Keep Track of your Offers
With teamspace you can create offers quickly and easily. To ensure that they will not be forgotten, the software automatically collects all offers for you. This gives you an overview of all offers that are still open or have already been commissioned.
Follow up Offers with Cloud Software
If you wish, teamspace will automatically remind you when it’s time to follow up on an offer. With the right mail template, this is done in seconds – directly in the system. Or you can pick up the phone, because the phone number is stored in the CRM and just a click away.
Document Contact Attempts
Followed up on an offer but couldn’t reach your contact? Simply document the attempted contact. With teamspace, you can document the date and time of your call at the touch of a button.
Tips and Tricks for Following up on Offers
Why follow up on offers?
The fact that a prospective customer does not get in touch after you have sent him an offer is a common occurrence. The reason is not always that he is not interested. Often the cause lies elsewhere:
- The interested party has not had time to get back to you.
- The offer is still under consideration.
- The interested party is obtaining comparative offers.
- The offer was simply forgotten.
There are many reasons why interested parties do not respond to an offer. “Not interested” is just one of them. That’s why it pays for companies to systematically follow up on offers, because:
- If the prospect cancels, you know where you stand.
- If the prospect accepts, you have won an order.
- If you receive neither a clear acceptance nor a rejection, you retain the opportunity and can continue to try.
There are usually psychological reasons why companies do not systematically follow up on offers. Partly it’s the fear of a no, partly the feeling of annoying customers.
Tip 1: Set Appointment with the Customer
Set a follow-up appointment for each quote you create. When contacting the customer by phone, you can make the appointment directly with the customer. Do not ask whether the customer wants such an appointment, but when. By doing so, you assume that you will definitely get back to them, but leave it up to the customer to choose the time.
Send the offer by e-mail and ask for a preferred date. If the customer does not respond, simply set a date yourself that makes sense for your industry, e.g. after two weeks.
Tip 2: Plan for Follow up
If you have set a deadline for follow-up, you should record it with a reminder. This can be done with a calendar, but an automatic reminder is more practical. CRM software such as teamspace offers you resubmissions and alarms for this purpose, which remind you automatically at the appropriate time. This way you can mark the contact as done right away and your calendar won’t overflow.
Tip 3: Prioritize Customers
Following up on offers is always worthwhile, but the effort should be in proportion to the benefit. Therefore, focus on the most lucrative orders first.
Also, choose the channel of your approach to match the order or customer. A telephone call usually promises the greatest success. If the order is very small or the contact person cannot be reached, you can also send an e-mail. This can be pre-formulated and sent in large numbers.
Tip 4: Use the right Approach
If the customer has not yet decided, you can support them in this process. Offer additional advice or provide information material.
When following up, state clearly but politely what you want to achieve. Using authoritative language without subjunctives helps. Document what requirements must be met for the customer to make a decision. You can then work through this list with your contact. It gently but forcefully moves the customer toward a decision. It also demonstrates structured and reliable work.
Tip 5: Document the Follow up
Documenting your offer tracking helps twice. On the one hand, you can keep track of who you have already contacted and how often. On the other hand, you can analyze the success rate of your offer follow-up. With suitable software such as teamspace, you can document contact attempts with just one click. Record whether you have reached your contact person, as well as the result of the conversation and, if necessary, the next appointment.
It is also important to define termination criteria. In this way, you regulate the maximum amount of effort that goes into following up on offers.