Did you know that 80% of sales are made after the fifth contact and 44% of salespeople stop following up after the first contact? Forty eight percent of sales people never even follow up to begin with. That leaves a lot of lost potential earnings on the table!

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As direct sales consultants, we have multiple ways to get new customers. These customers can be friends, they can be friends of past customers, they can be from a party you hosted, etc. Not all of your potential customers are going to buy in the first interaction, especially if the product you are selling is not well known in your area. For your direct sales business to be successful, the key is in your follow up.

One of the biggest mistakes direct sales consultants make is thinking that they need to call to follow up with a potential customer or potential party host. In the busy world we live in, most people would rather be sent a text message or a private Facebook message, depending on your relationship, so they can get back to you at a convenient time for them. One thing you can do to make following up easier for both you and your lead, is to find out their preferred way of contact at your initial meeting. You can even ask if there is a specific time of day that is best for them. This will give you the confidence that reaching out to them is not disruptive and they will be more likely to respond.

Make sure when you are following up with leads for your direct sales business you are taking into consideration what type of category they fit into. All leads typically fit into one of three types. The first step is to figure out if they hot (ready to buy now), warm (leads that need some time but will be ready soon), or if they are cold (leads that will take a while or may never be ready). Determining which type of lead you have could be the difference in whether or not you have a successful business. Focus your time on your hot leads first, then move onto your warm leads. Your warm leads are critical to the success of your business! Be sure you aren’t spending too much time on cold leads but follow up every once in a while because you never know when they might turn warm and need more of your attention.

As you follow up with your customers, get to know them. Remember, you will talk to most of them at least five times before you make a sale. Do they have kids? Grandkids? Dogs? Do they like to travel? What is their lifestyle typically like?  Knowing the answers to these types of questions will make it easier to market your products to them based on their needs. Presentation of products, based on the customers needs, could be the difference in making a sale or not.

If you combine the tips above with sticking it out for the long hall and following up with your potential customers at least five times, you can take your direct sales business from mediocre to successful.  Don’t be afraid to hear “No”.