esponsiveness is key to any sales process. I’ll give you a little example: Here at the APP headquarters, we are growing so incredibly quickly (thanks to all of you!) we need some software solutions to manage all of the spectacular data coming from our ridiculously amazing clients. As the Director of Database Management, I have contacted many companies for quotes, demonstrations, proposals, and the basic information any company should look for when making a huge IT investment. I tend to give most sales representatives the benefit of the doubt, so I end up on the phone for longer than most, but here are the three types of reps you typically run into when you’re shopping for solutions.
Too Hot: You know these reps. They’re leaving you four voicemails and 10 emails a week. They’re liking your Instagram posts, they’re connecting with you on Linkedin. While these are certainly expedient tools, they come at you faster and more furious than a Vin Diesel movie. In the immortal words of former- Governor Arnold Schwarzegger in the worst Batman movie, “Chill Out!”
Too Cold: Maybe they’re busy, but maybe they just don’t care. If you start feeling like a stood-up like an unfortunate Tinder date, your sales rep is too cold. Recently, I had a rep e-mail me to set up a call a month after my initial inquiry. I was a hot, sticky, sweet lead left out in the cold. To make matters worse, they never even made the scheduled call or got back to my follow-up e-mail. Leads are meant to be coddled, warmed, and loved. If a sales Rep leaves you feeling frozen, it’s better just to “let it go.”
Just Right: Not too hot, not too cold, a good sales rep follows the basic rules of dating. Don’t come across too desperate, but don’t come across to distant. Offer up a useful morsel of information, but leave them wanting more! Follow up with phone calls, but space them out so you do not come across as pushy. In Hubspot, you can drop them a meeting invite to suggest a time to connect, but do not go completely Jumanji on them. Give the customer space to breathe while also letting them know you are there to help when they are ready.
The sales representative offers solutions in a complex world where “time” is the ultimate treasure. Make sure that your approach is “just right!”
