When we talk about being consistent in sales, it can mean two things. Most of the time, we're talking about consistency in behaviors and prospecting activities. Are you consistently meeting new people and qualifying prospects? Are you following up when you say you will follow up?
But there's also the element of consistency in your sales team. If you have a sales rep calling on a particular business, is it the same sales rep each time? Or do you have so much turnover that a single client might see a different sales rep every visit?
Both elements of consistency make a difference in your sales outcomes.
I had a client who visited a new prospect and had a short conversation. At the end of the conversation, the prospect said, "I don't know that I'll have any business for you, but feel free to check in occasionally just in case."
So my client did. He periodically called or dropped by the office to check in with the prospect. After several visits my client asked the prospect something along the lines of, "When we first met, you said you weren't sure you would have any business for me, but you invited me to check in occasionally. You could've easily told me to stop dropping by. Why didn't you?"
The prospect replied that he invites most salespeople to check in occasionally in case something comes up, and that he was honestly surprised and impressed that my client had continued to do so. Most people with whom he had the same conversation never called or visited again. While he still didn't have a need for my client's services at the time, he would be sure to call if a situation came up.
I can echo the same story in my business. In the years I've been in my current office location, I've talked to plenty of salespeople who were selling coffee service, cleaning, or anything else an office might need. And the vast majority of them I've never seen or heard from again after our initial conversation.
It's a common trend in sales. You talk to a cold prospect once, and if they don't bite on what you're selling, you mark them off the list and move on.
Some decision makers even use it as a test. Their mindset is to never buy from someone on the first interaction, because they know how rarely a salesperson makes contact a second time. But when you do reach out a second or third time, there's a subconscious recognition that you're a legitimate business and might be worth doing business with.
This is where consistency, in both the action and the people on your team, comes into play. A revolving door of salespeople or a long list of one-time visits doesn't create a relationship. But if you and your team are consistent over time, you have the opportunity to build a relationship that can lead to a sale.
