It happens all the time...
You get a call or email from a prospect. They sound interested, and interesting. You chat. It goes swimmingly...Perhaps so much so that you're already mentally shifting your calendar to fit them in.
Then, suddenly, they start giving you the cold shoulder. Or come up with some lame-sounding excuse for why they can't move forward just yet (these usually arrive via email).
You go from excited about this hot knew prospect, to slightly deflated, a little frustrated, or possibly even incredibly worried about where your next client is going to come from now.
Maybe a touch of self doubt even starts to creep in. Thoughts like, "What's wrong with me and my services?", "They seemed so excited to get started...What happened?" tend to follow.
Well, I can't answer the first one for you, but I can tell you exactly what's happened in 99% of these instances...
Life happened!
Yep. You read right. Life got in the way of you working with that top-notch, seemingly red-hot and raring to go prospect.
Here's the deal. Most people are going to call because they have a problem they believe you can help them solve. And right that second, their problem is a biggie. It's top of mind and top of the to-do list.
So they make calls, interview service providers, and start deciding who to hire. Then, something happens...Literally.
And that something suddenly makes the problem they called you about WAY less of a priority. Now, because they have other, more pressing issues to deal with, you've been placed on the back-burner.
Depending on how pressing their original problem really was, they may become hot for your services again in a few days or weeks. But there's a good chance more things are going to come up that take priority. So you could be on the back burner until that red hot prospect turns icy cold.
Thankfully, that doesn't mean they won't warm up again. It's just that you might not still be top-of-mind when they do.
What should you do in the meantime?
First, keep in mind that no matter how disappointed you are, or how much you need the money, it's your job be the consummate professional when they decide to postpone hiring you.
Then, even more importantly, it's your job to stay in front of them until they are ready to move forward again-without coming across like a pushy salesperson or pest.
How? Here's a short list of inexpensive steps to take to stay top-of-mind for the long haul...
1) Collect their contact info (at least email, ideally physical address and phone number too) so you have a way to stay in touch
2) Keep a copy of your notes regarding their business and needs. That way you can reference details down the road.
3) Immediately send a thank you card after you chat. They took the time to find and call you. The least you can do is let them know you appreciate their efforts.
4) Ask if you can put them on your newsletter list. This could be email or snail mail. Doesn't matter. Just be sure your newsletters offer valuable information, not just sales pitches or coupons.
5) Follow up periodically with information that may be of interest to them. If you write or run across an article you think might be helpful, pop it in an envelope and send it to them.
6) Send birthday and holiday cards. Don't just do this for your clients, do it for prospects too so they know you are thinking of them.
7) Be a great resource. If they keep getting valuable info from you, they'll want to keep hearing from you. That's good for everyone involved.
Keep it up and before you know it, the problem that originally brought them to you is likely to rise back up to the top of their priority list. When it does, those icy prospects will get all hot and bothered again. And who do you think they'll call...?
