• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Weekly Sales Tip
  • |
  • 303-741-6636
KLA Group

KLA Group

IT Sales and Marketing Agency

Menu
  • SERVICES
      • Digital Marketing
      • Custom Website Design
      • SEO Services
      • Email Marketing
      • Content Development
      • Marketing Coaching
      • Software Development
      • Our Process
      • What is a Revenue Generation System?
      • Digital Marketing Services
      • Sales Training & Coaching Programs
      • HubSpot Implementation
      • HubSpot Implementation for Revenue Growth
      • HubSpot Monthly Support
      • Sales Training Programs
      • How to Cold Call
      • Consultative Selling
      • Email Prospecting
      • How to Ask for Referrals
      • Lead Generation Training
      • Sales Coaching
      • Sales Productivity
      • Sales Hiring Coaching
      • Outsourced Sales Management
      • Sales Assessment
      • Contact Us
  • WHO WE SERVE
    • IT Managed Service Providers
    • IT Solution Providers
    • ConnectWise Evolve
    • Sales Consultants
    • B2B Companies
    • Professional Services Firms
    • Phone System Providers
    • Manufacturing & Distribution
  • ABOUT KLA
    • Who We Are
    • What is a Revenue Generation System?
    • About Kendra Lee
    • Hire Kendra Lee to Speak
    • Meet the Team
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • Books by Kendra Lee
      • The Sales Magnet
      • Selling Against the Goal
    • Ebooks & Guides
    • Events
    • Weekly Sales Tip
    • Revenue Generating Trends Newsletter
    • Coffee with Kendra
  • Contact us

Put an End to Sales Prospecting Procrastination – Part 2

Last updated June 14, 2022 Categories: Sales Prospecting

By Kendra Lee

Part two of a series on Things Sellers Avoid

Put an end to Sales Prospecting ProcrastinationIn our last article, we talked about why we avoid certain sales activities even though they’re essential for success.  We then unwrapped prospecting, probably the most common activity sellers avoid.

Today let’s examine why we avoid proposal follow-up and account management, and talk about strategies to avoid these.

Proposal Follow-up – It’s not about you

Why do we avoid following up on proposals when we haven’t heard from the prospect within a reasonable time?  It’s simple.  No one likes rejection.  And all too often we assume it’s personal.  “The prospect must not like me.”  “I must have done something wrong.”  “They like so-and-so better than me.” 

But the reality is that it’s almost never about us; it’s about them.  They get busy.  They’re waiting for funding.  Their priorities shift, or some such thing.

I recently found myself in a situation like this.  My prospect kept canceling appointments and avoiding my calls. It would have been easy to take it personally.  But one day, out of the blue, he called and said he was ready to go. “How quickly can we get started?” he asked.  How thankful I was that I hadn’t given up!

His apparent avoidance had been nothing more than waiting for a discussion with his partner.

Proposal Follow-up – No news is not good news

The other reason you might avoid proposal follow-up is you’d rather not know you lost a sale.  Not knowing leaves room for hope, or so the thinking goes.  But no news is not good news.  We all lose sales from time to time for a variety of reasons – rarely personal – and it’s better to find out sooner than later.

Once you know, you can adjust your forecast and move on to more productive things.

And who knows, by following up you may find you can save a sale.  Maybe the prospect has questions you can answer.  Maybe she was just busy and your prompting helped her move forward and decide.

Account Management – Show some love

For similar reasons, we avoid making account management calls to all but our favorite clients.  We’re afraid of what might be an ugly conversation.

You might be remembering that the client wasn’t available or was too busy to talk the last time. Or maybe he cancelled the last meeting without notice.

You might be thinking they’re kind of cold and hard to talk to. Maybe he wasn’t receptive to a recent recommendation you made. Maybe there’s been a customer satisfaction issue and you’d rather not dredge it up again.

Think about it this way instead:  Remind yourself why they chose you in the first place.  Chances are they have many more reasons to like you than not.  Maybe there was just one bad situation, bad timing, or other things going on.  Maybe your call can reverse a problem.

Approach each call expecting to help, not expecting a problem.  Use questioning to understand.  Show some love.  (What could be more fitting this Valentine’s week?)  And remember, it’s rarely about you.  That takes the intimidation right out of it.

Read More Related Articles

game showing hitting sales targets
Sales Prospecting Want to Hit Your Q4 Sales Targets? 10 Questions to Make Your Goal
Formal Referral Program
Sales Prospecting, Sales Strategy Your Guide to Create a Successful Referral Program for Your Business
man on mountain shouting his success
Revenue Generating Success Strategies , Sales Prospecting Enlist Your Allies to Get More New Business

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Services

  • Digital Marketing Services
  • Sales Training
  • Sales Process
  • Hire Kendra to Speak
footer-logo

Resources

  • Blog
  • Coffee with Kendra
  • Events
  • Ebooks & Guides
  • Newsletter
  • Weekly Sales Tip
  • Books by KLA
  • Sitemap

About KLA

  • About Us
  • Who We Serve
  • Revenue Generating System

Service Areas

  • Commerce City, Colorado
  • Englewood, Colorado
  • Lakewood, Colorado
  • Wheat Ridge, Colorado

Contact Us

Call +1 888-305-0471Contact Us

Join Us

Subscribe OptionsCoffee With Kendra
  • Privacy Policy

© 2025 KLA Group. All Right Reserved.

  • What Should Show on Caller ID When You’re Prospecting?
  • Is Cold Outreach Dead or Are You Missing AI and Smart Tactics?
  • Help Your Team Prospect Consultatively for Better Results  
  • How Consultative Selling Drives B2B Sales Growth 
  • 12 Ways To Achieve Sales Goals Faster

test

Subscribe to Our Blog

Get the latest sales and marketing articles from KLA Group delivered directly to your inbox. 

Name(Required)
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Untitled(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Talk with an Expert

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Syllabus - Lead Generation

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Coaching - Sales

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Syllabus - How to Ask for Referrals

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Syllabus - Email Prospecting

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Syllabus - Consultative Selling

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Syllabus - How to Cold Call

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOG