I was doing a keynote and workshop last week for a large distributor client with hundreds of locations. After my sessions, a young salesman took one of my techniques (details below) and immediately applied it to a customer. Within a minute, he closed new business.

Here are two of the takeaways:

1. If you want to integrate new learning, especially from a conference, you must implement it within 48 hours of hearing it, or else it’s pretty much gone forever. Why? Because you return to your environment, with its regular demands, issues and fires. The learning is lost. The key is to apply quickly, get a fast success, and then repeat.

2. The technique was a quote follow-up. Think about how many proposals or quotes you and your office puts out regularly. How many of these are greeted with silence? (One audience member last week estimated 98 percent!) Your customer asked you for a quote, you sent it, and now they won’t communicate. You owe yourself — and them! — several follow-up efforts. I teach my clients a three follow-up approach, with specific language. Each follow-up takes mere seconds to execute. You won’t be seen as imposing. You’ll be perceived as helpful. Further, you’ll find yourself uncovering new opportunities with the simple act of expressing your interest in the original order.

I have clients that have closed tens of millions of dollars of new business by following up on their quotes and proposals. Their customers don’t get mad at this effort. They get grateful.

The Evangelist Marketing Institute is a revenue growth consultancy specializing in aggressive sales growth for closely-held companies. If you’d like to discuss growing your business quickly and easily, please call Alex Goldfayn directly at 847-459-6322, or email at alex[at]evangelistmktg[.]com

Alex teaches these concepts in keynote speeches and workshops about 50 times per year. It’s perfect, practical, energizing. motivating material for association events and sales meetings. You can get more information here or call Alex Goldfayn directly at 847-459-6322, or email at alex[at]evangelistmktg[.]com