Do YOU Have This Quality? Most Successful People Do!

Never Ask, Never Get!

This is an important post.

It struck me today that three months of 2018 are behind us. I hope you are on track.  If not, I was also reminded yesterday of one of the most important qualities successful people have.

They follow up!

I say, “Never Ask, Never Get!” a lot.

If you "ask," the answer may be "no."  If you don't ask, you are guaranteed a "no."  And every so often, when you ask, you hear "yes."

So, if you are asking more ... congratulations.

Asking, though, is just Step One. 

Step Two for those who get what they are seeking is following up.

Robert Clay of Marketing Wisdom quoted research that showed 80% of sales occur only after at least five follow-ups.

Think about that. It takes at least five continuous follow-up efforts after the initial sales contact before a customer says yes. FIVE!

Robert showed some fascinating statistics on this:

• 44% of sales people give up after one "no"
• 22% give up after two "no's"
• 14% give up after three "no's"
• 12% give up after four "no's"

That means 92% of salespeople give up after four "no's," and only 8% of salespeople ask for the sale five times or more, which is where 80% of sales occur.

To put that another way... 8% of salespeople make 80% of all sales!

I recently had two reminders of how critical following up is. The first was from someone I had sent an email, but found out later that they never received it.  When you hit "send," emails sometimes really do get lost in cyberspace.

The second reminder was from someone who contacted me about mentoring. He sounded like there was a sense of urgency (another trait of successful people) behind his request, so I emailed him. I didn't get a response as quickly as I thought I might after his first message, so I sent a message just to make sure he saw my original one.  He immediately replied back.

I said this post is important and it is. These are really powerful lessons to remember and put into action. "Never ask, never get!" and following up in a professional way are two traits all successful people share.

To Your Quantum Leap,

Bruce

P.S. - I often mention the mentoring and 15-minute calls I do. Why? Because if at some point you are ready to grow your existing business or start a business focused on acquiring a business through acquisition, even when you aren't flush with cash, you might need help. And if you've come to trust me my 15-minute FREE call is a great way to get some actionable advice and see if we're a fit. Here are the details. And the other reason I mention my coaching is simple ... Never Ask, Never Get!