Tina LoSasso writes: Are you as confident, and effective, responding to an Internet inquiry? Without the benefit of talking with the prospect directly, the contact can feel colder than a cold call.
As more consumers and businesses research and purchase via the Internet, you can’t afford to mishandle these inquiries. To respond in a professional manner, and convert more Internet inquiries into customers, keep these guidelines in mind:
• To call, or not to call? Some salespeople don’t respond to Internet inquiries because they think they’re a waste of time. When someone asks for information via email, you should respond via email. A word of caution: you must have a valid reason to call. Restating the information provided in the email, or interrogating the prospect about his company, budget or time frame, are not valid reasons: they’re harassment.
Telling the prospect all about your company won’t cut it either. • Respond in Internet time. Thanks to email and instant messaging, people expect everything right now.
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Accordingly, prospects expect a quick response to their email inquiries. You probably check emails while on the road, over the weekend, and late at night. If you’re receiving inquiries after-hours, chances are your buyers are working, too. They will appreciate a response from you, even if you’re only acknowledging their inquiry. Proofread your response carefully before sending it. Your email response will create your prospect’s first impression of you, so make it a good one!
An Internet inquiry is a dream come true: an interested prospect contacting you! You probably can’t wait to email a proposal, product specifications, company brochure, comparison chart, product brochure and lists of happy customers. If you have a short proposal, include it in the body of the email, not as an attachment. Let the prospect know that you’ll send the collateral material he requested in a separate email. Make it easy for the buyer to recall your site, and why he requested information from you in particular.
If the inquiry came from an industry bidding site, take additional steps to distinguish yourself, keeping in mind that the prospect knows nothing about you, not even your company name. To stand out from the potential dozens of replies the prospect will receive, bypass your normal form-letter response, and personalize your reply.
Tina LoSasso is Managing Editor of SalesDog.com, an online resource for sales professionals. SalesDog.com’s new book Top Dog Sales Secrets features sales advice from dozens of nationally renowned sales experts. One reader said, “It’s like reading the best ideas from 50 sales books all in one book.” To learn more, go to SalesDog.com.
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