How to Follow Up Sales Leads Without Hard Selling

Transcription

1 Western Agri-Export Quarterly WESTERN UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL TRADE ASSOCIATION WINTER/SPRING 2015 One of WUSATA s main services is our ability to send our participants timely trade leads sent to us from the USDA s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), one of their many Agricultural Trade Offices (ATOs) around the world, or directly from our in-country contractors in China, Europe, Mexico and Southeast Asia. When companies receive these leads, many are not always sure how to proceed with contacting the foreign company. Sometimes, as each market varies, there is a certain finesse and patience required for good matchmaking. Below we offer a different style of business dealing that may make following up on trade leads or sales inquiries overall a little smoother, and hopefully, more successful. How to Follow Up Sales Leads Without Hard Selling November 2, 2014 Matthew Pavli Copyright 2014 Trade Show News Network (TSNN) Following up on sales leads from your trade show marketing can be tough. While you want to initiate action and get the sales process moving forward, coming off as too pushy can backfire and cause your lead to back out altogether. Much has been written about closing the deal, but there s surprisingly little detailed information out there on taking your leads from cool or simply lukewarm to the end of the sales process. In this guide, we ll share seven strategies that you can use to follow up on sales leads without coming off as the pushy, desperate, hard-selling salesperson every business owner dreads having to listen to on the phone. Follow up on leads as quickly as possible There are two types of sales leads: inbound and outbound. Outbound leads are leads you generate through advertising and trade shows. Inbound leads are leads that get in touch with you, either over the phone, in person or via your website. Sometimes, it s strategically advantageous to wait before contacting outbound leads, especially if you know their time is occupied. But with inbound leads, you should act as quickly as possible to capitalize on their interest in your product or service. Follow up trade show leads quickly the next day if possible. Whenever a new inquiry comes in from your website s form, follow up within the hour. The faster your response, the higher your close rate will be, since most of your customers will associate a quick response with highquality service. Get to know your leads before picking up the phone Far too many sales representatives take the spray and pray approach to direct sales, firing off hundreds of calls per day and getting very few sales. It s far better to take a slow, calculated and highly targeted approach to following up on your sales leads. Pretend you re the owner of an advertising agency that s just exhibited at a Continued on page 4 Publication Contents: WUSATA News p.2 Branded Corner p.3 Generic Corner p.4 WUSATA Events p.5 Resource Center p.6-7

2 WUSATA News Meet the Staff We would like to unveil a new series called Meet the Staff, as a chance for our readers and participants to get to know us better. We will be featuring WUSATA s leadership, the voice on the other end of your phone and the people pushing forward our mission to help food and agricultural companies reach global markets. To kick-off our first column, let us introduce you to our Executive Director, Andy Anderson. Leading WUSATA for the past 13 years, Andy is a well-known and respected figure within our industry. He also has long history of advocating for Western U.S. people and their businesses. His focus now is to guide our organization to be an outstanding resource for new and veteran export-companies. Read on for our candid interview with Andy: Favorite quote? The course of our lives is not determined by great, awesome decisions. Our direction is set by the little day-to-day choices which chart the track on which we run. - Gordon B. Hinckley In my free time, I enjoy? Spending time with my kids. They re involved with sports, Scouts, fishing and always learning new things for us to do. Sports team I am most loyal: Boise State Broncos! This is where I obtained both my undergraduate degree (B.S. in Political Science) and master s in Public Administration. Prior experience? Before WUSATA, I worked as the Executive Director of the Oregon Farm Bureau. There, I was not only in charge of day-to-day operations, but government affairs, federal lobbying and managing the legal and education foundation. My other previous positions include Executive Director of the Associated Taxpayers of Idaho (a tax research group), and serving on the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Cooperative Council of Oregon, Oregon Agra-Business Council, plus the State Citizens Advisory Board for the Bureau of Land Management in Idaho. Most rewarding part of the job? Seeing small companies take advantage of WUSATA s Market Access Program (MAP)-funded services, and through that, watching them become successful by expanding into export markets. A typical day in the office? Each day is never the same. There s a bit of travel to international trade shows, meetings with USDA sforeign Agricultural Service (FAS) and other (MAP) cooperators, along with interacting with WUSATA staff and general correspondence. Favorite WUSATA activity? Any activity we have where we see companies come back with success from finding distributors, making sales, etc. Our events are not created equal, and they often vary - each company s success looks different. Continued on page 6 O R E G O N I D A H O N E VA D A U TA H W A S H I N G T O N H A W A I I C O L O R A D O WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.2

3 Branded Corner The 2015 Branded Program Year is Here Whether you are thinking of joining the program, just signed up or are a returning participant, there is always room to learn a little more about navigating our claims process. We want everyone to be at the top of their game and receive the maximum reimbursement. Please Help us send you the money! To do just that, below we have complied some of our greatest words of wisdom to get your claims done right, the first time. The top five tips for claims success: 1. Read the Branded Program manual and consult it often during the year. a. The manual is a great resource when planning your activities. It includes information on a multitude of expenses that you will likely incur in the course of your marketing activities, and it will help you determine the documentation you will need to gather along the way. b. This is key, as we often cannot complete a claim because a receipt or airfare quote wasn t saved or even thought about early on. c. Do note that the Branded Program Manual is not all-inclusive; be sure to call us for clarification on any expense that you do not see listed 2. Call or us with questions any time. a. Customer service is our highest priority! We re excited to see you succeed and eager to help you attain the best and fullest claim possible. A side benefit - your questions also offer us an opportunity to get to know you and your activities better. This may lead to all kinds of light bulb moments and even expand your marketing possibilities. 3. Collect claim-related materials as you plan/carry out activities, and keep them all in one place! a. During your travels, carry an envelope or folder to collect all of the required documents, and add them to the rest immediately upon your return. Taking these steps will facilitate a quicker and more complete claim submission. It will also help with a faster turnaround time on your reimbursement, and who doesn t want money faster?! 4. Photos, photos and more photos! a. We cannot say this enough. Photos are your best friend, and are needed for many of the activities you conduct. So please, the more you provide, and the clearer they are, the better. In lieu of photos, hi-res videos are a fantastic substitution. 5. Submit completed claim forms as soon as possible after the activity. a. Our brains are filled with so much stuff, so the sooner you submit your claim, the less time you will have to forget. In addition, you ll have more time to provide any missing or supplementary materials requested during our review. Submitting claims on a timely basis also means you will not run the risk of missing the claim deadline. Bottom Line: Start early! Begin your claims while planning your marketing activities. We hope these great nuggets will help everyone understand our claims process a little better. After all, your success is our success, too! For more information and questions, contact us at JANUARY 1, 2015 APRIL 30, 2015 AUGUST 1, 2015 DECEMBER 31, 2015 New Branded Program year begins End-of-year surveys for 2014 are due 2016 Branded Program application opens Branded Program year ends Important Dates CALIFORNIA ARIZONA NEW MEXICO MONTANA ALASKA WYOMING WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.3

4 Generic Corner WUSATA is constantly looking for issues that affect exporters. The below information is important for companies with interests in or those thinking of expanding into China. We are keeping a close eye on how this story progresses, and will definitely keep you updated as we know more. China Looks to Safety The USDA has published an unofficial transcript of the second draft of the People s Republic of China s new food safety law. Within the report, there are some major topics being addressed. From pesticides to GMO foods, WUSATA recommends that exporters with interests in China take a moment to read the online GAINS Report¹. Some of the significant changes to the second draft are: Severe punishment to violations of the Food Safety Law will be in effect. In the first draft, only financial punishment was requested, but the second draft also includes criminal penalties. Food producers using expired food materials/additives in food production shall bear relevant legal responsibilities. Producers and traders of GMO food will need to label their product accordingly. Furthermore, producers will be punished if they do not label the GMO food. Edible agriculture produce are also subject to this Law. The use of highly toxic pesticides shall be strictly regulated by laws and regulations. More severe punishment to violations including adding medicine to foods, the use non-edible food materials, etc. For the full report, please visit the link below, and for more information contact your local state department of agriculture (see page 7) or the USDA-FAS Office of Agricultural Affairs in Beijing at ( ) ¹GAIN Report Website: gain.fas.usda.gov Continued from page 1 trade show. You have a stack full of hundreds of business cards of companies that could very well be interested in your advertising services. Do you call them straight away without doing any research? Or, do you search for their latest advertising campaigns to learn more about what they re already doing and how you could help them? When you know your prospect, you can approach them not just with a sales pitch something they ve undoubtedly heard before but with real advice that s tailored to their situation. The more personal your call, the less selling you ll need to do. Build rapport with prospects using social media Social media is a wonderful tool for connecting with prospects when used the right way. When used the wrong way, however, it s a disastrous sales method that often leaves you with alienated prospects and a reputation as a spammer. Instead of using social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to push your sales message on other people, use it as a tool to directly connect with your prospects and have a conversation. Like their posts, share their content and be well, social! Think of social media as a priming method for your sales call: you re not selling over Facebook or LinkedIn itself that s extremely difficult but simply reminding leads that you exist, that you have something to offer and that you care about them. Call to solve their problems, not just sell your product Do you follow your leads on social media? If not, you should. Many companies post to their Twitter and Facebook pages about what they re working on, new products and, on occasion, the problems they re facing as a business. When you spot an opportunity to help someone in your professional network, act on it by following up with a problem-solving call. This way, instead of selling them your service, you re simply offering them a solution to a problem they re facing. This is a great way to frame the sales process if you want to avoid the hard sell. You don t have a product or service to sell; what you have is a solution to a problem, and your job as a salesperson is to discover how it can help your prospects succeed. With warm sales leads, always have a reason to follow up Not all sales leads are cold. Some sales leads such as people you meet at industry networking events and trade shows are warm. They re people you already know, at least as acquaintances, and have plenty to talk about. The key to following up effectively is to provide a reason for your call before the call itself. At the end of your interaction with a prospect at a trade show, tell them you ve got some information to share with them and that you ll be in touch. Continued on page 6 OREGON IDAHO NEVADA UTAH WASHINGTON HAWAII COLORADO WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.4

5 WUSATA Events 2015 APR CHINA: Food Ingredients Trade Show Shanghai - SOLD OUT MAY (Waitlist Available) CHINA: HOFEX Trade Show Hong Kong - SOLD OUT MAY (Waitlist Available) CHINA: SIAL China Trade Show Shanghai - SOLD OUT MAY EUROPE: Zoomark Trade Show Italy MAY CHINA: Outbound Trade Mission to Southern China Shenzhen JUNE EUROPE: Specialty Grains- Edible Beans Inbound Buying Mission Colorado & Montana JULY JAPAN: Healthy Foods & Ingredients Inbound Buying Mission Hawaii & Colorado JULY KOREA: Consumer-oriented Summer Inbound Trade Mission Idaho & California JULY CENTRAL AMERICA: Inbound Produce Trade Mission to U.S. West Coast California & Washington JULY SOUTHEAST ASIA: Inbound Produce Trade Mission to U.S. West Coast California & Washington JULY MEXICO: Inbound Produce Trade Mission to U.S. West Coast California & Washington JULY CHINA: Inbound HRI- Foodservice Buying Mission Idaho & Oregon AUG MEXICO: Outbound Retail Trade Mission Cancun & Mexico City, Mexico AUG SOUTHEAST ASIA: Consumer-oriented Inbound Buying Mission California/Hawaii/Washington AUG Taiwan: Consumer-oriented Inbound Trade Mission Hawaii & Oregon AUG MEXICO: Inbound Retail Trade Mission Colorado & New Mexico For more information on the above activities and additional dates, please visit WUSATA s event calendar at To be placed on a waitlist, please contact WUSATA directly at CALIFORNIA ARIZONA NEW MEXICO MONTANA ALASKA WYOMING WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.5

6 Resource Center Continued from page 4 Continued from page 2 Or, tell a prospect that you ll send them a discounted price list. Or, a sheet of special offers you don t offer other customers. Bait the hook a little and give yourself a good reason to follow up, making the inevitable just checking in call less awkward. Have a real conversation after all, there s a person on the line When you think of sales as a volume game a mentality that far too many sales reps have it eventually transfers into your dealings with people. Prospects aren t other people on the line to you they re just opportunities to get a yes or a no. This mentality might work in high-pressure sales environments, but it s a recipe for disaster in B2B sales. Businesses are made up of people, and being good at talking to people is what will help you close deals, make sales and make progress. Instead of thinking of follow-up calls as an opportunity to close a deal, think of them as an opportunity to connect with someone. Have a real conversation about what their business is up to, recent events or anything else instead of just product talk. As an aside, people remember great conversations they have with businesses and occasionally blog about them. Last year, Netflix received a massive amount of free coverage after one of their customer service conversations went viral. The quality of your product matters a huge amount in sales, but people are often swayed not by features, but by personal service. Show that you care by talking to your leads about more than just your product and you ll eventually close the sale. Reflection From follow-up s to greeting cards, think about your favorite soft selling techniques and how you could apply them to the above ideas. Sales may have a reputation as a high-pressure environment, but a massive amount of sales is about being friendly, straightforward and helpful. Advice for export-companies? Be sure to do your due diligence. It s important that exporters check out their overseas business thoroughly, just like what they do for sales within the United States. Also, take advantage of all the various Federal programs; including export credit guarantees, market research, etc. Thoughts of MAP and WUSATA s futures? As the world situation becomes more competitive and other countries economies grow, there will be more chances to export. If Congress continues their support of MAP, there will be good opportunities for companies. WUSATA also has great relationship with our state members (the 13 Western State Departments of Agriculture). They ve been doing a great job representing agriculture, in addition to helping WUSATA shape our programs and policies. As long as the Departments of Agriculture stay strong, WUSATA will stay strong. Would you like to meet our staff in person? Stop by our international trade show WUSATA pavilions or our office to introduce yourself. Together, we can make the world your customer! GET Qualified Today Start the Branded Program application process by visiting our site below. branded.wusata.org OREGON IDAHO NEVADA UTAH WASHINGTON HAWAII COLORADO WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.6

7 Our Member States STATE CONTACTS Alaska Amy Pettit Fax: Perky Jerky Finds Flavorful Favor in Japan with WUSATA s Support. In March 2014, Performance Enhancing Meat Snacks, Inc., headquartered in Greenwood Village, CO, participated in the FOODEX Japan Trade Show as an exhibitor in the WUSATA pavilion. Since the show, the small company has completed $50 thousand in sales to Japan and Korea of its Turkey Perky Jerky and is forecasting sales of $2 million by the end of This strong success was made possible by the fact that Performance Enhancing Meat Snacks established a relationship with their distributor as a result of a WUSATA-coordinated outbound trade mission to Osaka in October, Having a distributor in hand for their Perky Jerky products allowed the company to direct the nearly 100 buyers they met at FOODEX to their importer to complete a purchase. A unique promotional tool at the trade show the Velcro suit of jerky helped the company gain the attention of the Japanese press, resulting in a nice photo feature in the Japan Times. Brian Levin, founder and self-styled chairman of the herd, explains the significance of being able to participate in FOODEX with WUSATA. Our participation in this show vaulted us into actively selling product in Japan and Korea where jerky is very popular. It s a good opportunity as a small company to participate with WUSATA in a cool, wide ranging show that we never would have been able to participate in on our own. It takes a long time to sell the first bag of product, but now that we are established we re actively going through the steps of building the market with a product that is tailored for the Japanese taste palette. Perky Jerky is an all natural, ultra premium beef and turkey jerky that has no nitrites, no preservatives and no added MSG. WUSATA helps the agribusiness navigate and stay on top of the changing customs requirements. Today, Turkey Perky Jerky is being sold throughout Japan and Korea in upscale grocery stores. Levin explains: We currently can t sell beef jerky in Japan. Our friends in the USDA are lobbying hard to get processed beef from the U.S. allowed and when they do, we ll be ahead of the curve since we already have the relationships with buyers. In the meantime, we re focused on our turkey jerky. It s not as widely consumed so we ve had more of a learning curve on educating buyers about turkey nutrition. But we re a unique product that tastes great so we ve had a good response from the market. Perky Jerky learned, as many companies do, that exhibiting with WUSATA in the U.S. pavilion provides credibility and makes it easier for buyers to find and approach U.S. exporters. Access to WUSATA s professional translators helps reduce the language barrier, making it easier to do business. When a company does a trade mission or event with WUSATA, it signals that both the company and the buyers involved have been pre-qualified. Call our offices today at and learn how WUSATA can assist your company s international marketing efforts. Arizona Jack Peterson Fax: jpeterson@azda.gov California Josh Eddy Fax: josh.eddy@cdfa.ca.gov Colorado Tom Lipetzky Fax: tom.lipetzky@state.co.us Hawaii Sharon Hurd Fax: sharon.k.hurd@hawaii.gov Idaho Laura Johnson Fax: laura.johnson@agri.idaho.gov Montana Kim Falcon Fax: kfalcon@mt.gov Nevada Jeff Sutich Fax: jssutich@agri.nv.gov New Mexico David Lucero Fax: dlucero@nmda.nmsu.edu Oregon Gary Roth Fax: groth@oda.state.or.us Utah Jed Christenson Fax: jedchristenson@utah.gov Washington Joe Bippert Fax: jbippert@agr.wa.gov Wyoming Cindy Garretson-Weibel Fax: cindy.weibel@wyo.gov CALIFORNIA ARIZONA NEW MEXICO MONTANA ALASKA WYOMING WINTER/SPRING 2015 p.7

8 Address Service Requested Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association 4601 NE 77th Avenue Suite 240 Vancouver, WA PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #94 VANCOUVER WA Western Agri-Export Quarterly WESTERN UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL TRADE ASSOCIATION WINTER/SPRING 2015 WUSATA Mission Statement: The Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (WUSATA) is a non-profit trade association whose members are the 13 western state departments of agriculture. WUSATA is funded by the USDA s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) through the Market Access Program (MAP) with a mission to support and assist members and agribusinesses in the 13 western states in developing and enhancing international markets for U.S. food and agricultural products. WUSATA prohibits discrimination in its program on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, Contact WUSATA: political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or familial status. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 4601 NE 77th Avenue, Suite 240 disabilities who require alternative means for communication of Vancouver, Washington, USA Phone: Fax: program information (Braille, large print, audio file, etc.) should WUSATA. All rights reserved. contact the WUSATA Executive Director at The Western Agri-Export Quarterly is compiled and printed by WUSATA If you wish to unsubscribe from our mailing list, please send an to export@wusata.org or call us at