This is the question, right? Aren’t we all looking for new customers to buy our products or services every single day? We do marketing, pay for ads, send out email campaigns, host webinars, post content, anything and everything to generate revenue and keep ourselves in business.
It just baffles me how many people are going to all of this effort and then subsequently sabotaging themselves by not following through and by not making sure what they are sending out really works.
In the last 3 months it has happened to me over and over and over again. I have been a “hot buyer” and I’m not able to:
a) ask a question and get an answer or,
b) buy the product.
Here are my tips on making sure your customers can and will buy your products.
TIP 1
Provide a way out of a webinar, especially if it’s going over an hour. I listened to a webinar for an hour and 30 minutes (yes, I’m crazy) just waiting for the purchase details. The sales pitch had gone on for a full 30 minutes with no link and no pricing.
I had to leave to take my daughter to a sport’s practice and I typed in the chat box, “I have to go, can you share the buy link or email me information” and I provided my email address. I heard crickets. I went so far as to email them the next day. That’s how much I liked the product. Crickets. I went even further and emailed them yet again. Crickets. Then, about 5 days later, I heard back. By that time, the excitement from the webinar had worn off but I thought OK, I’ll check out the pricing but at this point I’m a cool buyer at most and I’m probably not going to buy. Their pricing link brings me to tip #2…
TIP 2
If you provide a link, make sure it works. Really!!! Don’t provide a link and let your potential customer click on it and get a 404 error message – page doesn’t exist. YOU gave ME the link. Regrettably, it wasn’t like this was the first time I got a bad link. I’ve received tons of emails with products I’m interested in purchasing and the link doesn’t work. 99.9% of people are not going to go the extra effort to send you back an email and tell you your buy link isn’t working.
Would you believe that I have even done that and I get an auto-reply that says “this email is not monitored so you will not get a response.”
But let’s say it is a good email address and you are able to ask your questions… this brings me to Tip #3… for the .1% who do email a question to your company…. ANSWER IT!
TIP 3
How many of you have emailed a company with a question about a product or service and you wanted to purchase something from them but heard nothing in return? People, WE ARE WARM BUYERS!!! If someone is going to the effort to send an email inquiring about functionality or something specific about the product, you should be able to sell them a product!
I’ve written before about customer service but never hit on these points because I thought these were no-brainers. There are companies out there who have lost thousands of dollars in sales from me alone. How much money are you leaving on the table by not servicing potential customers? I’d love to hear if you have a similar story to share. And if you have any questions about my products, I WILL answer your emails or calls. Reach out to me at www.PRforAnyone.com.
What you write is so very true. There is often a statement I remind my clients and presentation attendees of: The fortune is in the follow up!
Thank you, Christina, for what would seem to be common sense! My personal experience, in buying from you this week, was an excellent example of prompt response & attentiveness to complete the transaction. I’m a content customer of PR for Anyone!