I know that many salespeople feel the sales are in the follow-up. I don’t. I don’t enjoy checking back every few weeks to see if someone is ready to make a purchase. I feel like I am being a pain in someone’s neck if they are not ready yet to buy. 

Following up to check on a potential sale makes me feel like a look desperate.

Instead, I prefer to ‘lead up.’ As the saying goes, “People don’t care how much we know. They only want to know how much we care about them.” ‘Leading up’ is about offering an ear to listen, showing empathy for what is of most importance to a prospect or customer, and most importantly, being considered as someone who genuinely cares about others even if I did not make a sale that day. And ‘leading up’ begins before I meet a prospect.  It is the process of building a relationship from the beginning to its natural end.

For example, let’s say I’m selling weight loss products directly to consumers. I will likely join a group on Facebook where weight loss tips are being offered and exchanged because that is where I will find people who match my ideal audience. I review their personal profiles to discover any other mutual interests we have in addition to an interest in weight loss. Then, I will send friend requests to start conversations via private messages to get to know my prospects. For instance, I may start the conversation like this:

• Since we are both members of [name of group], what’s the best weight loss tip you have received from someone in the group?
• What results did you get?

When we speak to people about their personal lives, we want to go slow and ask more general questions at the beginning of getting to know them.  The answers to these questions about our common group tell me how active this person is in the group and how satisfied they are with the information shared in the group. It also lets me know how well they follow tips they receive and the strength of their commitment to losing weight. Also, they will likely ask about the best weight loss tip I have received from the group. I respond authentically:

• I am enjoying celebrating other people’s results. I haven’t tried any tips yet because what I am doing is working so well for me. I have lost [x] pounds and I am now maintaining my ideal weight.

I don’t say anything more about what I am doing. If they are interested at that point, they will ask me. Instead, I ask this question:

• What is your goal date? I would like to cheer you on.

Most people will not have set a goal date or are sure they will not achieve their goal by their planned end date. At this point, I respond with my own authentic story, such as this:

• You may not know that I was in the same situation [x number of years or months] ago. I also did not feel I would be successful at dropping the weight by a certain date. I had tried so many different programs and none of them helped me keep the weight off. I felt disappointed and frustrated with myself. And I was embarrassed by my appearance. Does this make sense?

Along with sharing my authentic story, I’m also asking if they feel or have felt the same way as I just described. If they say no to the question, I know immediately they will not likely say yes to an offer of weight loss products because they are not aligned with the problems I described. If this happens, I wish them all the best and move on to making more friendships with other people in the group.

If they do say yes to the question “Does this make sense?”

I can then ask:

• Why does this make sense to you?

As I listen to their answer, I can find out if they do feel the same way I did.

And if they do, then I ask:

• Would you like to know what I did that changed everything for me in a positive way and has helped me reach my goal and keep the weight off?

They are likely to say yes.

Next, I could ask this:

• On a scale of one to ten, with ten being “I can’t wait to hear more” and one being “I am just being polite,” where are you on the scale right now?

If their answer is eight or less, I say this:

• Okay, I understand that this is not a priority for you at this time. Is there any other way you would like support?

In this way, I demonstrate that I care about them as a person…not just a sale.  They may tell me exactly what challenges they are facing and I may be able to help in some way – or know someone who can.

Of course, if their answer is nine or ten, I say this:

• Okay, it will be easier for me to tell you my story by phone or Zoom. Do you have five minutes now?

If they say now is not a good time, I let them know I am available at one other time today and one additional time tomorrow and ask which one is better for them. If those times don’t work and they are genuinely interested, they will ask for another time option that would work. When we meet, I keep the conversation brief since I asked for only five minutes. I share the following points within the first five minutes of the conversation:

• Why I wanted to lose the weight
• How frustrated I was before I found the products I now use
• How I found the products I use
• How fast the products made a positive difference for me
• How my life has changed in a positive way as a result of using these products

One-sentence explanations for each of the above is all that is required. I keep it simple so they can easily understand how the problem was solved by the products I sell.

I then ask this question:

• On a scale of one to ten, with ten being “I want those same results as fast as possible” and one is “Thank you and I am not interested in having those results,” where are you on the scale?

If their answer is an eight or less, it means the problem I am solving is not a priority to address at this time. I could respond with this:

• Okay, I understand that this is not a priority for you at this time.

Next, I would invite them to receive my weight-loss tips via email to be of continued service to them. If they accept my invitation, I let the emails be the way I support them with content that is of value to them until they are ready to make a purchase. I have their permission to stay in touch. No need to keep calling and pestering someone until they are ready to buy.

Now, if their answer is again a nine or a ten, then they are letting me know they want to resolve the problem quickly. Because I have now built up enough trust to make the product offer, I can say this:

• Great! Do you still have a few minutes so I can show you where to buy the products I use?

If they say yes, I ask if they are ready to make a purchase now. They may ask me to wait while they get their credit card. 

This is why I prefer to be on a video-sharing app like Zoom so I can share my screen and show them how to access the website and how to set up their own account. I don’t proceed if they respond that they have to get permission from a spouse or wait until payday. I will arrange one more appointment with them on a day and time after they talk with their spouse or after they have been paid. Asking genuinely caring questions is how to lead up so both you and your prospect feel comfortable and emotionally satisfied, which results in stronger, long-lasting, and more profitable relationships.