Following up after customer meetings is a crucial yet often neglected step in the sales process. It plays a significant role in maintaining relationships, ensuring clarity, and driving business success. Key strategies to optimize your follow-up process include:
Follow-up promptly- aim to send your follow-up communication on the same day as the meeting (at least within 24 hours). This keeps discussions fresh in everyone's mind and demonstrates your commitment to the outcomes discussed and importantly your professionalism.
Express gratitude - always thank your client for their time and insights during the meeting. Acknowledging their contributions reinforces a positive relationship.
Summarize the main takeaways from the meeting - demonstrate that you have been hearing what they were telling you and re-confirm that every party involved has the same understanding and common expectations. Including the main topics discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned. Clearly define the next steps for each action item, including deadlines, milestones, and responsible individuals. Keep your summary concise and to the point. Use bullet points or numbered lists to enhance readability and highlight important information.
Understand customer preferences – before ending a meeting, always ask customers about their preferred communication method and timing for follow-ups to respect their boundaries and likely busy schedule. As such you do not become a burden and also you will have a valid reason to reach out to them as previously agreed.
Provide additional resources – in between follow-up communication, consider sharing relevant articles, insights, or solutions that could help keep the communication and the follow-up activities in focus.
Always follow up on your commitments – acting on what you have ‘promised’ you will do in your follow-up and in the same manner as you have committed, further demonstrates your professionalism and reliability. Avoid backtracking on your commitments.
Follow-up on action items - if deadlines pass without response, send gentle reminders or check in on progress. This demonstrates your ongoing interest in their success. If a specific method of following up no longer provides the desirable result, then go ahead and try another approach.
Focus on delivering value – each follow-up should offer value, not just ask the other party to do something for you. Every exchange needs to be a win-win for all involved.
The bottom line is that following up after customer meetings is not just a courtesy; it is a strategic practice that enhances customer relationships, drives accountability, and ultimately contributes to your business's success.
In the February 2025 AgriTalk, we will consider the challenges commonly faced by suppliers in the industry and consider some of the actions that could potentially propel them forward with success.
Do you need help to get the most out of customer meetings, or want to find out more about upskilling your team’s commercial skills? Reach out to us for an inside to the 7Cs Selling Process and Workshops which we have specifically designed for Animal Nutrition and Animal Health customer-facing professionals. Please contact us at info@progressus.asia, or Mr. Akachai at +66 (0) 61 393 5776 for a one-on-one private and confidential discussion.
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