How to Harshly Remind a Customer...
In the post "How to Gently Remind a Customer" we voted on the best way to "diplomatically" remind a customer about a buying decision. However, not everyone thought that "gently" reminding the customer was the right approach. In fact, several people recommended being much more definite. Here are three somewhat less gentle ways to remind a customer to make a decision. Vote on which one you think is most likely to work.
- REMINDER #1: Dear ___: It's been 90 days since I prepared that preliminary proposal for you. Since then we've been unable to connect. Now I'm not one to push, but in most cases we'd have circled back to each other by now. Please call me or let me know when you can give this some attention. Sincerely, ____ (From "tj1406").
- REMINDER #2: Dear ___: I have not heard from you in ___ days. While I hate to do it, I'm going to close this file. We can resubmit our ideas once you are in a better position to move forward on a solution. Sincerely, ____ (From "GratitudeSells.com" based on Sandler training.)
- REMINDER #3: Dear ___: I was reviewing your proposal and did a little math. It seems that the ROI we agreed upon breaks down to $1,500 per day. That means you could have increased your measurable productivity by $135,000 by now. What ideas do you have about how you and I could work together to ensure that you and ABC company begin enjoying these productivity increases soon? This initiative can be a real feather in your career cap, Jim, and I want to help you get it. Sincerely, ____ (From "Ray89224406")
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In the post "How to Gently Remind a Customer" we voted on the best way to "diplomatically" remind a customer about a buying decision. However, not everyone thought that "gently" reminding the customer was the right approach. In fact, several people recommended being much more definite. Here are three somewhat less gentle ways to remind a customer to make a decision. Vote on which one you think is most likely to work.- REMINDER #1: Dear ___: It's been 90 days since I prepared that preliminary proposal for you. Since then we've been unable to connect. Now I'm not one to push, but in most cases we'd have circled back to each other by now. Please call me or let me know when you can give this some attention. Sincerely, ____ (From "tj1406").
- REMINDER #2: Dear ___: I have not heard from you in ___ days. While I hate to do it, I'm going to close this file. We can resubmit our ideas once you are in a better position to move forward on a solution. Sincerely, ____ (From "GratitudeSells.com" based on Sandler training.)
- REMINDER #3: Dear ___: I was reviewing your proposal and did a little math. It seems that the ROI we agreed upon breaks down to $1,500 per day. That means you could have increased your measurable productivity by $135,000 by now. What ideas do you have about how you and I could work together to ensure that you and ABC company begin enjoying these productivity increases soon? This initiative can be a real feather in your career cap, Jim, and I want to help you get it. Sincerely, ____ (From "Ray89224406")
In general, I think all three are pretty good and have their strong points. However, I'm going to go with REMINDER #1, because it's firm, but still respectful. I'm big on not being pushy, even when you're being definite. This response fits that model. Also, it's field tested. The person who submitted it explained that it worked well.
REMINDER #2 just seems too harsh to me. It's almost insulting and runs the risk of permanently offending the customer. I suppose might scare up a few deal that were going to close anyway, but I'm not sure the relationship would be all that pleasant afterward. I could be wrong about this, though.
REMINDER #3 seems to me to be a bit too smarmy. In particular, I don't like the direct appeal to the buyer's career. Such thoughts are best left unsaid. Most people like to believe that their career is automatically advanced when they do the right thing, so the appeal might come off seeming venal. Stating the monetary damages of a no-decision, seems a bit baldfaced and unsubtle to me. However, this is more of a personal preference than anything I can articulate precisely.
In short, all three could work, but the one that's right for you probably depends upon your personality and your reading of the client.
READERS: Any further suggestions?