Doing a good follow-up does not mean that you have to harass your client. On the contrary, you must be able to know their needs and anticipate their demands before your competitors. You have all the elements to be present at the right time.
Many covet the client that you had to take from a colleague. Tell yourself that if you have been able to work with him, it is probably because your competitor has not been able to take advantage of his strategic advantage to maintain his position.
The most important thing is to understand your client’s latent demand properly, that is, to understand what he expects from a service provider, independently of your service.
Table of Contents
Start By Understanding Your Customer’s Needs.
Some people expect their mechanic to fix their car when something goes wrong. Others also want the same mechanic to spend time explaining the repairs he has carried out on the vehicle. Still, others will expect the professional also to be able to inform them about future car models.
These examples show you that your activity does not delimit the scope of actions and interventions requested.
Indeed, some customers expect more from you than you offer on paper. How much attention does your customer expect from you? We advise you to take some time with your interviewer to address this issue specifically.
It would help if you quickly assimilated the functioning of your new client. You can even, depending on him and your performance, ask him how he imagines your partnership.
Like many online sites that offer you to receive a newsletter or information about new brand products, do not hesitate to ask your customer what he expects from you and make sure you adapt. It depends not only on his personality but also on his or your activity.
Demonstrate Professionalism
Your follow-up is part of the commercial development of your freelance activity, so pay attention to your prospect’s reaction.
Some will expect regular contact from you, while others will be satisfied with a call once or twice a year. You need to understand how everyone understands monitoring. It is the key to your success.
For your client, it is proof of professionalism and, for you, a way of fully understanding their expectations and retaining them over the long term.
Follow Up Regularly And Get To Know each Other.
Regular monitoring will allow you to work over the long term with your various clients. This can apply to all areas of your life, both professional and personal.
First, ensure you know and fully understand the workings of the company you will be working with.
If you have managed to retain a customer, it is because you have been able to collect information and complete it. Now that you are introduced to the company, you must know how to identify suitable relays.
It is often not enough to stick to the boss or manager to get the correct information, which will be helpful for you to set up an accurate customer follow-up.
You must be in contact with the person directly concerned by your provision of service. Depending on your activity, this can be an assistant, a salesperson or a manager.
This will allow you, on the one hand, to deepen the famous human relationship so meaningful in your approach and to obtain valuable information.
On the other hand, you can create allies internally; and thanks to this relationship, to the connivance that you establish, there is a chance that your partner will prevent your competitors from reaching your contact.
Use And Combine The Proper Means Of Communication.
To work on this closeness and this privileged attention, you have at your disposal three tools that have already proven themselves during your prospecting: email, telephone and physical meeting.
You will then juggle these different means of communication, depending on the intensity of the follow-up desired. As you deepen your relationship with your customer, you will know the best way to reconnect with them.
The Phone
This means of communication will allow you a few minutes to make a general point and maintain the human side of your relationship. In any case, do not be embarrassed by your approach, be brief and concise, especially at the beginning of your meeting.
Obviously, and that’s the whole point of knowing your client well, there are important moments in the life of a company that you should identify because they are conducive to making contact: back to school, trade shows, a birthday, activity peaks… Remember, you have already noted this information in your customer file thanks to the data gathered during your telephone contacts or on the website of your prospect’s company!
First, clearly state the reason for your call. You are not here to talk about everything and nothing. If you consider everything that has been said, all the professionals with whom you will ensure this customer follow-up will be sensitive to your attention and fully understand your approach.
The important thing here is to show that you are present and that you are paying particular attention to your prospect. Combined with email, the telephone is an excellent way to stay in touch.
This means of communication and making contact is less intrusive but does not allow you to have as much impact as a telephone. Don’t be “one tool”. If you just send emails, you are much less likely to be able to exchange and develop your business relationship.
Simply sending an email brings little or no result. It comes down to doing emailing, whose return rate is almost nil.
The email allows you to make the relationship last after your call, to complete what has been said. This also allows your prospect to find your contact information when he needs it via the search engine of his email.
The power of the phone is to allow you to start building a stronger relationship with your contact. It is essential to be able to stand out from the competition.
Adapt your communication according to your objective and your client. Some will prefer telephone contact, and others may be more complicated to reach and will communicate with you by email.
The Physical Meeting
Always try to make a physical appointment. This is the best way to reinforce the monitoring work you do throughout the year. Pay close attention to latent demand. Some will ask to see you regularly, while it will be difficult for you to meet the others several times.
