Simply put, speed sells. Respond to inbound calls and emails faster than your competition and you will win more business.

Over the years I have spoken to dozens of business owners, all of whom seek to sell more and grow their businesses. However, when I’ve called their offices and left a message, or filled out their web forms, it’s often days before someone gets back to me.

The customer doesn’t care whether you’re busy or not. He or she just wants their problem solved.

When I ask these business owners about the delay in response, they typically make an excuse: “I am busy.” “My staff is busy.” But aren’t we all busy, including the customer? I hate to break it to you, but the customer doesn’t care whether you’re busy or not. He or she just wants their problem solved. The problem that drove them to take their precious time to call you.

Make it a company-wide rule right now: Return calls, emails and form fills immediately. Here’s why… Your competition is not doing this.

One day awhile back, I picked up a voicemail from a contractor that needed to buy about $200,000 in equipment to fulfill a contract. I received the message at 1:30pm. By 4:30pm, we had spoken on the phone and he had a proposal in his hands.

Ten days later I received the order.

I later learned that the day the contractor called me, he had also called two of my competitors. One competitor returned the call the day I received the order. The other competitor never returned the call.

Return calls and emails immediately. Act like you want the business. Operate as if every call, every email, every form fill is a deal you will sell. Cascade this message to your entire organization, not just to your sales team. Because – I’ll repeat it again – your competition is not doing this. Speed sells!

—Tim Kubista, VP Sales & Marketing