There’s one MASSIVE trend we’ve noticed with ALL Stone Fab Salespeople: when an internet lead comes in, sales reps follow up just once—then never again. And what happens to those leads? They end up buying from someone else.
We’ve run the numbers, and across every fabricator we’ve worked with, only 8% of leads get a second follow-up. That leaves a staggering 92% slipping through the cracks. Why is this happening?
One of my clients, Thomas Barlow of Countertop Source, noticed this too. So we both sat down with one of his reps and asked, “Fred, why do you only follow up once?”
His answer?
“Because… when a prospect has questions or is ready to move forward, they’ll call me.”
I’ll admit, it’s hard to describe the emotions Thomas and I felt after hearing that. LOL!
And here’s the kicker: every Sales Team I’ve worked with has had the same response. But why?
It boils down to two things:
- Internet leads are hard: Unlike a showroom walk-in, these prospects are window shopping. They aren’t loyal to you, and if anything turns them off, they’re off to your competitor’s website.
- The Fear of Follow-Up: Think about it. Stone Fab Sales Reps are used to taking orders: A customer shares their dimensions, they pick out a material together, the rep enters it into the computer, takes a deposit—“Thanks, templating is next week.” But when it comes to follow-up… reps freeze. They worry it’ll make them seem pushy, like a car salesman.
So how do you fix it?
Take this to your team: Print out this guide, watch the video below together, and listen to the BEFORE /AFTER calls. I truly believe this will help your team connect better with leads and drive more sales.
Think 3 F’s: Fake, Frequency, and Foster
- Fake: Sales reps often say, “All the leads from the internet are fake or junk!” Sure, some are, but most aren’t. It’s a mindset shift. As per the video, ‘Think J-lo!’
- Frequency: People are busy! They’re at work, soccer practice, the grocery store. Life happens, and they appreciate the follow-up. They reached out because they need your help. Don’t let a fear of being annoying get in the way—they appreciate persistence… trust me.
- Foster: Stop being an order-taker with one simple question. Next time someone calls to ask about showroom hours or if you have ‘White Quartz,’ answer them but ALWAYS ask, “Tell me about your project.” Prospects want to talk about their project. Remember, you’re the expert, and they’re calling for your help. Here’s a great example of a BEFORE and AFTER call after our training and a mindset shift. You can hear the prospect’s trust building as the rep asks, “So what brings you in?”
AI Insight #1(Thanks to Kari of Humboldt Countertops for this idea!) Copy and Paste Into ChatGPT: “ChatGPT, you are an expert in Stone Fabricator Sales Training for my business www.{yourwebsite}.com. Help me create a short script of some Ice Breakers that I can have my Retail Sales Reps Role Play with each other to simulate incoming calls. I want them to practice techniques of fostering a strong prospect relationship within the first few minutes. Please limit this to a one-page printout.”
P.S. As promised here are two powerful resources to help you drive your sales team’s success:
- 10 Questions to Ask Your Sales Team: A thought-provoking guide to spark insightful conversations and uncover hidden challenges.
- Sales Performance Tracking Template: A simple, effective tool to start tracking key sales metrics and identify areas for improvement
Lets keep growing,
Tim Saddoris
Founder, Grand Onyx
