Moving Beyond the Close

if you haven't been in touch with a client, it's a safe bet that your competitor has.

After you have closed, you earn yet another great opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition. Following through goes beyond just following up on your promises--doing what you said you would do professionally and on time. Following through means exceeding what's expected of you and so sending the clear message to your customers that you are consistently thinking about them.

Time speeds by. It's not hard for 90 days to pass before you realize that you haven't made any contact with a customer. "Out of sight...out of mind" may be a cliche, but it's true: and if you haven't been in touch with a client, it's a safe bet that your competitor has.

ACTION POINT: To prevent long silences, track how often you make contact with your customers. Use whatever suits your style to record every face-to-face meeting, as well as pone calls, letters, and emails.