It’s time to ring in 2017. This means more than buying a new calendar or drinking champagne at midnight. The beginning of a new year is a great opportunity to assess your sales strategies and see if there’s any room for improvement. Let’s make this the most successful year yet with a few resolutions.
New Year’s Resolution Number One: Follow up regularly and personally.
You know you need to follow up, but knowing isn’t the same as doing. Resolve to get into the habit of following up regularly. Make a schedule, put it in your new 2017 calendar and stick to it.
If you’re already following up but aren’t having much success, resolve to make your messages more personal. Mention a specific issue or concern, provide new information or offer an educational opportunity. Use your follow-up to show that you’ve been thinking about the conversation, you understand the person’s needs and you’re there to help.
New Year’s Resolution Number Two: Be proactive about finding leads.
Unless you already have more business than you can handle, you need leads. Just don’t expect them to fall into your lap. This year, resolve to be more proactive. Often, the best leads can be found in your existing book. Someone who has already purchased life insurance is a great candidate for disability insurance or long-term care insurance. Create a nurturing campaign to educate them about these essential financial safeguards in 2017. Are your current clients happy with your services? Go ahead and ask them for referrals.
Leverage automation tools. If you haven’t already done so, install our free quote engine on your website and in your email signature. Also, put our BCAM lead generation tool to work. There are 18 marketing templates to choose from!
Quantify the process. Determine how many leads you should generate in a week, and in a month to be successful. Set a personal goal for yourself. If you fall short, come up with new methods of lead-generation. If you meet or surpass your goal, reward yourself.
New Year’s Resolution Number Three: Show appreciation for clients.
You need your clients. Make sure they know how much you value them. Send them birthday cards. Host customer-appreciation events. Tell them how much you appreciate their business.
In addition to being a nice thank you, this can help you maintain client loyalty. It may also help you with New Year’s Resolution Number Two. A client who feels valued and has just been reminded about your services is more likely to refer you to friends than one who hasn’t thought about you in months.
With these three resolutions, 2017 can be a great year for sales. Don’t forget about them the way you forgot about last year’s resolution to eat more kale or to go to the gym five times a week. These are resolutions you want to keep!
