How many times should you contact a prospect without being perceived as a pest?
There are varying schools of thought on this issue. First, every prospect is different, and the prospect themselves will dictate when you are being perceived as a pest. Therefore, be careful not to make that assumption on behalf of the prospect because persistence does pay off in the end.
However, statistics show the number of “touches” it takes to propel a prospect to take action is between (7) to (10) times. The average salesperson will stop at (3). A salesperson can differentiate themselves by “touching” the prospect in both a quantitative and qualitative way. A “touch” can be a phone call, voicemail or email, etc. However, this type of “touch” works best in the beginning of the sales cycle. For example, in the prospecting stage. The key is to find a qualified prospect who is interested in learning more about what you are selling.
It is also imperative you bring value to every touch. Creativity can make a significant difference in your ability to move the prospect forward in the sales process. Sending the prospect articles, business books or personal letters is recommended. You might also consider acknowledging a prospect’s awards and achievements or even present them with ideas on how they can become more successful in terms of how you can help their business in some way, shape or form.
In order to avoid being a sales pest, you will want to follow three rules:
1. Be careful not to leave the same voicemail over and over.
2. Do not call a prospect too many times in a short period.
3. Pay attention to building rapport with the prospect and be interested in them as people.
You can be persistent in your sales initiatives without being a pest when your approach is thoughtful, smart and focused.
