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Patricia Weber, M.S.

A television commercial in the United States in the 1990s plays on a man's craving for Dorito's chips. He goes back and forth between his apartment and a neighbor's who happens to have a bag of Doritos. He uses one lame excuse followed by another to get the resident to open the apartment door so he can grab a chip each. Finally, in a last follow-up he grabs the entire bag.

In sales, whether short or long term, follow-up is critical for results. The preferred follow-up to a customer is the type that we call a "valid business reason." Without a reason, the process is as lame as the chip grabber. Whether your marketing is face-to-face or on the internet, your follow-up can influence your customer to buy or not to buy. Here are some ideas you want to consider for increased sales results.

1. A thank you note. It's professional courtesy as well as a gesture of caring. If appropriate to your context, handwritten is best. If email, at the least personalize it with a person's name. This is particularly important today with what Tom Peters' once named "high tech and low touch."

2. Discover their interests. With your needs assessment and rapport building, it's likely you have found a personal interest or hobby. You can send an article or refer to a book that relates to this area.

3. If you promised to send any literature, send it. The more timely the better the impression of your reliability. You go one step up in the building of trust.

4. Maybe you have a new product or service. Take time to give thought of how to position this to your customer and then give them the information about it.

5. Mix your follow-up methods. Use telephone, mail, fax, greeting cards, postcards, email and if you are in direct sales, make a follow up personal visit. Consider taking advantage of voice mail and leave a simple message of your follow up call.

6. And remember at some point simply to call to confirm you're still in consideration. While you do not want this to be your sole reason for follow-up, at some point if the customer has not made a decision, you want to be able to readjust your contact schedule. Or, maybe even save yourself the mental hook to them and move them to a longer lead-time.

If you want to stand out in the crowd, put any one of these ideas into action. You'll make your customer feel appreciated and you'll keep them coming back once they do buy. Offer your customer good information or a timely idea and you'll demonstrate you have their interest at the heart of your work. Leave the chips behind. Follow-up with a reason to reassure your customer and get more sales.

About our expert:  Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America's Sales Reluctance Coach, specializing in Introverts and Shy people at Prostrategies.com. Uncover your selling strategy with quick assessment tools at http://www.prostrategies.com/free/SalesAssess.php   Join me and others on the monthly FREE series of answering your questions about sales reluctance. Enter your question at AskPatWeber.com

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