Microsoft Small Business Center

How to engage a customer before nailing the sale

By Joanna L. Krotz

Frequently, small-business owners give up too soon on a prospect and that's what loses the sale. "Fear of rejection is the biggest thing that holds people back but you have to take it out of the realm of the personal," Weiss says.

Here's a step-by-step example of one company's four-month campaign to boost its profile and sales, using e-mail, phone calls and unscheduled face-to-face contacts. "It's a strategy we've had success with in the past," says Charles Epstein, president of Backbone, a Boca Raton, Fla., business communications agency.

- Phase one is an informational e-newsletter, called "BackBeat," sent to prospects to establish the company's credibility and bona fides.

- Phase two is two weeks later: A customer testimonial and case study that demonstrates success in implementing a strategy reported in "BackBeat."

- Six weeks after the initial message and timed to coincide with an industry trade show, phase three is an e-mail that offers services to improve trade show ROI for prospects. Two days after that, Backbone follows up with phone calls.

- The last phase is designed to cement the growing relationships. Backbone staff head for a trade show to meet prospects, "and put a face to the e-mail and phone correspondence," Epstein says. "The trade show lets us meet all prospects in one place, which enables us to maximize our marketing resources."