Want to Sell More? DON’T Follow Up

I hate the term “follow up” as it applies to sales. I admit I use the term occasionally, but I prefer to use a different term. Here’s why:

follow-up

As a good friend of mine says, “Words mean things.” She’s right. One’s choice of words to describe an activity can provide insight into how that individual views that activity.

I think the choice of the word “follow” is a lousy one when selling. As salespeople, we aren’t “following” anything when we follow up (or at least we shouldn’t be). Salespeople must take the lead, not follow. If you haven’t yet closed the deal but need to contact your prospect to continue the selling process, the last image I want you to have in your mind is the image of you “following.” Puppies follow; small children follow others when they play “follow the leader.” But salespeople need a different word that describes what they should be doing in these sales situations. And that word is “LEAD.”

I think the following definitions of the word lead from dictionary.com are very appropriate to the situation of a salesperson getting in touch with a prospect to continue the selling process:

lead • verb: to go…with to show the way

lead • verb: to guide in course, direction, action, opinion, etc.

lead • verb: to influence or induce

lead • verb: to have the directing or principle part in

lead • verb: to act as a guide; to show the way

lead • verb: to go first

lead • verb: to take the directing or principle part

Don’t the definitions above accurately describe what you’re doing, or should be doing, when you’re “following up” with a prospect? Compare the appropriateness of the definitions above to the definitions below, again from dictionary.com, for the word follow, as in “follow up”:

Follow • verb: to watch the development of

Follow • verb: to come after in sequence

Follow • verb: to accept as a guide or leader

Follow • verb: to conform to, to comply with, or act in accordance with

Follow • verb: to come next after something else

Follow • verb: to come after a result or consequence

Follow • verb: to watch the movements, progress, or course of

I’d rather have my salespeople “show the way” rather than “watch the development of” the prospect’s situation. I’d rather have my salespeople “guide the prospect in course, direction, action, opinion” rather than “to come after in sequence.” I’d rather have my salespeople “influence” the prospect rather than “accept [the prospect] as a leader.” Wouldn’t you?

So that describes half of my complaint with the term follow up as it applies to selling. The remaining portion of my complaint is with the word “up.” Your goal when “following up” is to move ahead, right? You want to move ahead in the selling process, correct? You don’t want to go up do you? You want to move the process ahead, forward, closer to a closed deal. Do you agree?

So let’s say what we mean and mean what we say. Instead of “following up” with your customer tomorrow, may I suggest that you instead “lead ahead” your customer?

Take the lead. Move ahead!

dont-follow-lead

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