Thriving Thursday, today’s focus is on wrapping things up for the week! Today you should be in a “groove” after completing so much on Work It Wednesday – Keep It Up! Move through your list doing the follow up on the items you were working on Monday & Tuesday, if there is any needed. Do not start new projects that are not on your list already – schedule them for next week and out. Stay on track for Finish It Friday and get as much done on your list so you can reward yourself with not only time “off” but what ever reward you had chosen for yourself this week!
What? You have so many prospects you don’t know what to do? You have so many potential customers/clients you loose track of them?
One of the tasks that can be stressful in Network Marketing/Direct Sales or in Small Business is the follow up with prospects, potential clients/customers. Along with setting up a Tickler file to track your projects and tasks you need to set up a Prospect/Client/Customer tracker! Tracking conversations and contacts with Prospects/Clients/Customers can be a business saver along with a business growth must.
Potential Prospects/Clients/Customers will base decisions on how organized you are and how well you follow up. Then will be deciding to do business with you in one way or not based on your follow up and follow through. Though it is AWESOME to have a lot of potential Prospects/Clients/Customers to follow up with, you don’t want to overwhelm yourself and lose some or start to build a reputation for not being on top of things.
What would a Potential Prospects/Clients/Customers Tracker look like?
Setting up a potential Prospects/Clients/Customers tracker should be done in the same fashion as your Tickler File. It should be binder based so it is mobile for sure. Depending on the amount of Prospects/Clients/Customers you have to follow up with will determine the size of the binder. I like to start with a 1 1/2″ binder, colorful of course. Create a FUN front cover, maybe your “team name” or an “inspirational quote” or event “your goals (size of business by when and a pic of your why)”
Now that you have your Potential Prospects/Clients/Customers tracker binder ready to fill it up you will need lined paper – just regular writing paper, a “pen pouch”, two pens – two pencils – a highlighter. You could also use alphabet dividers but not a must.
With all of these materials together you have your Potential Prospects/Clients/Customers ready to use!
How do I use my Potential Prospects/Clients/Customers Tracker?
Now that your potential Prospects/Clients/Customers tracker materials are all in one place you need to start using
It is all in the follow up for ANY business!
it! To use it you want to label one sheet for each potential Prospect/Client/Customer you are currently in “discussions” with.
- Prospect: just sent or spoke about your “opportunity” with them and set up the next follow up meeting. Someone you are currently in active discussions with and have another meeting with.
- Clients: someone you have sent a proposal to and there are still follow ups to do with them
- Customers: someone who is coming to you for a project and you have details to still finish up (some retail businesses might have to adjust who they consider for this type of follow up – me I think everyone)
Now that your potential Prospects/Clients/Customers all have an individual sheet – what information do you want on there to start?
- Name
- Contact Email
- Contact Phone
- Business Name if applicable
- What you are speaking to them about (a brief description)
Now alphabetize your potential Prospects/Clients/Customers sheets and put them into the binder (here is where you would you the alphabet dividers if you choose to get them).
Once your sheets are set up you are ready to work with them! As you speak with one of your potential Prospects/Clients/Customers find “their sheet”, you will make notes on “their sheet” and be sure to date the conversation. You can make notes on what you promised to do in follow up and highlight it so it brings attention to your next actions.
How do you manage your calendar? If it is on the computer and access with your smart phone then immediately upon getting off the phone or out of the meeting with your potential Prospect/Client/Customer – schedule your follow up/next step.
At the end of the day or in the moment if there was time, review your next action or promise to your potential Prospect/Client/Customer and get it scheduled in your Tickler file or delegate it, what ever is needed. If you delegate it note on the sheet next to the action item – who you delegated it to and when so you are continuing to have that tracking and you don’t have to rely on your memory.
Using this potential Prospects/Clients/Customers Tracking system will help you stay organized, take away overwhelm, and put you on a path of success. No one likes to lose potential Prospects/Clients/Customers to lack of follow up or follow through and if you are using a tracking system you will be covered.
By using a simple tool like this, you not only have something to assist you in tracking potential Prospects/Clients/Customers but for Network Marketers, you are showing any prospects how easy it is and it is a tool set up you can share with your down-line.
If you are a Network Marketer that is just starting out, don’t wait to start a system like this – the sooner you create the habit the better your follow up and follow through will be with potential prospects. If you are a Network Marketer that has been building a team – don’t be afraid to start something new! You can never afford to lose a potential prospect in your line of work… it will take some time to get used to but you will love it when you master it. You can also set your down-line up on the potential Prospects/Clients/Customers tracking so it is easier for you to help them prospect as well. Get the right tools and be an inspiration!
“Success in this industry is not in finding the right person, but in becoming the right person.”Dr. Forrest Shaklee, Founder of Shaklee