects. You want to make this enticing so they become a contact. Once you have them as a contact, you can design and set up an automated campaign that sends an email welcoming them as well as introduces your brand.
This is also the time to offer any next steps. You don't need to ask for a sale here. In fact, you shouldn't, as you don't want to be too pushy. This is basically something that will push someone closer to being a customer. Ask them to read your latest post, or prompt them to reply with their biggest challenge.
Once you've gained this lead, welcomed them, and introduced yourself, it's time to nurture. This can be something you do once a week, or even twice, and it's the key to sales success. However, you want to keep something in mind.
Depending on your business, each long-term nurturing campaign will be different, but whatever you do, make sure it's relevant and informative for your prospect. A year's worth of harsh sales emails will only encourage your potential customers to unsubscribe. Intersperse your sales tactics with helpful hints, tips, and tricks.
Basically, you want to offer your client or customer something before they'll ever be ready to buy from you. It's a tough world out there, no doubt about it. But it doesn't have to be. Not with the right tools.
Follow ups don't have to be hard work. What's even better is when you do all the work once and then let the system tick over and do its thing, bringing you more clients and income than ever before.
The benefits of working with the right sales automation software are immense and could change the shape of your digital marketing strategy forever. Want something that works for you with little to no hassle? Book a demo with us today and let's see how we can simplify your process.