Drip on Them

One of the common precepts in sales training is that it often takes seven or eight contacts before a prospect is ready to buy from you. The value of repeated exposure and consistent perseverance can't be overestimated. There's a certain level of comfort that develops with time and familiarity. Over time buyers' guards are lowered, trust and interest increases and the ground becomes fertile for new relationships to take root.

The problem though, is that sometimes the pressures of production and a business climate too focused on short term revenue goals distracts us from appreciating and pursuing long term strategies for cultivating new business.

Many seasoned producers tell stories about the great client relationships they've built after considerable courting. Sometimes these clients came aboard when their incumbent agent reached his level of incompetence or moved on to another organization. There's no question that some of the best and most enduring client relationships only begin well after the initial sales appointment.

So if your sales process doesn't include strategies for cultivating prospects over time you're probably going to miss out on a very meaningful segment of potential business. Occasional phone calls, email reminders and even electronic newsletters (like this one) are all good ways to stay connected with prospects. And when that steady 'drip' of interest and attention eventually pays off, the resulting relationship has a firmer foundation and stronger likelihood to endure.