From the Top

In our last two posts we discussed “The Follow-Up to the Follow-Up!” and “Direct Mail.”

Now I don’t want to be redundant here but now we go back to the follow-up. Again, I know it seems a little strange to discuss this in three different ways but it is vitally important to your success.

Now you know how important it is to follow up, you know how powerful direct mail can be and now when you combine these two powerful forces your fortunes change dramatically. Let’s get into this and see what can happen.

Studies have shown that it takes somewhere between six (6) to nine (9) times (the number of touches), for a prospect to hear your message, see your materials, see your products or learn about your services before they will begin to lower their walls of resistance to you.

Now please don’t think this means that you send your prospects something nine (9) times and then you get the sale – it doesn't work this way. You may have to send them 100 pieces in order to get through all of the clutter in their lives and that is where the follow up comes in and is so powerful and this is where your work is just beginning.

Let’s say that you send out something to your prospects through direct mail. You have no way of knowing whether or not they received it. In order to find this out (and increase the number of touches), call them and ask them if they received it. No sales pitch, no pressure, you are simply inquiring as to whether or not they received your letter. Once they confirm it, thank them and hang up. If they have not, let them know about it in a very non-threatening, non-invasive way, thank them for their time and hang up.

Now send them a letter thanking them for taking your call (another touch). And continue on in your sequence of timed information going out from here.

Many years ago I was running a business and we were trying to expand into the government. I crafted a series of letters that we sent out once every five (5) days. We did this for many weeks to be sure we started to break down the resistance to us. Some of these went to the governments locations in other countries that we were going to visit.

We then followed up with phone calls to make sure they received them. These calls would often times turn into wonderful conversations about their families, their time overseas, their careers, and so much more.

When we arrived at the location that we were trying to expand into, they acted as if they had known us our entire lives and yet we had never met. They welcomed us in, treated us great and gave us the business without ever having met us before in person. This is the power of direct mail and follow up!

We highly recommend that you think through how you can effectively reach out to your current customers as well as to your sought after prospects through direct mail and follow up. Remember to keep the process in mind and always take it “From the Top!”

If you would like help with this or any other business, sales, marketing, social media issues and more, contact us at:

Until our next post – we wish you all success!