An essential F.U. for your prospects

Following up is even more important when working from home

F.U. stands for follow up. It’s a critical part of networking and sales. It’s one skill many work-from-home professionals and small business owners need to develop. Creating a format or structure for follow up with prospects is one part. Another, perhaps even more important, is identifying the personality type whose business you’re trying to get and precisely how persistent you should or shouldn’t be.

Dr. Nancy Zare, a sales coach and author who teaches small business owners and solopreneurs how to sell with confidence and get hired. Here’s her take on the four personality types when approaching people for sales and how many touches each type needs to make seal the deal:

Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, proposed this idea centuries ago, and from it sprang over 200 personality systems including ones you might be familiar with: animals (birds, dogs, fish), colors, objects, and words.

I’ve created my own and name the four styles using numbers. The numbers represent how many contacts are needed by individuals before they can make up their minds.

Number 2 Decision-Makers need one contact, no more than two. They are fast, decisive, results-oriented, and want to hear the bottom line. By the way, just as quickly as they say “yes”, they also change their minds as they gravitate to the next, bright, shiny object!

They appear self-assured, charismatic, and in charge. They like to take the lead and center stage.

Number 4 Decision-Makers need two to three contacts plus one (hence four contacts at most). They need to feel that there is a quality relationship established between both parties. Once they admit you to their inner circle, they tend to be loyal, as they avoid arguments and disagreement.

The plus one means that Number 4’s need one additional contact to reassure them that the relationship is solid.  These are the people who like to volunteer and support causes.

Number 6 Decision-Makers need five to seven contacts, an average of six. They want assurance of safety and security. They appreciate traditions, culture, and history, and appear reserved and formal until you get to know them. They make sure that the rules are followed.

They shy away from talking about themselves personally until they know you better – which may take four or five contacts. They’re super organized and always on time – actually early!

Number 8 Decision-Makers need eight or more contacts. They are logical and relatively unemotional. Because they do their homework, their friends seek out their advice. Although quiet in large groups, they can be really talkative when discussing something they know a great deal about.

They tend to be quite modest and self-effacing, and need coaxing to accept an award or be in the limelight. They ask a lot of questions and wonder why things work as they do.

Everyone is a combination of all four styles, just in a different order and different amounts.

Knowing your own style may indicate how comfortable you feel about making connections and following up. Numbers 2 and 4 dive in. Numbers 6 and 8 wait.

If you tend to hold back, may I make a suggestion?

Challenge yourself to make one connection each tme you network. Select someone who might be more like you. They will greatly appreciate the nudge and you may be on the way to making a lasting relationship!

When you follow up effectively, you’ll benefit personally and professionally.

For more from Dr. Nancy, visit her website and check out her book Compelling Selling, available on Amazon and on Dr. Nancy’s website.

The best non-home office hack of the year

Okay, here’s the scenario. The battery on my car key died. As great not needing to put a key in the ignition is, if the remote doesn’t work, you’re up a creek. And the first name of that creek starts with an S. Especially if you’re the ride for your daughter to make it to the special, one-time only driver’s ed class being held during spring break.

That’s where I was. Sure, I could have called an Uber. That would require a significant expense as I would want to go in the Uber with her.

I could have called her mother. That shame would certainly not be worth it.

So, I did what any 21st century man would do:

I Googled it.

I came back with this hack that enabled me to get the car started without a new battery. Check it out, particularly if you own a Nissan Rogue.

Have any hacks that saved your proverbial donkey? Submit yours below.

Inspiring Quote of the Week

Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope. — Nick Carraway, The Great Gatsby

That’s all for this week. Don’t forget to: