How To Warm Old Prospects

Reconnecting with old prospects after months or even years can be intimidating, but the time to follow up is now. Whether you’re a start-up or veteran business, it’s important to consistently communicate with your customers. Here’s how to restart the conversation, rebuild relationships and convert old prospects to paying customers.

Building Trust as a Sales Strategy

“Focus on building trust so they feel comfortable opening up to you about what their current problems are,” says Ari Galper, founder and CEO of Unlock the Game and author of Unlock the Sales Game. “If there wasn’t trust built prior to the client dropping off, then you can’t just reengage them. You have to start from the beginning.”

Galper, an authority on trust-based selling, shared his top tips to help you warm up those frosty leads.

Be honest and human. The first thing you should do when calling an old prospect is to sincerely apologize for losing touch, says Galper. Then, be honest and explain what you have been working on and why you’re getting back in touch. Take this time to catch up and listen to their updates. “Humanize the conversation,” Galper says. “Don’t look at them as a possible sale or prospect, look at them as a human being.”

Develop Lead Generation with Genuine Interest

Ditch the sales pitch. Avoid immediately sharing your company’s newest offerings, services and products. Starting the conversation off that way can alienate your prospect quickly, especially if you have tried to sell to the person before. Instead, consider asking them about their business and their current needs first. Show them that you are truly interested in providing solutions to their problems and building a valuable relationship. Ultimately, this allows you to sell more effectively.

Use “trust-based language.” It’s all in your word choice, Galper believes. Instead of asking, “Are you interested in…?” ask them, “Are you open to…?”

Do: “Hi, I’m with XYZ Company and I’m just giving you a call. You were a previous client of ours, and I just want to see if you are open to some different ideas and ways to solve the issues of XYZ.” Plug in the problems you think they may be having, tied to your solution.

Don’t: “Hi, how are you? We have a new offering! You are going to love it! It’s fantastic.”

Let the Prospect Drive

Also, instead of ending the call by forcing a next step, such as a meeting, try asking, “Where would you like to go from here?” If you’ve done a good job of listening to your prospect’s issues, goals and aspirations, and providing them with useful solutions, they’ll recognize the value you provide and practically close the sale for you.

Selling and converting is a process. It often takes more than one phone call, more than one meeting and more than one try. Abandon the traditional sales playbook, focus on offering relevant solutions and engage your prospects in conversation. Take the time to follow up consistently, whether it is a phone call or a monthly newsletter that shares information that benefits your prospect. In all that you do be consistent, offer value and listen.

Focusing carefully on our customer’s needs is what American Family Insurance is all about. Our agents take the time to get to know their customers personally, and that level of care and concern is what sets us apart. After you’ve revised your sales strategy and engaged old prospects, take a moment and check in with your agent. By carefully understanding your current business profile, your agent can custom-build a policy that that meets your specific needs.

This article is for informational purposes only and based on information that is widely available. This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. You should contact an attorney for legal advice specific to your situation.