This was embarrassing…
Several months ago, I pitched MarketVolt’s software and services to a prospect.
He replied by telling me he’s already a customer.
Stupid me.
I’d found an old email conversation in which he and I nearly closed a deal. Eager to try again, I wrote, “It’s been a few months since we discussed whether MarketVolt was a good fit for you…”
I didn’t realize that a few days earlier, the prospect called our office to say he was ready to buy. One of our salespeople handled the sale and recorded it in our customer relationship management software (CRM).
Our procedures are clear: Before contacting a prospect, check the CRM to review previous contacts. Had I done that, I would have known the sale was done.
I remembered my misstep this yesterday when a stranger contacted me on LinkedIn to pitch her company’s services. She introduced herself, told me a bit about her company and asked whether I would like to meet to “see if we might be a good fit.”
I told her I knew all about her company because she was the fifth person from that company in two years to contact me.
Oops.
Each time they contact me, I tell them I’m not interested. But the message seems not to register across the organization.
I’ve never had the same sales person contact me more than once. So I assume each one who gets rejected by me gets the message. But that person doesn’t share the rejection with the rest of the organization. So the next sales person in line finds my name and title somewhere and comes calling.
I was direct, but polite with the latest sales person.
I told her she’s wasting her time (and mine) by reaching out to someone who has (repeatedly) said “No” to their pitches.
I suggested that a good CRM might help them avoid frustration — for prospects and themselves.
She replied: “I apologize for that, and you are correct! It’s a frustration of ours as well. Our CRM isn’t the best and I know the company is currently looking into (options). I will send a note to the team here to let them know not to contact you.”
That’s what the sales rep before her said, too.
I’m really not sore about it. Just mildly annoyed.
Actually I’m glad for the wasted pitch this time because it let to this story and this lesson:
Put systems in place to keep track of your stuff. For sales, that means a CRM that can be shared across the company.
Establish clear working procedures to define who does what within the system.
Hold team members accountable for following the procedures.
I fumbled #3 when I pitched an existing customer.
The sales rep who contacted me blamed #1 for her misstep (“Our CRM isn’t the best.”). But I suspect the CRM is good enough. I say that because businesses often stumble not because they have inadequate tools. They stumble because they don’t establish or follow-through on system to use those tools effectively.
Tom
MarketVolt
p.s. Wondering how to improve your marketing content so it resonates with your audience and doesn’t fall flat? We can help you do that — without dirty tricks or garbage data. Email me at tom@marketvolt.com to learn how we help businesses tune up their sales stories and marketing content. For no charge and no strings attached, I’ll review a marketing piece or the front page of your website and offer some suggestions.
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