This is usually the most costly follow-up method, but it may produce the best results. It is the only strategy that allows face-to-face, two-way communication. When you take time to make a personal visit, the customer knows that you really care.

Use the personal follow-up to keep the customer informed of new developments, new products, or new applications. This information may pave the way for additional sales. Use the personal visit to reassess where you stand with the account. The reassessment process should involve something more than a “How’s it going?” question. If you want the customer to see you as a partner, ask the tough questions: “Are there any problems that I need to address?” “Can you suggest any ways we can better serve your business?” Tom Reilly, author and sales trainer, says, “Your perception of your performance is meaningless. It’s the customer’s perceptions that count.”25

Personal visits provide a wonderful opportunity to engage in value reinforcement. Value reinforcement means getting credit for the value you create for the customer. You might review all of your follow-through activities so the customer realizes the many ways you have added value. Whenever possible, document your value-added services and point out any benefits that the customer has received. In some cases, positive bragging is an effective value reinforcement technique.26

The telephone provides a quick and efficient way to follow up a sale. A salesperson can easily make 10 or 12 phone calls in a single hour, and the cost can be minimal. If you plan to send a thank-you card or letter, follow it up with a thank-you call. The personal appeal of the phone call increases the effectiveness of the written correspondence. The telephone call has one major advantage over written correspondence. It allows for a two-way exchange of information. Once an account is well established, you may be able to obtain repeat sales by telephone.

In many cases it is a lot quicker to send an e-mail or text message than to make a phone call. Salespeople report that they waste a lot of time playing “phone tag.” Some customers prefer e-mail or text messages and may become irritated if you do not adhere to their wishes. If you know that a customer is not in the habit of checking her e-mail or text messages all that often, use the telephone as a back-up method. When in doubt, use parallel channels of communication.

Written correspondence is an inexpensive and personal form of customer follow-up. Letters and cards can be used to thank the customer for the order and to promise continued service. Some companies encourage their salespeople to use a formal letter written on company stationery. Other companies have designed special thank-you cards, which are signed and sent routinely after a sale is closed. The salesperson may enclose a business card. These thank-you cards do have one major limitation: They are mass-produced and, therefore, lack the personal touch of handwritten cards and envelopes. Personalized notes, birthday cards, and anniversary cards can make a positive impression.

The call report is a form that serves as a communications link with people who can assist with customer service. The format varies, but generally it is a simple form with only four or five spaces. Salesforce’s Chatter mentioned earlier is an excellent example of a call report. With Chatter, all stakeholders in a sale are copied with the latest information and action regarding the sale. A call report is an important solution to the problem of communication between the company personnel and the customer. It is a method of follow-through that triggers the desired action. It is simple, yet business-like.

Follow-up programs can be as creative or as ingenious as you wish. Every sales organization competes on value, so you must continually think of new ways to add value. Creative use of your interpersonal communication skills can keep your messages fresh and personalized. Keep in mind that people buy both from the head and the heart. Let customers know how much you care about their business.27 You can use these five methods independently or in combination. Your main consideration should be some type of appropriate follow-up that (1) tells customers you appreciate their business and (2) determines whether they are satisfied with the purchase.