In February of 2011, I started my career in Sales. I was hungry. I hit the phones…hard. Knocked on doors. Handed out business cards. Wrote call scripts. Rewrote call scripts. Like Indiana Jones, I was in pursuit of the holy grail of elevator pitches. A siren song that no one could refuse.
I left voicemail messages. One, two, three, four, or more messages… for the same person. You could run but not hide…or so I thought.
I’d ask myself constantly…why don’t prospects ever call me back?
But that was the wrong question.
So Unprofessional
“So unprofessional,” I muttered to myself between dials. At least call me back and tell me NO. It’s not like I’m asking you to dump me in person. Over the phone will do just fine.
If I’m ever in a leadership role later in my career I vowed, I will always call salespeople back.
A few years later I’m the General Manager of a multi-million dollar business unit. I got lots of cold calls from salespeople, and guess what?
I called none of them back.
WHY?
Why Prospects Don’t Call Back
Prospects don’t call you back because it’s personal. Kidding…
The truth is prospects don’t call you back because what you’re offering isn’t their top priority.
I called none of them back…until I did
One day on a call a senior executive emphasized the importance of building real customer relationships. Then I got an email from a guy selling corporate packages for the Pacers. “Customers love it,” his email read. “It’s a great way to build customer relationships.”
I called him up and we bought the package.
Your Prospect’s Top Priority
You might think you know your prospect’s top priority based on their title or the company they work for.
If they aren’t calling you back, then you don’t.
When what you sell becomes your customer’s top priority and you’re top of mind…you will get a call. I promise.
How can I make what I offer their top priority?
Now that is the right question to ask.