Improving Follow Up Calls as an LO
In business, the follow-up call is a fact of life. It’s an important part of communication when you can't meet in person, especially as remote work is a way of life now. The follow-up call will make or break your relationship with a customer if done poorly at all - even just one time! A bad impression has huge impacts on how people view you as their provider for services in the future. In this article we will provide Loan Officer's will 8 tips to improving their follow up call methods.
1. Schedule Your Calls
The chances of catching someone at an opportune time without making an appointment are slim. Scheduling your follow-up call is the polite and professional thing to do, but there will be exceptions when clients want their phone calls right away or it might become necessary for them in order get what they need as soon possible. You can always leave a brief phone message, if no appointment is scheduled, but you still want to reach out.
2. Be Prepared
Gaining insight into a prospect's personal background and interests can be done easily with search engines like Google or social media. As for existing clients, you should already have their information and along with a description of their previous interactions with your company and services.
You should have enough information to put together some helpful talking points and tailor the purpose of your conversation. You don't necessarily need a script — keep it natural -but being prepared helps you come across as an intelligent professional who is eager about offering your services to whomever needs!
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions
When you're on a follow up call, it's important to ask the other person questions so you can understand their needs and see if your services are a good fit. But it's also important to ask open-ended questions. An open-ended question is one that can't be answered with a simple yes or no, and requires more than a one word response.
Open-ended questions are important because they help you get more information from the other person. They also help to keep the conversation flowing, which can make the other person more likely to buy from you. If you only ask closed-ended questions, the other person might not feel like they can tell you everything they need to, or they might get bored and end the call.
So next time you're on a follow up call, make sure to ask plenty of open-ended questions!
4. Balance the Conversation
When you're on a follow up call with a client, it's important to keep the conversation balanced. This means that you should give as much time to your client as they're giving to you. It's also important to avoid talking too much. You want to make sure that you're providing value and not just taking up your client's time.
To make your follow-up calls more successful, be sure you give them time to answer before asking another question. If they feel like this conversation was too one sided and dominated by pressure from the beginning then there is little chance that anyone will want anything else working with you in future interactions so use those moments wisely!
5. Ask Follow Up Questions
When you make a follow up call, it's important to ask follow up questions. This will help you determine whether or not the prospect is interested in what you have to offer. If they're not interested, you can move on and find someone who is. If they are interested, you can continue to build the relationship and eventually close the sale.
Follow up questions also help you gather more information about the prospect. This information can be used to create a proposal that's tailored to their needs. Asking follow up questions also shows the prospect that you're interested in them and that you're taking the time to learn more about them.
Finally, asking follow up questions can help you determine whether or not the prospect is ready to buy. If they aren't, you can work on building trust and establishing yourself as a credible source of information before trying again. If they are, you can start discussing the next steps in the process.
6. Clarify
It's important to remember that no matter how hard you listen during a call, there is always the chance of misunderstanding. Maybe your client gave an unclear or complicated response or maybe it just got lost in translation! By repeating back what they said as best possible clarification will help keep things running smoothly between both parties.
7. Know How to Work Your Phone
When you're following up with a potential customer, it's important to be prepared. That means having all of your information handy, including your talking points and any potential questions you may have for the customer. It also means knowing how to use your phone.
If you're unfamiliar with the phone's features, you could wind up wasting valuable time trying to figure out how to do something simple, like mute your microphone or transfer a call. Worse yet, you could make a mistake that could cost you the sale.
Knowing how to use your phone effectively can help ensure that your follow up call goes smoothly and helps close the deal.
8. Send a Follow-Up Email
The importance of sending a follow up email after a follow up call cannot be overemphasized. A follow up email ensures that all parties are on the same page and that everyone has the same understanding of what transpired during the call. Additionally, a follow up email allows for any additional questions or clarifications that may have arisen during the call to be addressed. Finally, a follow up email provides an opportunity to reiterate one's appreciation for the other person's time.
Making a follow up call is one of the most important aspects of sales. It can be the difference between landing a client and losing them. A follow up call is a way to ensure that the client has all of their questions answered, that they understand what you're offering, and that they're ready to make a purchase. The ability to have quality phone conversations with your customers is important for both their satisfaction and growth. After all, the best marketing in world won't amount too much if you never follow up on leads generated by it! Use these techniques to increase the success of your follow up calls!
