I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “The fortune is in the follow-up,” and it is no different at National Agents Alliance. It’s absolutely true. Some top agents operate under the philosophy of keep calling until they “buy or die.” They have a system of tracking call-backs and persistently call a prospect on a regular schedule. They never wait for the customer to call them back.
It’s no different with the prospects you are recruiting to be business partners. The follow-up actually starts at the end of the first phone conversation or in-person meeting by setting another appointment. This is not, “we’ll talk soon,” or “we’ll get together sometime next week.” Set a specific time for a call or a meeting.
Top producers in National Agents Alliance master this skill. Make sure you get all the contact information from the prospect…office phone number, cell number, and email address. Right then, set the expectations about the follow-up regarding what will occur at the second meeting. This insures that the prospect will be more open to taking the next step.
Don’t forget to ask for referrals. Be professional and the prospect will feel good that you value his opinion of who might be a prospect. You may have to handle some objections near the end of the first meeting, but since there are only about twenty possible questions they could ask you, you can practice and be prepared. Respond first with, “That’s a great question,” then transition into a short answer, and regain control of the conversation with a question of your own.
At the follow-up meeting, do like the best of National Agents Alliance, and work your way to the magic question: “Jim, I’m excited about our new business relationship and I’d like to have you as a business partner. Is there anything else you need to know before you get started?” Congratulate your new partner and have them enroll on your website…it’s as simple as that.
In some instances you may have to set up a third or fourth meeting, but the secret is in becoming proficient in follow-ups.
When you master the follow-up skills you are actually teaching your new recruit how to do a proper follow-up, and your NAA business will grow exponentially!