Don’t Make This Mistake With Your Prospects

I'll write in the coming weeks about the importance of using contact management software in your business, SalesForce.com or Goldmine.com.

For now, to help you understand how many good things can happen when you follow up correctly with prospects, let me show you what can go wrong -- terribly wrong -- when you don’t follow up right.

Below is an actual email I got from a prospect who obviously never bought anything. I made just about every possible mistake with this man, all because I got lazy and didn’t use contact management software. My comments are in the body of his email message, IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

I've decided to find someone locally to do my project. You told me 2 weeks ago that you would get right on it, I need it now. ACTUALLY, I NEVER TOLD HIM I’D GET RIGHT ON IT IN ANY EMAILS TO HIM, BUT ANY CHANCES I HAD OF CLARIFYING THIS FOR HIM ARE GONE

You didn't even remember who I was when I called. DOH! I DECIDED TO “WING IT” AND CALL HIM BACK WITHOUT FIRST LOOKING UP HIS NAME IN GOLDMINE

You came highly recommended to me, why I don't know. I FORGOT TO ASK HIM HOW HE HEARD ABOUT ME, SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHO RECOMMENDED HIM; IF IT WAS A CLIENT, I HAVE EGG ON MY FACE AS A RESULT

I'm going to tell people in the future here in Omaha not to do business with you, because all they will get is a bunch of empty promises. I'm very, very disappointed in your business. HERE’S A POSSIBLE PR DISASTER THAT’S ALL MY OWN DOING

I did email him back with an apology and to wish him well, not to salvage this lost sale, but to try to head off any negative word-of-mouth.

All in all, this is an excellent example of what can happen when you try to keep vital prospect details in your head, instead of in contact management software.